Specialized therapy for children, teens, and college students navigating anxiety, ADHD, and learning differences—especially when those challenges show up in school and daily life.
In-person counseling in Apollo Beach & Riverview, FL | Online sessions across FL
The philosophy that guides my work…
Parakaleo is a Greek word meaning to come alongside—to encourage, strengthen, and guide.
That idea shapes how I approach therapy.
Rather than standing at a distance and trying to “fix” problems, my role is to come alongside students and families—helping them understand what’s happening, build skills with intention, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Therapy becomes a collaborative process rather than a one-sided solution.
Together, we make sense of what’s happening beneath anxiety, school stress, or emotional overwhelm—and develop the tools needed for meaningful, lasting change.
When something doesn’t quite make sense…
If you’re here, something likely hasn’t felt quite right for a while.
Your child may be anxious about school, overwhelmed by expectations, or reacting emotionally in ways that feel bigger than anyone can explain.
You may have talked with teachers, tried strategies at home, or spent late nights searching for answers—wondering what might finally help things make sense.
When a child is struggling, parents often carry a heavy set of questions.
Is this anxiety?
ADHD?
A learning difference?
Am I missing something?
Trying to piece this together while supporting your child day-to-day can feel exhausting.
You’re not alone in that experience.
How I work
In therapy with me, you can expect a process that goes beyond managing symptoms or reacting to the next overwhelming moment.
I work to slow things down and look beneath the surface—understanding what may be driving the anxiety, academic pressure, emotional intensity, or learning challenges your child is experiencing.
Together, we focus on building clarity, emotional regulation, and lasting confidence.
My work integrates several evidence-based approaches, including:
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• EMDR
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
When working with younger children, I also incorporate developmentally informed approaches such as Synergetic Play Therapy, which allows children to process emotions through play in ways that feel natural and safe.
These approaches help students better understand their emotions, regulate their nervous systems, and develop the confidence to navigate school, relationships, and life challenges with greater resilience.
Anxiety rarely tells the whole story.
In many cases, anxiety isn’t the only factor at play.
Perfectionism, emotional intensity, ADHD, learning differences (including dyslexia), and academic pressure often interact—making things feel more complicated than they first appear.
A capable student may work incredibly hard while quietly doubting themselves.
School may require far more effort than anyone realizes.
Emotions may feel bigger and harder to regulate than expected.
My role is to bring clarity to those patterns.
I work with children, teens, and families to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Together, we slow things down, make sense of the anxiety, and begin building the skills and confidence needed to move forward.
When things start to make sense, they begin to feel more manageable.
Why this work matters to me…
I’m Deanna Pecina (MA, RMHCI), a therapist specializing in anxiety, ADHD, and learning differences in children, teens, and young adults.
With over twenty plus years of experience in education—from teaching preschool to college —I bring a deep understanding of how academic environments, learning differences, and internal pressure shape a student’s experience.
In my work, I saw the same pattern again and again.
Capable, thoughtful students were working incredibly hard while quietly carrying anxiety, pressure, and self-doubt that few people fully understood.
Many were bright, motivated students who appeared to be doing well on the surface while privately struggling with anxiety related to school, performance, or learning challenges.
Over time, this work also became personal. As a parent, I watched my own children struggle in school in ways that didn’t quite make sense at first. Labels were applied, questions went unanswered, and it took years of advocating, searching for clarity, and understanding how learning differences can be overlooked.
That experience deepened my perspective in ways my professional training alone never could.
I understand how confusing and exhausting it can feel when a child is trying their best but something still isn’t working.
Today, I combine that educational background with clinical training in mental health counseling to support students and families navigating anxiety and learning differences. When the underlying story becomes clearer, students are able to rebuild confidence, develop new skills, and move forward with a greater sense of capability.
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Anxiety & Overthinking
Perfectionism & Internal Pressure
ADHD & Neurodivergence
Learning Differences (including Dyslexia)
Emotional Regulation & Intensity
School Stress & Academic Pressure
Self-Esteem & Confidence
Social Anxiety & Peer Challenges
Parenting Support for Anxious or Neurodivergent Kids
Children, Teens & Adults Navigating Anxiety
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Somatic Experiencing
Synergetic Play Therapy
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Master of Arts in Humanities
Masters of School Administration
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Certified Youth Mental Health Specialist
Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) Certification
DISC Behavioral Analysis Consultant
Certified Enneagram Practitioner
EMDR Trained
Synergetic Play Therapy Trained
IFS Trained
DBT Certified
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Specialized Support
Curiosity
Growth begins with understanding. Rather than rushing to change behavior or emotions, therapy begins with curiosity—exploring patterns, experiences, and the deeper story beneath anxiety or overwhelm.
MY GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Calm
A regulated nervous system creates space for learning and growth.
Therapy focuses on helping students understand their emotional responses and build skills that create greater steadiness.
Connection
Meaningful change happens in relationships where people feel understood.
Therapy provides a space where students and families can explore challenges openly and develop new ways of responding together.
Confidence
Confidence grows through clarity and experience.
As students understand themselves and develop new skills, they begin to trust their ability to handle challenges with greater resilience.
Ready to get started?
If something about your child’s experience hasn’t quite made sense, you’re not imagining it.
Many of the students I work with are thoughtful, capable, and trying incredibly hard — but carrying more pressure than anyone realizes.
With the right understanding and support, those patterns can begin to shift.
Students learn to understand their emotions.
Parents gain clarity about what’s happening beneath the surface.
Confidence grows in ways that aren’t dependent on perfect performance.
And things begin to feel lighter again.
Schedule a free consultation to talk through what’s been happening and explore whether working together feels like the right next step.