ABOUT US

Hara Wachholder is the Clinical Director of The Bougainvilla House, Family Therapy Center. Hara is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Florida and received her Master’s degree in Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. For over 6 years, Hara has served in various capacities within community behavioral health as well as substance abuse treatment. Hara has worked with children, teens and adults. She specializes in anxiety, addiction, self-esteem, depression, family conflict, codependency/relationships, delinquent and defiant behaviors, as well as parenting. Hara utilizes an individualistic approach that focuses on clients’ strengths and self-empowerment. Hara’s belief system is that there is no “one size fits all” in therapy. Hara is dedicated to creating a safe space for each client where there is room for growth, healing and insight.

Simone Alicia, The Self Esteem Doctor, is a motivational speaker, personal coach and wellness consultant. Simone coaches every type of person “through the hard times” using the power of higher self-esteem.

Individuals, schools, nonprofits, small businesses and large corporations all choose Simone because she uses her magnetic personality and beloved sense of humor to solve problems, transform negative or stagnating mindsets and provide relief during some of the most challenging and confusing times of life.

Simone is a certified neuro-linguistic programming practitioner with an honorary doctorate degree in divinity. Alongside her master’s in business management and bachelor’s in education from the University of Florida, she is also an active member of the Association for Integrative Psychology.

Whether easing the pain of negative memories, sadness and bullying or guiding you step by step through how to manage stress, achieve goals and empower your inner being, Simone helps you to shift your mindset and finally get the results you’ve been searching for.

The Self Esteem Doctor will embrace you warmly, inspire you confidently and successfully coach you through the challenges of life.

Christopher is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the State of Florida and received his Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2014. After graduation, he focused his studies on Trauma and completed a 24 week Certified Expert Trauma Professional curriculum with the International Association of Trauma Professionals.

Chris’s expertise lies in understanding and enhancing relationships and the interactional cycles within these relationships as they affect clients own unique lives and journeys. Chris is passionate in the study of trauma; as it relates to therapy, treatment and recovery for individuals, couples, families and communities who have experienced traumatic events, to help them facilitate the process of healing. Chris believes trauma is an important and often under looked aspect of addiction and recovery and has a unique view of trauma, believing it to play an adaptive role in people’s lives. Chris tries to empower clients into learning how to utilize their trauma and lived experiences to overcome addiction and as a means of personal transformation, rather than a diagnosis of symptoms and heartache. For Chris, Addiction is all about gaining control of who you are, multidimensionally; to treat ourselves physically, psychologically, spiritually, mentally and biologically. Addiction is about how you survived, but Recovery is about how you thrive; by focusing on overcoming how you have adapted based on your lived experiences and learning to reintegrate this new version of you…to become the best version of you.

Chris has presented in Cambodia, China and most recently Iceland where he mixes his love for teaching and educating other’s in trauma with his passion for travel, exploration and experiencing new cultures.

Chris has worked with individuals and families in the addiction and mental health field for over 3 years and appreciates each person’s unique story and path in life. He combines a holistic approach with therapeutic models to help clients facilitate change for themselves.

Alexandra Antunes is a licensed mental health counselor with the State of Florida and received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. By utilizing an approach that combines different techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy and with experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in both group and individual settings she is able to help a wide variety of clients.

Frank is a licensed Mental Health Counselor with the State of Florida. He received his Master of Science degree in Counselor Education with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Florida International University in 2015. He received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology from the University of North Florida in 2010. He has worked with children and adolescents for over 15 years in many different facets including summer camps, preschools, autistic learning centers, swim instruction, and after school programs. His practicum work included narrative trauma work with clients suffering from PTSD

REGISTERED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR INTERN

Ashley St. Hilaire holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University, where she has become an active member of Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society and Psi Chi Honor Society. Ashley enjoys attending conferences in order to continue to expand her proficiency in the career of psychology. Ashley is in the process of becoming a LMHC and began her career providing behavior health services for children, adolescence, and their families at an Outpatient Community Behavioral Health Agency. Ashley is passionate about serving in the field of Addiction and utilizes her interpersonal and therapeutic skills to foster supportive relationships and provide mental health services to diverse populations. Ashley specializes in working with clients from all ages with chronic relapse, trauma, co-occurring disorders, co-dependency, behavioral, and legal issues. Ashley uses a client centered/multidisciplinary approach when treating her clients. Which consist of the theoretic perspective of cognitive behavioral therapy along with other theoretical approaches such as DBT, 12-Step, Solution Focused, Motivational Interviewing and innovative musical therapy techniques. Ashley educates on the importance of client’s utilizing their positive resources (i.e. family, sponsors, and friends) and encourages their social support to participate in their recovery. Ashley’s ambitions are to enhance her therapeutic skills while utilize her education and experiences to inspire, motivate, counsel, rehabilitate, guide, and support her client. Ultimately, becoming a catalyst for change, growth, and success in their recovery.

I am a board certified psychiatrist and an esteemed Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a Fellow of American Psychiatric Association. I am fully trained in Adult, Child and Adolescent, Geriatric, Emergency and Addiction Psychiatry. I received my general and adult psychiatry training at University of Maryland/ Sheppard Pratt and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry training from Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. I was selected as a Top Psychiatrist in Stamford, CT by the International Association of Health Care Professionals (IAHCP) and spotlighted in the publication The Leading Physicians of the World 2014 Edition. I am a Recipient of Roger Coleman Memorial Award Service to Patients for exemplary devotion to patients and commitment to quality care as evidenced by volunteer efforts in the Sandy Hook tragedy by Connecticut Psychiatric Society. I have an extensive experience in Emergency Psychiatry providing crisis services and in treating a broad range of psychiatric and behavior disorders, including depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Schizophrenia, substance abuse, Autism, Asperger's disorder, developmental disorders and more. I offer a thoughtful, comprehensive assessment to discuss and weigh out the role that medications could play to support your process of change. My goal is to provide the expert psychiatric care that will allow you to perform at your personal and professional best. I offer an array of psychiatric services including medication management, individual therapy, family therapy, behavior planning for children and adolescents, and advocacy for children in need of specialized academic services. My practice specializes in the medication management of adults and children with mood, anxiety and attentional disorders. I have special expertise in treating individuals who also have medical illnesses or who are pregnant/post-partum and in need of medication support as a component of their care. I work with individuals, couples, and families to address their relationship or career issues.