

Partner 1: “I reach for you, but it feels like you’re already gone.” I’m left wondering if I matter to you at all.” Partner 2: “When you come close, I feel the pressure to be perfect, so I pull back to protect us both.” These unspoken messages leave couples lonely and stuck. I help break this anxious–avoidant cycle so partners feel safe, seen, and deeply connected again.
“I don’t understand why I want closeness so badly, yet feel disappointed when I have it. Why do I feel lonelier than others, even when I’m not alone?” Or: “I care deeply, but people say I’m distant or hard to read. When emotions get intense, I shut down—not because I don’t feel, but because it feels like too much.”
These quiet tensions live beneath awareness for many people. Longing and self-protection pull in opposite directions. Needs feel confusing, emotions feel overwhelming or unsafe, and core beliefs quietly form—I’m too much, I’m not enough, connection costs me something.
I help people loosen these patterns, reconcile the Self with more truthful and adaptive beliefs, and move toward self-acceptance and interdependence—where connection no longer threatens safety, but deepens it.
After nine years serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, I realized my deepest fulfillment came not from fixing systems, but from walking with people. Leaving the military was not a departure from service—it was a continuation of it. I pursued social work and theological training to better support people in their most important relationships. Today, my practice is devoted to couples counseling and trauma-informed care. Drawing primarily from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and EMDR, I help couples slow conflict, understand what drives disconnection, and emotional safety. As a veteran and seminary-trained therapist, I bring structure, compassion, and steady hope—meeting clients with respect, grace, and a belief in lasting change.
I started my career in New York City then moved my practice to the sunny state of Florida. My experience over the past 15 years is working with adults navigating everything from everyday stress to deeper emotional wounds. Life gets complicated sometimes, but you don't have to do it alone! Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside people through their most vulnerable moments—and watching them rediscover their strength, gain clarity and build confidence.
I am a clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience. I have experience working with adolescents and adults in a variety of treatment settings. My specialties include: Depression, Anxiety and Panic Disorders; Domestic Violence and Trauma; Bereavement; Health Issues (cancer, diabetes, pain management); Weight Management and Smoking Cessation; and Adjustment Issues (caregiver stress, divorce, parenthood, retirement, "empty nest").
Hi there, I'm Yanela, a bilingual LMHC with previous experience and a background in art therapy approach as a creative healing process.
I work with children, adolescents, and adults using a mix of evidence-based approaches and creative techniques to support emotional growth.


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