Nicole Hunt, MSW, LCSW, CAP
About Nicole
My name is Nicole, and I was born and raised in upstate New York. I moved to Florida in 2013 with my husband and our two sons. Like many who move to Florida, I came for the beautiful weather! I love the beach, traveling, working out, sports and spending time with my family.
Why I became a Counselor
I have always had a passion for helping others and from an early age, I have had an abundance of empathy towards others. Thinking back on the most difficult times in my life, it was the people that I was surrounded with that helped me through it. Life is full of challenges and can be overwhelming. Having a neutral person there to support and empower you through difficult situations, is such a powerful thing. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to walk alongside individuals in their journey to happiness, healing, and personal growth.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Addictions Professional in the state of Florida. I received my Master’s Degree in Social Work from Edinboro University. Prior to embarking on my journey in private practice counseling, I have had opportunities to work in a variety of settings providing counseling to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. My experiences includes working as a School Social Worker in a Title 1 School and supervising clinical teams at DACCO Behavioral Health’s Women’s Residential and Prevention Programs as well as providing addictions counseling in their detox and outpatient clinics. While living in New York, I worked as an Addictions Counselor in both outpatient and residential settings. These experiences served to nurture and build my passion for working with people dealing with a wide array of challenges.
I use a strength-based, person-centered approach that focuses on solutions. I utilize a variety of therapeutic strategies to best meet your unique and individual needs. My goal is to help you explore your goals and existing barriers to achieving them by individualizing each session to meet each of your specific needs.
Navoy Frederick, MSW, LCSW
About Navoy
My name is Navoy, and I was born in Virginia, and raised in Florida since 1996. My dad proudly served in the Airforce for 25 years, and I’m honored to call myself a military brat! I’m no stranger to hard work and discipline and believe that most things in life are possible with the right mindset and perspective. I have a passion for football, anime, philosophy, and my family.
Why I became a Counselor
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always had a passion to help people. I grew up in a middle-class household, but never truly understood how fortunate I was, until I experienced my own personal hardships as a young man. If not for my family and friends, I would not be where I am today, in a position to give back to the community through mental health counseling. As a young black man, I aspire to help anyone who feels marginalized, vulnerable, or has been a victim of life circumstance.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Florida. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2014, and my Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2016, both from the University of South Florida. In the 6 years I’ve been in the field of social work, my experiences focus on treating children, adolescents, and adults who may be currently experiencing, or at risk of developing criminal thinking patterns, behavioral/mental health instability, interpersonal-related struggles, co-occurring mental health disorders, and compulsive drug-seeking behaviors (addiction). I’m currently one of the lead adolescent outpatient counselors at Cove Behavioral Health, and my duties range from individual counseling, facilitating group psychoeducation, and providing comprehensive assessments/level of care recommendations for patient’s experiencing substance abuse, mental health, and/or various legal concerns. I utilize a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Insight-Oriented Psychodynamic Therapy, Play Therapy, REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy), Motivational Interviewing, and CYT (Cannabis Youth-Treatment).
Denise Mote, MSW, LCSW, CAP
About Denise
My name is Denise, and I journeyed down to Florida by way of Maryland and North Carolina. I enjoy decorating and organizing as my therapeutic outlet and seeking new adventures and traveling. Being with friends and family brings me joy, and I love a good Rom-Com and Friends re-runs!
Why I became a Counselor
I didn't always know that I would end up in the Social Work field, but I always knew I had a passion and heart for helping others. After many internships and job experiences, I learned a lot about people, and each experience led me to my ultimate goal of becoming a Clinical Social Worker. I believe in people’s ability to be resilient to make lasting and meaningful changes in their lives. I enjoy supporting, mentoring, empowering and guiding others when they find themselves in need.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addictions Professional in the state of Florida. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from East Carolina University and my Master’s Degree in Social Work from The University of South Florida. With 14 years of experience in the field, my style is collaborative and practical, and works from a strengths-based approach. My goal in therapy is to assist others when life feels unbalanced and overwhelming. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing in my counseling approach, and have specialized my work in the field of addiction and substance abuse. I also work with adolescents, adults, and families dealing with trauma, co-dependency, issues related to relationships, stress, depression, and anger. I have experience in medical social work, psychiatric settings, and teaching social work students working towards their Master’s Degree and Licensure.
Julia Papesch, MSW, RCSWI
About Julia
My name is Julia, and I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio before moving to Tallahassee for college in 2014 and then to Tampa in 2020. In my free time, I love staying active with sports, yoga and the gym. I also love spending time with my dog Koda, reading, and writing. Meditation and other spiritual practices are also important to me.
Why I became a counselor
I was born to be a counselor! From a very young age I always had a gift for listening without judgment and a heart that cared deeply about others. I also got through difficult times in my personal life with the help of counselors which taught me the importance of therapeutic support. I struggled with mental health especially during my teenage years, so I was able to learn what works and what doesn’t through my own counseling which I’m now able to draw upon in addition to my book knowledge from school.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern in the state of Florida. I received my Bachelors Degree in Psychology in 2017 and Masters Degree in Social Work in 2020, both from Florida State University. As a counselor, I have worked with a range of ages and issues. I worked in several mental health and substance use treatment centers providing individual, group, and family counseling for both teens and adults. I also have experience doing individual grief/bereavement counseling and facilitating grief support groups. I utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based, and strengths based approaches. I also believe in the connection between mind, body, and spirit, and enjoy helping clients strengthen these areas and therefore the connection between the three.
Megan Malinka, MSW, RCSWI
About Megan
My name is Megan, and I am a Florida native, dog mom, and proud aunt. I was born and raised in Clearwater, Florida. I have traveled to 49 of the 50 states, and I can honestly say I would never want to live anywhere else but Florida. In my free time, I enjoy playing with my dog, Theodore, eating good food, traveling, doing puzzles, and reading.
Why I became a Counselor
Growing up, my family, especially my grandfather, spent many hours devoting time to helping others. My grandfather was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and through conversations with him, I was able to understand and recognize the impact he had on individuals and the fulfillment that came from it. This motivated me to pursue a career dedicated to helping others so I, too could feel fulfilled and make a difference. I have also previously had and continue to have my own positive interactions with therapists who have helped me grow and have empowered me to work through struggles I face in my everyday life. These interactions further made becoming a counselor a driving force in my life.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern in the state of Florida. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2015 and my Master’s degree in Social Work in 2018 both from the University of South Florida. My experiences as a social worker include working in inpatient and outpatient settings with adults who have mental health, eating disorders and/or substance abuse disorders, as well as with children in different schools and community environments. I utilize a person-centered, strengths based and solution focused approach. Every individual is unique and I do not believe there is a “one size fits all” approach to therapy. I use a variety of therapeutic strategies and will explore with you the therapeutic style that will be most beneficial for you and your needs. My goal is to work collaboratively so we can achieve your goals together. Let's do this from the comfort of the location of your choice via teletherapy!