Meet the Support Team

Veronica is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She tailors her approaches to your unique goals, blending cognitive behavioral and solution-focused techniques. She has concentrated her clinical experience on working with individuals for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and trauma. Additionally, Veronica conducts therapy in both Spanish and English.

Veronica also works with children and families with innovative play therapy techniques. Her background working as a principal for behaviorally challenged students adds to her clinical insights with children. Veronica is committed to providing a safe, nurturing environment for patients. She is a compassionate and caring psychotherapist with extensive clinical experience.

Natalia Gutierrez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University and her B.S. in Psychology with a second major in Women and Gender Studies from Florida International University. For several years, she has worked in the community serving youth and families by providing individual and family counseling. Natalia enjoys stepping into her client’s world and exploring how their life experiences, ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic statuses, and other identity factors influence their worldview. Her goal is to collaborate with her clients in identifying and reenforcing their strengths and talents. Natalia utilizes a culturally sensitive and client-centered approach when working with her clients and draws from Solution-Focused Therapy, Feminist Therapy, Intersectional Theory, Systems Theory, and Attachment Theory, and utilizes Accelerated Resolution Therapy to assist clients in processing their past traumas.

In her free time, Natalia enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading fiction, trying new recipes, yoga, reflection/art/junk journaling, iced Matcha Lattes, and playing with her dog Roxy.

Dr. Karl Backman is a graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas and completed his Psychiatry residency training at University of Miami. After residency, he worked in private practice before joining Henderson Behavioral Health and has experience working with various populations.

He has a history of working with several populations including the severe mentally ill and has provided psychiatric services for Nova Southeastern University students through Henderson Student Counseling Services since 2010. 

Dr. Backman also serves as Medical Director for the Broward Sheriff’s Office Drug Court Treatment Program.

Ania Torres is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Florida. She obtained an M.S in Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. Ania comes from a Hispanic background, fluent in both English and Spanish. She has worked in community mental health with school-aged children, their families, and young adults. Ania also has experience in advocating and working with first responders and victims of crime. She has a passion for working with young adults, focusing on a person-centered approach.

Ania’s goal is to collaborate with her clients in their journey to self-discovery and authenticity. Together Ania and her clients identify triggers, uncover a deeper sense of self-awareness, and develop healthy coping mechanism that work for their specific needs. Techniques used are evidenced-based and are known to help with decreasing negative thought patterns, valuing self-worth and improving interpersonal relationships.

Jaylin Vidal is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) providing services to students both in person and via telehealth throughout the state of Florida. She earned her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida International University.

Jaylin has experience working with individuals across diverse age groups and backgrounds, addressing a wide range of concerns such as intrapersonal challenges, relationship issues, family dynamics, academic stress, and life transitions. Her therapeutic approach emphasizes creating a safe, supportive environment where clients feel empowered to explore their experiences. Jaylin collaborates closely with each individual to identify barriers and harness their personal strengths to navigate adversity and foster meaningful growth. Her practice is informed by evidence-based interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Behavioral Activation (BA), and others, tailored to each client’s unique needs and circumstances.

Shawnee Wong is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with an undergraduate degree in psychology from Bethune Cookman University and a Master of Science degree in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University. During her senior year as an undergraduate, she conducted a correlational research study on the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and African self-consciousness. Prior to working at student counseling, she provided psychoeducation and counseling to inmates integrating back into society and has clinical experience at a rehab, crisis, and detox center.

She has also worked with children and families in-home for six years and is trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT)/trauma-informed care. Shawnee’s professional interests include the correlation between adverse childhood experiences and behavior, the cycle of domestic violence, and the effect of relaxation strategies such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and art therapy on anxiety and depression.

During her free time, she loves to engage in creative writing and listen to 70s–early 00s music across various genres. She also engages in painting, yoga, meditation, and outdoor activities.

Shawnee’s goal is always to provide a safe and solution-focused space by creating a nonjudgmental environment with unconditional positive regard, acceptance, and empathic listening.

Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over fifteen years of experience in the social work field.  She obtained both her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Sociology from Florida State University.  Throughout her social work career, she has been able to work in a variety of settings and with various populations.  Lauren has worked with children and families in the child welfare setting, children and teenagers in the school system, and children, teens, and young adults in crisis.  Most recently, she has worked with adults (many of whom were active duty military) in an outpatient setting providing both individual and group therapy.  Lauren’s clinical experience has focused on helping individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, and life transitions.  She creates a safe space for clients to be their true, authentic selves.  She believes that her clients are the experts in their lives and helps to empower them to heal and grow.  She uses a collaborative and solution-focused approach.  Lauren is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which can be used to process traumatic memories.  She is a member of the International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (IS-ART) and is a Qualified Supervisor (QS) for Registered Clinical Social Worker Interns seeking supervision for licensure in the state of Florida.