Professional Referrals and Information 

I often wonder what my life would be like if someone had intervened sooner. What if a knowledgable teacher or counselor had noticed my symptoms and brought my family together, describing to us the nature of the disorder, the importance of working together, the necessity of treatment and support and patience. What if we'd gotten a good referral?
—Kiera Van Gelder

Please note that FBPDA does not endorse or recommend any particular health care providers or specific treatments for borderline personality disorder.

For the convenience of our stakeholders throughout Florida, we have made a list of various mental health professionals who have expressed an interest in working with patients who have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and their loved ones.

Northeast Region

Carol Lewis, PhD
(352) 265-5424
Psychiatry Clinic Shands Vista
4101 NW 89th Blvd
Gainesville, Florida 32606

Central East Region

Harmony Counseling Group
Suzanne Holt, LCSW
(407) 835-3673
1850 Lee Road #103
Winter Park, Florida 32789

Central West Region

Emily Lazarou, MD
(813) 374-0171
3030 North Rocky Point Drive, West #262
Tampa, Florida 33607

Charis Center
Stacy Louk, PhD, LMHC
(941) 378-1549
4041 Bahia Vista St.
Sarasota, Florida 34232

Aaron L. Norton, LMHC, CRC, CAP
(727) 403-6208
1501 S. Belcher Road Suite B-4
Largo, FL 33771

Nancy S. Gordon, LCSW
(813) 480-8482
PO Box 14
Brandon, Florida 33509

Southeast Region

Anna Traylor, PhD
(561) 922-7433
7200 W. Camino Real, Suite 303
Boca Raton, Florida 33433

DBT Associates of South Florida
Rachel Whipple, LCSW
(561) 962-0366
7301A West Palmetto Park Road, Suite 106C
Boca Raton, FL 33433

Please note that when making the decision about hiring a mental health provider, you may want to address the following areas:

• How long has the professional been practicing?

• What experience do they have in treating borderline personality disorder?

• Have they undergone any specific training in treating individuals with BPD?

• To what extent do they believe individuals diagnosed with BPD can recover?

• Does the professional focus on any particular type of therapy?

• If the clinician utilizes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), have they participated in trainings through Behavioral Tech?

• Do they prescribe any medications? 

• Are any specific diagnostic tests recommended?

• What are the responsibilities of the patient or client? What is the mental health professional responsible for?

• Will a treatment plan be created?

• How and when will treatment success be determined?

• Do they accept insurance or offer their services on a sliding pay scale?

• Are they board certified? What professional organizations do they belong?

• Where did they attend school? What educational activities have they been involved with over the past several years?

• How will any after-hours emergencies be handled? 

• Does the mental health professional collaborate with others in the practice?

• Will the professional visit the patient during a Baker Act commitment or other hospitalization?

Remember: You can verify the license of any practicing mental health professional by going to the Florida Medical License Search page.

For a list of professionals in Florida with experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), please visit BehavioralTech.org.

Improvement will not result from simply visiting a therapist and gaining insight, taking a medication, receiving consistent nurturing, finding the perfect relationship, or resigning ourselves to the grace of God. Most importantly, the therapist cannot play the role of savior. While it may be true that the person cannot change on their own, and needs help, the lion's share of the work must be done by the person with the problem. —Marsha Linehan, PhD