Today we’d like to introduce you to Edlin.
Edlin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The vision of my career started when I was 17 years old. I had met a trained social worker who shared with me his journey helping young teen moms in a hospital program by providing them with resources to help them be successful. Learning more about this career, the “helping profession,” sounded perfect for my personality. At that time, I had just enrolled in college and decided to pursue a bachelor’s in social work.
After two years at my community college, I attended Florida’s most highly ranked school of social work at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. After two years of academics and an internship, I decided I wanted to continue this journey and focus on therapy and mental health. In 2007, I graduated with my master’s in social work and immediately began my career as a Therapist working with young teenage girls in foster care who were permanently separated from their parents due to some form of abuse.
This career choice has allowed me the opportunity to work with diverse populations, including refugee and immigrant children, veterans and their families, and in program management with the Department of State—leading to where I am now: a telehealth private practice owner and therapist. In the course of my private practice, I have gained certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), one of the most effective and evidence-based trauma processing treatments.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If there were a smooth road to life, wouldn’t we all want to be on it?
One of the first struggles I encountered was the limited social work career options in Sarasota, Florida, where life took me after graduating with my master’s. While this city has beautiful white sand beaches and is a great community for raising families, it wasn’t exactly full of social service opportunities. Nonetheless, I was fortunate enough to join a large agency that provided support to children in foster care. This opened the door to working with victims of abuse, children who had already experienced deep trauma.
After two years, I lost my job due to the recession in 2009. To my surprise, this became a blessing, as I was about to begin a new personal journey: getting married.
Later that year, I connected with another large organization that supported refugee and immigrant children in the United States. I continued working, not only in processing a different form of trauma but also in offering a pseudo-family environment as a case manager. Through this work, I realized that social services isn’t just about having the heart to help others. There is also bureaucracy, and the funding that comes with helping others carries strict oversight. I was fortunate to push through those challenges, and after three years in the program, I was given the opportunity to lead it as Program Director. That remains one of the highlights of my career.
After almost eight years of working with youth, I decided I wanted to experience working with adults, particularly veterans. I joined the Miami VA and focused on supporting elderly veterans who needed ongoing physical, medical, and mental health care, as well as veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Many were living with physical disabilities, PTSD, anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injury, and other complex mental health needs. I also supported their loved ones, spouses, and close friends as they navigated the challenges that haunted these men and women.
Two years later, my personal life took me to Washington, DC. Transferring to the VA was not as smooth as I had hoped. At the time, the VA was under media scrutiny due to challenges with veterans accessing care. Needing employment, I returned to my refugee roots and joined the Department of State to support program management efforts for refugee reprocessing. To my surprise, I stepped away from direct mental health care and contributed to social services at a macro level. This became a pivotal experience in my career.
My life has truly taken me down many different paths. When I returned to Miami, I came back with a two-month-old son. That was just the beginning of where I am today. By the time he was one year old, I decided that the dream of that 17-year-old who once imagined she could be a psychotherapist was about to come to life. I began focusing my career on telehealth mental health in 2018, and here I am.
Seven years later, I am certified in reputable treatment modalities and focus my practice on working with clients who experience trauma, anxiety, depression, and major life transitions. The journey was not flawless, but it has led me to where I feel most aligned with my purpose and with the people I serve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business is called Elevated Counseling for Mental Health. It was important to me to create a business name that included my full initials, including my maiden name. In doing so, I wanted to honor the contributions my parents made in helping me in the path that led me here.
At Elevated Counseling, I am the sole therapist (for now) providing developmental mental health services to adults. I take a tailored approach, specializing in depression, anxiety, trauma, and life transitions. I have found the most success working with individuals who experience these symptoms. Currently, my primary therapeutic modalities are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
What sets me apart from other practices is my bicultural and multicultural insight. I come from Cuban and Sri Lankan immigrant roots. This background allows me to connect deeply with clients from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, especially those navigating identity, immigration, generational trauma, or cultural stigma surrounding mental health.
My areas of training position me not only to support healing but also to guide clients through meaningful change using real tools that work.
Given that my career has spanned work with foster youth, refugees, veterans, and families, I bring a well-rounded, compassionate, and systems-oriented perspective to therapy. I understand how trauma intersects with life transitions, cultural expectations, systemic barriers, and personal identity.
I am also fluent in navigating life transitions. My own personal journey through career shifts, relocation, parenthood, and identity gives me deeper insight into supporting clients facing similar or even more complex changes.
As an early adopter of tele-mental health, I’ve been committed to providing clients with convenient and consistent access to care while maintaining a warm and personal therapeutic relationship. I pride myself on blending clinical depth with the flexibility today’s clients need.
What I am most proud of about my brand is that it represents both my professional expertise and my genuine commitment to clients as a whole person. At Elevated Counseling for Mental Health, clients receive more than traditional therapy, they gain a trusted partner who is accessible, responsive, and invested in their progress beyond the therapy hour. I provide practical support, maintain open communication, and curate my approach to each individual’s unique needs.
What truly sets my brand apart is the balance between clinical skill and real-world empathy. I’m not just asking “how does that make you feel?”; I am actively engaged in helping clients apply tools and strategies in their daily lives, checking in between sessions, and adapting as needed to support lasting growth.
I bring cultural sensitivity and a broad perspective to therapy. I am committed to meeting clients where they are, both figuratively and literally. Offering flexible scheduling and telehealth options that make care accessible without sacrificing the personal connection that is central to healing.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
In general, I tend to approach decisions with caution rather than risk-taking. I find comfort working within secure environments that offer stability and resources, where outcomes can be realistically anticipated. This mindset is deeply influenced by my upbringing; my father often emphasized the importance of steadily climbing the ladder (towards success). This guidance has shaped my approach to progress—taking deliberate, measured steps forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elevatedcounselingmh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevated_counselingmh/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1053289
