Meet Our Team!
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(Dana) Maurie Lung, Ph.D., LMHC, LMFT is the founder and CEO of Life Adventures Counseling, a community organization that provides adventure-based mental health therapy and consulting. She has over 25 years of experience as a therapist, business owner, author, speaker, trainer, evaluator, and university instructor. She has
co-authored two books for mental health professionals as well as a variety of articles about how to experience nature and adventure in order to heal our hearts and restore dignity. Maurie integrates her knowledge and experience of recreation, education, psychology, and evaluation to experientially provide services with a diverse client population. The growth and change she witnesses for youth, families, and adults through this process continues to amaze her and remind her of the power of playful experience. In addition to her experiences as a practitioner and administrator, Maurie provides consultation, coaching, training, and technical assistance to organizations who want to improve their level of organizational functioning or implement a more experiential approach to their services. She also is Associate Faculty at Prescott College teaching graduate courses in mental health counseling and overseeing the Adventure-based Psychotherapy and Ecotherapy programs.
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Phone: 727-481-4577
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Email: dmlung@LifeAdventuresCC.org
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777
Logan Walters is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida, a National Certified Counselor, and a Certified Adventure Therapist. He found his passion for helping people early in life and has 18 years of professionally supporting people improving their mental health, relationships, self-esteem, life skills and overall wellness. Logan utilizes a client centered strengths approach. This allows clients to build upon their current strengths and interests. Logan believes that interacting in nature and in the community leads people towards growth and connection. He conducts his therapeutic sessions on paddle boards, along nature/beach hikes, at parks, at challenge courses, in the community, and in the privacy of an office. Logan develops a plan with each individual client, to determine what goals, action steps, and settings they believe will be most advantageous for their growth.
For eight years, Logan was the Head of The Academy at SOAR, an accredited ADHD/LD adventure boarding school and camp outside of Asheville NC. He lead youth, young adults, and their families to identify goals, better communicate with each other, develop a healthy sense of self and self-esteem, create consistent structure to complete tasks, and to appropriately cope with their frustrations. In 2014, Logan moved to St. Petersburg and started a mental health and holistic growth practice and partnered with Life Adventures Counseling, working with youth, adults, and families. In addition to his counseling practice, he is an adjunct professor for Prescott College, the mental health advisor/consultant and student management trainer for Boston Outward Bound, and Vice Chairmen of the Board of Director for SOAR. Logan obtained his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and his master’s in Business Administration with a focus on non-profit management, from Western Carolina University. His certifications include: Red Cross Lifeguard and CPR, Wilderness First Responder, ACA Coastal Kayak Trip Leader, and Advance Diver. (MH17776)
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Phone: 828-734-4877
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777/varies in St. Petersburg, FL
Sarah Grace Nadler, M.Ed., Ed.S., Licensed Mental Health Counselor has been a counselor at Life Adventures since 2015, and has more than 10 years of experience as a therapist, consultant, and college professor. She and her therapy dog, Orlo, represent Life Adventures in her Downtown St. Petersburg location! Specializing in nature-based, mindfulness-based, and animal-assisted interventions, Sarah integrates these important modalities with cognitive-behavioral work with clients. She believes in the healing power of genuine relationships—each of us has relationships with ourselves, others in our lives, our direct environment, and the planet. Healing can begin immediately by expanding our insight and nurturing those relationships! Using a psycho-educational approach informed by her professorial roles to empower clients, Sarah collaborates with adults and couples who are working toward “thrival goals”: finding full potential through a focus on relationships, communication skills, grief, parenting, career, symptom management, difficult transitions, and finding the balance of one’s “best life”. Sarah Grace also provides consultation on topics related to Emotional Support Animals, Psychiatric Service Animals, Biophilic Self-Actualization, Biophilic Education, and increasing intentionality and quality of experience in educational program design. (MH15436)
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Phone: (727) 379-8020
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Primary Location: 575 2nd Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Heather Maturo received her B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and Florida State University and her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. She is currently serving as a private practitioner and has had a variety of experience with clients of all ages. Heather has over 10 years of experience working as both an Elementary School Counselor and as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
Specializing in individual, couples, and family therapy, she utilizes techniques found in narrative and collaborative system approaches. She integrates her knowledge of psychology and education to provide therapeutic services.
In addition to her experiences as a practitioner, Heather provides consultation and training to a variety of organizations who want to improve their work/life balance, communication skills, and stress management. She also teaches graduate courses in mental health counseling at Prescott College and is a Qualified Supervisor. She oversees interns as they work towards completing their requirements towards licensure.
