Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Venice, FL covered by Aetna

Hello, my name is Peggy, and I bring over 30 years of experience as a therapist. My goal is to create a safe and supportive space where you feel truly heard. I take time to understand you as a whole person—your history, your strengths, and the challenges you’re facing—so we can work together toward meaningful change.

Cynthia Baxter brings over 30 years of experience supporting individuals navigating stress, anxiety, and life’s many demands. She works with professionals in high-performance roles, busy parents, caregivers, and those managing conflict or major life transitions.

Clients often describe Cynthia as a calm and grounding presence during difficult times. She is deeply committed to creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where each person feels heard, respected, and supported. Her work is rooted in compassion, consistency, and a genuine desire to help clients move toward greater balance and well-being.

I'm Karina Astigarrabia Ferraz, PMHNP-BC — a Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner practicing in Florida. Before specializing in psychiatry, I spent years as a Board certified nurse in cardiac intensive care, an experience that deepened my understanding of how the mind and body are inseparable. That background shapes the way I practice: I see mental health as rooted in biology, physiology, and lived experience — not just symptoms to be managed. I believe therapy is one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in mental health care. My work centers on evidence-based approaches — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Interpersonal Therapy — integrated with a positive psychiatry framework that focuses on your strengths, resilience, and capacity to heal. When medication is appropriate, I incorporate it thoughtfully as part of a broader, individualized plan. Clients often describe me as warm, unhurried, and genuinely curious about their lives. I collaborate with Brain X Dynamics as an independent clinician, sharing a commitment to whole-person, holistic care — including attention to brain metabolism and the biological foundations of emotional well-being.

With more than 30 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, I am passionate about helping adults and older adults navigate life’s emotional, psychological, and cognitive challenges. I provide psychotherapy, cognitive rehabilitation, and neuropsychological evaluations, with particular experience supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, memory concerns, adjustment issues, and the impact of aging or medical conditions. My approach is compassionate, respectful, and individualized, and I strive to create a space where you feel heard, understood, and empowered to improve your quality of life.

I work primarily with children ages 3–17, offering individual therapy while strongly encouraging family involvement to support lasting change.

Hello, I'm Dr. Karen Shatz, I am committed to guiding individuals through the intricate interplay of societal influences on personal narratives. With expertise in identity exploration, relationship dynamics, and self-empowerment, my approach aims to provide a warm, collaborative space for you to challenge and reshape limiting beliefs. I'm here to empower you to navigate life's complexities authentically. Ready to embark on a transformative journey? Contact me for support in deconstructing societal influences and shaping your unique narrative.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Melanie D’Souza, LMHC with six years of experience helping adults work through depression, anxiety, trauma and addiction. I am also trained in EMDR, an evidenced-based approach that can help process and heal from past experiences that continue to affect the present.

Welcome! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker dually licensed in California and Florida. I earned my Master's degree in Social Work from George Mason University in 2018 and have worked in the mental health field since 2016.

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and individuals from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities across a variety of settings, including outpatient, school-based, intensive in-home, community-based, therapeutic day treatment, and residential programs.

I believe that everyone deserves a safe, supportive space to heal and grow. My goal is to help clients better understand themselves, build healthy coping skills, navigate life's challenges with greater confidence, and break patterns that no longer serve them. Whether you're facing anxiety, past trauma, relationship difficulties, or a major life transition, I'm here to help you move toward meaningful, lasting change.

My name is Alexa Vazquez and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I earned my Master of Social Work degree from Florida international University. I specialize in working with individuals and families, supporting them as they navigate challenges related to anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, and parenting dynamics.

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to learn about my practice. I am Ramon Recio, a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with more than thirty years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families through life’s most difficult chapters. I hold a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and completed doctoral coursework in Counselor Education and Supervision. My career has spanned community mental health centers, hospital systems, and private practice in both New York City and the greater Tampa Bay area, including my current work as a Behavioral Health Psychotherapist at BayCare Behavioral Health, St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Over the years I have had the privilege of working with a wide range of clients: adults navigating anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions; couples and families seeking to repair and strengthen their relationships; individuals in recovery from substance use; veterans; and people from culturally diverse backgrounds, including children with developmental challenges and their families. I am fluent in English and Spanish, and I welcome clients who prefer to be served in either language.

Outside of credentials and titles, what I most want you to know is this: I am warm, energetic, and genuinely curious about the people I work with. I believe each person carries strengths that are often hidden beneath what they came to therapy to address, and a meaningful part of our work together will be uncovering and using those strengths. I also recognize that for many clients, spirituality, faith, or a personal sense of meaning is an important part of their lives. I am respectful of every client’s belief system and integrate that dimension only when, and how, you want it included.

Hello!

I’m Dr. Daniel Reyes, a compassionate and client-centered counselor dedicated to helping individuals navigate life’s challenges with clarity, resilience, and hope. I have more than 5 years of clinical experience and over 35 years in the helping professions. My passion is to help you feel better in every aspect of your well-being.