Dr. Lyda Holguin-Gaviria

Welcome! Creating a space where you feel safe, heard, and understood is the cornerstone of my clinical practice. I am Dr. Lyda HG. I am a National Board-Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Professional Counselor to practice in Florida (LMHC). I obtained my PhD in Counseling at George Washington University and my master’s in clinical Mental Health at Villanova University.

I am a Catholic, bilingual, and bicultural clinical mental health counselor providing services in English and Spanish. I migrated to the United States 19 years ago as an international student. I bring a deep understanding of diverse lived experiences and the unique stressors related to acculturation and immigration. Also, I am an assistant professor, proudly teaching at the university level, to the next generation of master and doctoral students in Counseling.

I believe that life’s challenges often stem from a complex interplay of personal history, socio-cultural dynamics, and early exposure to traumatic experiences that we could not even recall yet. I firmly believe that every individual and family deserve a fulfilling life, feeling free, empowered, and skills to navigate complicated relationships with self or others.

My therapeutic approach is integrative and culturally sensitive. I draw from evidence-based interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), with specializations in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I also incorporate intersectionality theory, relational therapy, and attachment theory to enhance self-awareness, advocacy, social justice, and bonding issues that support healing. Your culture and personal strengths are central to our work together, and I will support your growth as you pursue meaningful change.

I have advanced clinical training in working with individuals and families affected by trauma, grief, and loss. I am certified in PCIT. I am especially passionate about supporting caregivers who struggle with children’s behaviors, emotional outbursts, and defiance. PCIT empowers caregivers with proven tools to improve communication, reduce disruptive behaviors, and build a stronger, more loving relationship with their child. Likewise, I truly enjoy working with women through key developmental transitions—such as girlhood to womanhood, pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, prenatal, motherhood, and the empty nest phase.

I am deeply committed to ensuring that you feel supported throughout your therapeutic journey. I honor and respect the courage it takes to seek professional help, especially at pivotal moments in life. Together we will identify goals and a treatment plan that works for you or your family.