Elite DNA is dedicated to increasing public education about mental health, and the resources available for mental health care.
More information about mental health is available every day. But you might not be aware of all the options out there. Telehealth, or teletherapy, wasn’t widely adopted until the COVID-19 pandemic. What was once only available from a few dedicated providers is now offered by almost all mental health care providers.
Aside from a public mental health system or state residential treatment facilities, let’s look at the mental health resources available to you across Florida at Elite DNA or with some of our valued partners across Florida. You might even find some you didn’t know about, and some that you may want to take advantage of.
Can we help you find mental health resources in Florida? Select your nearest Elite DNA location to contact us today!
Crisis Hotlines
988 Lifeline – Immediate Help in a Mental Health Crisis
988 is a completely confidential, free suicide and crisis lifeline service by 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It’s available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This lifeline connects you to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals for anyone suffering from a mental health condition.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, just dial or text 988.
Telehealth – Virtual Therapy Wherever You Are
Telehealth, also known as virtual therapy or teletherapy, is psychotherapy or psychiatry services delivered over a confidential live Internet video service like Zoom.
You can receive the same treatment as you would during an in-person appointment, often from the same therapist or psychiatric provider you’d visit in person.
Elite DNA provides virtual psychiatry and psychotherapy in every city and county across Florida. It’s a great option for those who may be further away from one of our locations, have a seasonal residence in Florida, or for those who have physical limitations that prevent them from coming to an in-person session.
Care Coordination – Your Unique Mental Health Journey
It used to be that you found or were referred to an individual therapist. That therapist would assess your needs and begin individual treatment using their preferred methods. If you wanted additional support, such as group therapy, or wanted to try a different kind of therapy, you would have to seek it out yourself.
Elite DNA pioneered a widely adopted arm of mental health care called Care Coordination. Many mental health journeys at Elite DNA begin with meeting an experienced intake specialist known as a Care Coordinator. They’ll conduct an initial assessment of your needs, and then match you with an appropriate therapist or psychiatrist. They may also recommend individual therapy, group therapy, or both, so you get the most effective treatment — and even help you fill out the paperwork needed for your first appointment.
Care Coordination is a great way to make sure you get a comprehensive, coordinated treatment plan that best suits your unique needs.
Psychiatry
Psychiatry and psychology are often confused with one another, but both focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral health issues.
However, psychiatric care providers are licensed medical professionals — a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.), a mental health nurse practitioner (MHNP), or a physician assistant (PA). This means they are qualified to assess the physical and mental aspects of psychological issues, and they can prescribe medications to assist in treatment.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, often called “Talk Therapy,” is what most people think of when they imagine mental health treatments. It’s a very effective way of helping those with mental health conditions, stress, emotional issues, and difficult life circumstances. Psychotherapy provides a safe, judgment-free space to discuss feelings, concerns, and goals. Your therapist is there for you, to listen and encourage you to talk through what you’re going through. For many people, just having someone to talk to, when you didn’t before, is the best part of starting therapy. As your therapist comes to understand your challenges better, they will help you manage, reduce, or even eliminate troubling symptoms to improve your well-being
Therapis ts may use many different modalities, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), trauma therapy and many more.
Children’s Mental Health Services
Children can experience mental health challenges in similar ways to adults. But children haven’t developed the same ability to identify or express what they’re experiencing.
That’s why children’s mental health treatments differ from care provided to adults.
Properly diagnosing and treating mental health issues in children might involve a unique set of services. In some cases, children experience stress or grief, and they need support from a therapist to help them express their feelings in an environment that feels safe and judgement-free. Some types of therapy for children include Play Therapy and Talk Therapy, but this could also include specialized therapeutic care like Applied Behavioral Therapy (ABT), Occupational/Activity Therapy, or Speech and Language Therapy. Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic care may also be recommended in some cases.
Elite DNA provides all these services and more for children ages 6+. (Note: Availability in each office or region may vary.)
LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Services
People who identify as LGBTQIA+ can face unique issues in mental health.
It’s important to recognize that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, or asexual is NOT a mental illness. It is simply one of many natural gender identities and/or sexual orientations of human beings.