Certifications/Memberships: CPR and First Aid, FSCA (Florida School Counselor Association), PPSCA (Pinellas Professional School Counselor Association), FCA (Florida Counselor Association), AEE (Association for Experiential Education), NAPW (National Association for Professional Women), Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Qualified Supervisor
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Phone: 219-508-2465
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Primary Location: 10213 Wilsky Blvd, Suite 12 Tampa, FL 33625
Kandi Spencer is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. Kandi earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Philosophy at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Buffalo and a Master of Arts in Human Services and Counseling at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.Kandi has over 20 years of experience in the health service field and in counseling individuals, families, couples as well as groups in a variety of settings. These settings include in-home therapy, a residential and outpatient facility for adults, an adult partial hospitalization program, an inpatient psychiatric hospital for children and adolescence, and foster care. Services include diagnostic assessments, treatment plan development and implementation, crisis intervention, family therapy, family education and training, behavior modification, substance abuse education and counseling, individual therapy, resource identification, linkage, and advocacy. Kandi has worked with child, adolescent, and adult populations along a range of issues such as depression, mood disorders, substance-related disorders, anxiety, trauma, sexual abuse, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, adjustment disorders, personality disorders, and ADHD.
(MH 13996)
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Phone: 404-409-7545
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777
Adam Woodard (M.Ed, Ed.S, CCAT) is a Licensed Marriage and Family and Mental Health Counselor who believes that everyone has the power to make changes in their lives with the right support. Believing that no person is an island, he uses a systemic approach to understand the client in context to best support an individual, couple or family within their unique situation. Having graduated from the University of Florida’s Counselor Education program and worked in UF Health’s Department of Psychology, Adam has training and experience in a variety of areas including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Crisis and Trauma, Multicultural Counseling, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment, LGBTQ+, Professional Development, and Marriage/Couples and Family Counseling. An artist, avid adventurer, and always active, Adam looks for ways to include creativity in counseling and promotes a wholistic view of mental health. His goal as a therapist is to help guide clients through a collaborative approach to their own solutions by discovering and promoting their own personal values. Keeping a Solution-Focused mindset, Adam helps clients to change their interaction with identified problems by breaking problematic patterns, establishing healthy relationships and boundaries, and learning new ways to cope with and confront life’s challenges. (MH22309, MT4565).
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Phone: 813-957-1036
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777
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Secondary Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Karissa Stewart has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida (MH23207). Karissa has a certification in Play and Creative Expressive Arts as well as several levels of Sand Tray. She is a Prepare and Enrich facilitator and has completed the Gottman Level 1 training to be well versed regarding relationship issues. Karissa has worked with clients who have experienced sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress, complex trauma, grief, religious abuse, identity, relationship issues and other concerns. She enjoys working with clients of any age, race, sexual identity, or background and has been working in similar fields for about seven years. Most of Karissa's clients either meet her outside in local parks for "walk & talks" or in the office for other forms of creative expressive art interventions and experiential activities.
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Phone: 727-228-2019
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777
Christina Blanchard, Registered Mental Health Counselor, is a cheerful, down to earth, and empathetic counselor who enjoys connecting with people from all walks of life, and celebrating small victories. Christina has worked relationally for the past 7 years and has been active in the mental health field for about 2.5 years. She has had extensive experience with youth ages 5 to 17, and additional experience with clients across all life stages.
Her approach to therapy integrates narrative and solution focused therapy with a client-centered foundation. The goal is for all of her clients to have a space where they feel heard, seen, valued, and safe enough to work through or build skills in the areas of life important to them to be able to intentionally live a life they value.
Christina is based in the St. Petersburg area and offers a variety of meeting places, both indoor and outdoors, giving opportunities for experiential and nature based activities. Christina works with individuals in all stages of life and particularly enjoys working with teens. She finds value in integrating family and couple’s sessions to provide a more holistic approach in helping clients make progress towards achieving the life they want for themselves. (IMH23021)
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Phone: (786) 624-8816
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Primary location: St. Petersburg, FL
Audrey Giannini (she/her) is a Registered Couple and Family Therapy Intern (CFT) post-graduate intern at Life Adventures and a recipient of the Sex Therapy Certificate from Antioch University (Seattle). She has a passion for social justice and believes that we are each the expert of our own lives. She enjoys working with clients from diverse backgrounds and strongly believes that we are heavily impacted by the systems in which we exist. She helps clients to see the social constructs created by those systems that may be negatively impacting their lives and works with them to deconstruct these ideas. She uses a collaborative and holistic approach to create a safe space for clients to feel comfortable digging deep and defining their own path in therapy and life.
She previously received her B.A. and M.A. in Accounting from the University of Georgia and spent a decade working in the accounting and finance world as a CPA and business consultant, where her clients consisted mainly of couples, families and small businesses. During this time, she acted as a financial coach, helping clients to better understand and develop their relationship with money. This experience ultimately led her to pursue her areas of therapeutic interest – couples and families, with a focus on money and intimacy. In her therapeutic work, she uses a humanistic, sociocultural and feministic lens, combining aspects of Narrative Therapy,
Strengths-Based Therapy and Collaborative Therapy.
