Services
About My Clients
I work with children, teens, and college students navigating anxiety, ADHD, perfectionism, and learning differences—especially when these challenges overlap and feel hard to explain. Many of my clients are bright, capable students who appear to be doing well on the outside while quietly carrying self-doubt, pressure, and overwhelm. Their parents often sense something is off but can't quite pinpoint what. If your child is trying hard but still struggling, you're in the right place.
My Background and Approach
I'm Deanna Pecina (MA, RMHCI), a registered mental health counseling intern supervised by Amelia Howard, LMHC (MH12209). I bring over 20 years of experience in education—from preschool through college—alongside clinical training in mental health counseling. I've seen the same pattern again and again: capable, thoughtful students working incredibly hard while quietly carrying anxiety and self-doubt that few people fully understood. My approach is brain-based and collaborative. I draw on EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Synergetic Play Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), CBT, DBT, and ACT—tailoring each approach to the individual child or teen. I offer in-person sessions in Apollo Beach, FL and online therapy throughout Florida.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I believe that struggling doesn't mean something is wrong with your child. More often, it means their strengths haven't been fully understood yet. I approach every client with curiosity rather than judgment—slowing down to understand what's really happening beneath the surface before jumping to solutions or labels. As a parent myself, I've navigated the experience of watching my own children struggle in ways that didn't make sense at first. That experience deepened my clinical perspective in ways that training alone never could. I understand what it feels like to search for answers while supporting a child day to day. I am committed to creating a space where children, teens, and families feel genuinely understood—not analyzed, not rushed, and not reduced to a diagnosis.