Nicole Hunt, MSW, LCSW, CAP
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
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).
Julia Papesch, MSW, LCSW
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 Licensed Clinical Social Work 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.
Hailey Mackin, MA, LMHC
Hey there! My name is Hailey and I’ve lived in Florida for most of my life. In my free time I enjoy reading, going outdoors, and spending time with my family and friends. I’m also a huge animal lover, I have a corgi and two rescue cats!
Why I became a Counselor
Early
on I knew I wanted to work with people, I just didn’t know in what
capacity. My mom was a teacher, so this felt like a natural path. I
taught daycare, preschool, and eventually after college, I taught 5th
grade public school. While teaching I discovered that I was pulled to
work with my students and their families in a different way. I wanted
to take time to get to know them, process with them, and help them
develop emotionally. I decided to go back to graduate school to
become a counselor and I’m so glad I did, it was the best decision
I’ve ever made.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I
am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. I
earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Child Sciences at Florida
State University and my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family
Therapy from University of Central Florida. I have 10 years of
experience and have worked in a variety of settings. I’m a
qualified supervisor and work with new counselors obtaining licensure
in the state of Florida. I work with children, teens, individual
adults, and couples. I’ve worked in private practices, schools,
behavioral health agencies, residential programs, and currently work
in a hospital setting. I believe therapy is a team approach between
the counselor and the client. Despite my amazing skill set and
education, problems are not resolved or fixed with one session, it
takes time and work. I work with anxiety, depression, addiction,
grief, trauma, ADHD, ODD, and major life stressors. I utilize an
electric approach of Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy, and Play Therapy when age appropriate. Humor is also
important to me, laughing in session can be incredibly healing! When
working with couples the goal is skill building, which typically
includes communication skills, trust building, and improving
emotional awareness. I look forward to working with you!
Sara Colorato, MSW, LCSW
Hi! I’m Sara. I am a native Floridian, grew up in Southwest Florida, and moved to the Tampa area with my husband in 2014. We love it here and consider it home now. I love reading, my nephews, the Tampa Bay Lightning, traveling, and spending time with my family.
Why I became a Counselor
I always had an interest in mental health and helping others but I didn’t always know I would be a social worker. I went to college thinking I was going to be a pharmacist but I shifted towards psychology in my second year. It was when I started taking psychology courses that I really saw my passion for understanding people and how their minds work come to life! A few years after finishing my undergraduate degree, I stumbled upon a social work degree program and I’ve never looked back. The values of the field of social work have become a part of my being and I love helping others discover their value and worth.
Education, Experience, and Approach
I am a Licensed
Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida. I earned a Bachelor’s
degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work from
Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. I have over 15
years of experience in the social work field and I have worked with
children, adolescents, young and older adults, and families. I spent
many years working as a school social worker in low income, high
needs schools helping students and families to achieve their social,
emotional, and academic goals. My experience includes working in
hospitals as a therapist and as a medical social worker supporting
patients and families as they transition from hospital to home,
adjust to chronic illness, and cope with medical anxiety, grief, and
end of life issues. I also have experience working with children and
adults in psychiatric settings, outpatient mental health, and
inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. I am a
Qualified Supervisor that provides support, guidance, and supervision
for social workers in Florida working toward their clinical license.
I use a person centered approach to therapy with the understanding
that my clients live their lives as part of multiple intersectional
systems. I utilize a variety of evidence based techniques, including
but not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused
Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and mindfulness. I believe
everyone has the potential for growth and I get excited to witness
the growth my clients make toward their goals. I look forward to
walking alongside you as you find the tools that will help you live
your best life!
Denise Mote, MSW, LCSW, CAP
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.