Unfortunately, pressures placed on the LGBTQIA+ community by society can cause people to experience shame, trauma, and other mental health conditions. And LGBTQIA+ youth are even more likely to struggle with mental health challenges and may have difficulty finding mental health resources in Florida.
Our commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community goes beyond our standard services. We stay informed about the latest challenges, developments, and mental health resources within the LGBTQIA+ community, and our staff includes providers from diverse backgrounds, so you are well-represented and understood.
Our care coordinators can connect you with a psychotherapy provider or psychiatrist who will compassionately empower you, support you, and help you toward a healthier, more fulfilled life.
Trauma Therapy
Trauma can occur from experience as a singular event, a series of events, or a set of circumstances. The experience may be emotionally harmful, physically harmful, or both.
Trauma can be an individualized instance or manifest into Acute Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a result, your ability to cope with daily life stress, as well as stress from the event(s), can be affected, causing you to feel unsafe, anxious, vulnerable, or out of control. The experience can be emotionally or physically harmful, or both.
Treatment for issues stemming from trauma is called Trauma Therapy (specifically designed to treat the actual consequences of trauma). It is important that the Trauma Therapist you select is trained in Trauma-Informed Care. Trauma-Informed care is focused on improving your all-around wellness, as well as ensuring you do not get retraumatized in your healing process.
Elite DNA offers Trauma Therapy and is a Trauma-Informed Care agency.
Group Therapy
Sometimes, just knowing others are facing the same issues you’re facing is extremely helpful. That’s why group therapy is often so helpful.
Groups are created around specific topics, and the sessions are led by a clinical therapist who guides the conversation — and ensures the conversation is compassionate and supportive. They provide a safe space for you to discuss your challenges and struggles and to gain insight from hearing what others are experiencing.
Group therapy can be very helpful on its own or as an addition to individual therapy. It can be very beneficial because it provides insight, connection, and support when dealing with challenges.
Family Therapy
Even the closest families can experience stress and disconnection sometimes. These can be brought on by life transitions for individual family members or difficulties that affect everyone in the family.
Family therapy is designed to reduce conflict while increasing empathy and support between family members.
This type of therapy provides a framework that takes each family member into account and examines the patterns of behavior and roles within the family. The therapy sessions help families develop new coping and communication skills to improve interactions between family members.
Family therapy works best when all family members can be present at the same time. But that’s not always possible. Family members who can’t be present at a session are still talked about with the same care and respect as if they were present.
Couples Counseling / Marriage Counseling
Much like family therapy, couples counseling helps partners address challenging relationship issues. Your therapist will help you improve your communication and explore the underlying issues affecting your relationship.
Finding ways to communicate with your partner where they’re receptive and understanding, truly listening, and being heard in return creates a deeper understanding of one another and can clarify any issues you may be experiencing. That reduces the conflict or resentment in your relationship and builds a better, more understanding connection between you.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an innovative, non-invasive treatment that’s been highly effective in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxious Depression. This treatment uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to stimulate the natural function of neurotransmitters.
Elite DNA Offers TMS Therapy at select offices, visit our TMS page to learn more.
Community-Based Wrap-Around Services
When it comes to community programs, a community-based wrap-around is an individualized care planning and management service for adults and children with complex needs.
This includes structured, holistic, creative team meetings and care plans. Wrap-around team meetings also include a child’s treatment team, social support, non-traditional support, and family members.
Elite DNA provides wrap-around services at flexible times in Fort Myers and Naples to best serve your needs.
Elite DNA – Your Center for Mental Health Resources in Florida
We hope this information has given insight into the many mental health resources across Florida. As a leading provider of mental health services in Florida, with 32 locations and growing, we have comprehensive, quality, behavioral and mental health services that are accessible and affordable — and we strive to create a safe and welcoming world to meet you wherever you are in your mental health journey.
If you have questions or want to know more, just get in touch. We’re always here to help! Do you need help with a behavioral or mental health challenge in Florida? Select your nearest Elite DNA location and schedule your appointment today!