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Phone: 813-644-2512
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Primary Location: Crescent Lake Park, North Shore Park, Sawgrass Lake Park
Michelle Garcia, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (#IMH24081), C.K., ASCM-EP, C.P.I., LGT, First Aid/CPR certified. Michelle, President & Founder of Nature’s Alignment, has been in the fitness & wellness industry for over 10 years! She attended California State University East Bay earning a Bachelor of Science degree,
specializing in Kinesiology, exercise, nutrition, and wellness. Michelle also attended Northwestern University earning a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Counseling.
Elevate Your Body & Mindset: Wellness & Counseling Services!
Offerings: adult psychotherapy, couples therapy, child/teen/family therapy, group therapy, adventure therapy, walk and talks, and psychosomatic experiencing. Benefits include helps manage stress & emotions, improves connection with oneself & others, improves “pre-match/pre-business” preparation, increases confidence & motivation, improves well- being & self-esteem, sharpens interpersonal intrapersonal skills, helps manage anxiety, assists in developing positive beliefs, improves concentration & focus, strengthens resiliency, and builds coping skills.
Michelle’s practice is rooted in client empowerment, client advocacy, and cultural competency. This foundation provides the client with an environment & connection that includes: no judgment, care, compassion, a sense of belonging, a trusting human relationship, and a space that allows clients to show up as themselves.
Michelle’s practice is anchored in the psychodynamic theory and holistic approach. Psychodynamic theory is a collection of psychological theories which emphasize the importance of drives and other forces in human functioning, especially unconscious drives. Reach out today for therapy models that facilitate individualized and meaningful healing! Research shows talk therapy combined with physical therapy helps clients feel better. Michelle’s background is in movement and corrective exercise, and the combination of physical therapy and psychotherapy is her jam!
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Phone: 727-855-6029
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Email: mg@naturesalignment.com
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Primary locations: North Shore Park- St. Petersburg, Lake Seminole Park- Seminole, St. Pete Beach- St. Petersburg, 8588 Starkey Rd.- Seminole, online sessions available!
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Accepting new clients, attracting clients with life transitions and emerging adults
Mary Blazier, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (IMH25285), National Louis University enjoys working with all ages, couples, families, and groups. She uses a variety of approaches to ensure that clients feel accepted, empowered, and supported to reach their goals. She works with a myriad of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, phase of life issues, and trauma. As a queer woman, she is passionate about helping others work through issues of identity, belonging, and self acceptance. Mary believes that here-and-now experiences can teach us and heal us in ways that go beyond the experience itself. She likes to integrate activities such as gardening, walks on the beach or parks, rock climbing, yoga, and games into her work with clients.
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Phone: (217 ) 417-2787
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777
Kat Rhodes, MA CFT, Registered Couple and Family Therapy Intern, earned her master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy as well as a Certificate in Sex Therapy from Antioch University. She began her career working in substance abuse treatment providing supportive services to clients as they navigated the challenges and opportunities associated with reintegrating into their community after in-patient treatment. Kat’s sex and body positive stance as well as her appreciation for the intersectional nature of identity inform Kat’s work with individuals and couples from all walks of life. She is dedicated to providing a safe therapeutic space and competent, affirming care for members of our LGBTQIA+
community. Kat employs a systemic lens and experiential approach while exploring the relationships we each have with ourselves, our loved ones, and our world. A strong alliance between client and therapist, built over time, on trust and mutual respect, serves as the therapeutic foundation for all the work that Kat does. In order to foster
lasting change and help clients move from coping to thriving, Kat utilizes tools and principles from a wide range of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-based Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, Buddhist Psychology, and Adventure Therapy. Kat is also an Ocean Therapist with the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation and facilitates Ocean Therapy sessions with at-risk-youth, frontline healthcare providers, and veterans.
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Phone: (844) 464-4633
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In-Person sessions available in Northern and Southern California.
Telehealth sessions available in California and Florida.
Allison Hauser, MA, RMHCI, YTT-200 Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern #IMH24468 You may be unsure what you want from psychotherapy or how it could help. You may know only that you are struggling and wish life could be better. You may want help for a specific issue. Or you may have had therapy before but not seen the changes you want.
I offer no quick fixes or magical cure-alls. I offer an opportunity for you to be truly seen, heard, known, and understood, and come to understand yourself more deeply. From this place of understanding, new solutions and life options can emerge.
We will begin with a consultation during which I will begin to get to know you as a whole person, and the life trajectory that has led to where you are. You will also get a sense of me and how I work. We will then both be able to make an informed decision about whether and how psychotherapy could help you.
Our relationship will be informed by my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling from Northwestern University, Counseling Today publications, the clinical
expertise I lend to psychedelic companies and communities, and the teachers of all
kinds who have crossed our paths.
Let’s discuss in consultation whether therapy in-office, virtual, or in local outdoor settings is best for your personal and professional commitments and treatment goals.
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Phone: 727-481-4577
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Email: allison@allisonhauser.com
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Primary Location: 8588 Starkey Rd. Seminole, FL 33777