Elizabeth Guinea
Hi, I'm Elizabeth Guinea, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida with 19 years of experience working with adults and couples navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions. Over the years, I've worked with people from many different worlds, facing different expectations and pressures. Beneath those differences, familiar patterns often emerge: beliefs, habits, and ways of relating that once served a purpose but now keeps you repeating the same problem, and situations. I focus on changing the pattern underneath the symptoms. One of my strengths is recognizing those patterns quickly and helping you do something about them.
My goal is simple: for you to leave each session better than when you walked in -with greater clarity, a useful skill, or a concrete next step.
Together, we'll connect insight with practical changes that fit your life. My goal is simple: for you to leave each session better than when you walked in -with greater clarity, a useful skill, or a concrete next step. I offer in-person sessions in Tampa and online therapy throughout Florida.
Strengths
What sets me apart is my ability to see patterns quickly. I spent years practicing and teaching a brief, strategic, evidence-based model of family therapy, and when you have a room full of people, you learn to read the dynamics fast. For five years, I served as a supervisor training other therapists in this model, which meant reviewing thousands of recorded sessions. That experience gave me a sharp eye for picking up on what’s happening beneath the surface, often within minutes. Today, whether I’m working with a family or one person, I bring that same clarity. Together, we’ll spot the patterns that keep you stuck, see your situation in a new light, and find practical solutions that work.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Have you ever noticed how one thought, like “I’m going to mess this up,” can change how you feel and what you do next? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is built on that simple idea: our thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected. When we learn to notice and shift unhelpful thought patterns, we can start to feel better and respond to life in healthier ways. CBT is practical and goal-focused. Together, we’ll look at what’s weighing on you right now, whether that’s anxiety, stress, low mood, relationship struggles, or feeling stuck. I’ll help you spot the patterns that keep you there, and we’ll work on real tools you can use in everyday life, like calming racing thoughts, breaking big problems into manageable steps, and building habits that support your well-being. You don’t need to know anything about therapy to get started. CBT is collaborative, which means you’re never just talking into a void. We work as a team, set goals that matter to you, and track your progress along the way. Many people notice meaningful change in a relatively short time, and the skills you learn stay with you long after our sessions end.
Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care means I start from a simple question: not “What’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?” Our work moves at your pace, you stay in control, and your sense of safety always comes first. When appropriate, one approach I use is the RTM Protocol (Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories). I'm a certified RTM practitioner. It’s designed for people who feel stuck reliving a painful experience through flashbacks, nightmares, being easily startled, or feeling on edge long after the event is over. Here’s the idea behind it: when we recall a memory, our brain briefly “opens” it up before storing it again. RTM uses that natural window to help the brain re-file the memory so it no longer carries the same emotional charge. You’ll still remember what happened, but it can start to feel more like something in the past rather than something happening to you right now. What many people appreciate about RTM: You don’t have to retell every detail. You won’t be asked to relive or describe your trauma at length. Much of the work happens privately in your own mind while I guide you. It’s gentle and structured. Using guided imagery, you’ll view the memory from a safe, distant perspective. It’s often brief. RTM is typically done over a small number of sessions, and research, especially with veterans and first responders, has shown promising results. I've conducted the protocol 97 times. You stay in control. We can pause or slow down at any time. If something from your past still feels like it’s running your present, you don’t have to keep carrying it the same way. Healing is possible, and you’re welcome to start right where you are. Would you like to know more? Set a 15-minute consultation.
Solution-Focused Brief Treatment
Sometimes the hardest part of a problem is feeling like you’ve been living in it forever. Solution-Focused Therapy takes a refreshing approach: instead of spending most of our time digging into what went wrong, we focus on where you want to go and what’s already working for you. The idea is simple: you already have strengths, skills, and moments when things go a little better, even if they’re hard to see right now. Together, we’ll uncover those moments and build on them. I might ask questions like, “When has this felt even a little easier, and what was different then?” Your answers often point the way forward. We do more of what works, and les of what doesn't. What many people appreciate about this approach: 1) It’s focused on the future. We spend less time on the past and more time on the life you want to create. 2) It builds on your strengths. You’re the expert on your own life, and my role is to help you see and use what’s already working. 3) It’s practical and often brief. We set clear, realistic goals and take small steps that lead to real change, often in fewer sessions than you might expect. It’s encouraging. Many people leave sessions feeling more hopeful and capable, not more weighed down. Solution-Focused Therapy can help with stress, life transitions, relationship challenges, feeling stuck, or simply wanting to make a change. If you’re ready to focus less on the problem and more on what’s possible, I’d love to help you get there. It's one of my favorite ways to work with clients.
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions1725 W M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607, suite 201
Identifies as
Hispanic / Latinx
Spiritual but not religious
Woman
Top specialties
Anxiety
Codependency
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
Anger Management
Attachment Issues
Burnout
Childhood / Intergenerational Trauma
Couples Counseling
Emotional Regulation
Self Esteem
Sexual Abuse
Doesn't specialize in
ADHD
Autism
Child or Adolescent
Crisis Intervention
Domestic Violence
Eating Disorders
Gambling Addiction
Health/Medical Issues
High Clinical Acuity
Learning / School Challenges
Learning Disabilities
Medication Management
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Parenting
Perinatal / Postpartum
Perinatal Mental Health
Personality Disorders
Physical Health Condition
Postpartum
Recent Hospitalization
School Issues
Self-Harming
Serious Mental Illness
Serious Mental Illness / Crisis
Sex Therapy
Suicidal Ideation
Licensed in
Florida