About Lisa

Dr. Lisa Saponaro

Dr. Lisa Saponaro is a licensed by the state of Florida as a clinical psychologist (PY7494). She provides individual, couples and family psychotherapy as well as psychological testing in her private practice. She has worked in private practice since 2004 and maintains her own practice in her home town of Plantation, Florida.


Dr. Saponaro has worked in the field of mental health for more than a decade and holds a doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Memphis and a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. In addition to her work in private practice, she serves as an adjunct faculty member at Nova Southeastern University teaching master's students in the mental health field. She also runs the guidance program at St. Bernadette Catholic School, consults with local school and community mental health agencies, and provides psychological testing and counseling services to several government organizations. 


Dr. Saponaro works with a wide variety of presenting issues. Among her areas of expertise are: depression, anxiety, trauma resolution, substance abuse, parenting, family issues, child behavior and emotional problems, GLBT issues, career development, ADHD, and diagnostics and testing.


Dr. Saponaro has presented at national conferences and to general audiences on topics including: women and substance abuse, teen pregnancy prevention, HIV risk and counseling approaches, Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder, family strengthening, evidence-based treatment approaches, and positive psychology.


Dr. Saponaro utilizes a variety of treatment approaches when working with patients. She takes time to get to know each patient and understand their unique strengths and weakness as part of a thorough treatment planning process which is collaborative in nature. Dr. Saponaro relies on research to drive her clinical choices and works with each client to help them achieve their treatment goals. She is supportive and provides useful feedback which helps clients to see change and resolve long-standing patterns of dysfunction. She incorporates cognitive-behavioral approaches along with existential and humanistic perspectives to provide well rounded care to each client. By facilitating an understanding and supportive environment, Dr. Saponaro helps clients identify their strengths, overcome obstacles in their path, and reach their potential for personal growth.


Education

  • 2002, Doctor of Philosophy, Counseling Psychology, University of Memphis
  • 1997 Master's of Science, Mental Health Counseling, Nova Southeastern University
  • 1994 Bachelor of Arts, Major - Religion, University of Florida

Additional Training

  • Family Mediation

License, Certifications & Awards

  • CPR/First Aid

Professional Activities and Memberships

  • APA Member since 1997
  • Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology

Dr. Oren Shibi

Dr. Caryn Watsky-Scileppi is a Licensed Psychologist with several years of counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment experience. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Miami where she received extensive training in individual, group, couples, and family therapy as well as psychological and neuropsychological assessment. Her training sites include The Renfrew Center, Miami Children's Hospital, Children's Psychiatric Center, and Florida International University's APA Accredited Internship Program. In addition to private practice, Dr. Watsky is currently working as a University Psychologist at Florida International University's Counseling and Psychological Services Center where she provides individual psychotherapy and neuropsychological evaluations to college students, outreach programming for students and faculty, and training and supervision of psychology interns and practicum students. Dr. Watsky has been an active participant in various educational, community, and charitable organizations and a mentor for the Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Organization for over 12 years. She sought to become a Psychologist because of her passion for understanding and helping others. She provides a caring, warm environment where clients can feel safe to explore negative patterns that may be interfering in their relationships and holding them back from fully enjoying their lives.


Dr. Watsky works with a wide variety of presenting issues. Among her areas of expertise are: eating disorders/body image disturbance, parenting skills, family issues, interpersonal difficulties, relationship problems, depression, and anxiety. As a former Certified Public Accountant, she may also provide guidance regarding financial stressors that can be detrimental to health and relationships. She draws from several theoretical orientations, including attachment, family systems, cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic theories, and works collaboratively with each individual, couple, or family to identify their unique goals and challenges. She tailors each client's psychological treatment in order to best meet their goals and help them improve their functioning and ways of relating.


Education

  • University of Miami, Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, 2011
  • Emory University, B.B.A. with concentration in Accounting, 1992

License, Certifications & Awards

  • Licensed Psychologist, PY8840
  • CPR/First Aid
  • University of Miami Fellow

Professional Activities and Memberships

  • APA Member, 2001-present
  • Mentor, Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Organization, 1997-present

Dr. Caryn Watsky-Scileppi

Dr. Oren Shibi is a Licensed Psychologist with over six years of counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment experience. He received his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, an American Psychological Association Accredited Program. Dr. Shibi has extensive training and clinical work experiences in individual, group, and family therapy as well as psychological assessment. Dr. Shibi is currently working as a University Psychologist at Florida International University's Counseling and Psychological Services Center where he provides individual and group psychotherapy to students as well as assessments of learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He trained under distinguished psychologists at the following sites: the neuropsychology services center, Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL; Adult Services Program, Psychology Services Center (PSC), Nova Southeastern University (NSU); Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service (a community mental health center); and the Trauma Resolution and Integration Program (TRIP).

In treating his clients, Dr. Shibi takes an integrative therapeutic approach tailored to fit the individual. He uses evidence-based interventions and meaningfully synthesizes cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic theoretical orientations as well as Interpersonal therapy, Existential-Humanistic theory, Family Systems Theory and Mindfulness based approaches.


He is experienced in treating children, teenagers and adults with a wide variety of presenting issues. His areas of expertise include the treatment of anxiety, social anxiety, depression, dissociative, and bipolar disorders, as well as posttraumatic stress disorder, adult survivors of childhood abuse, and interpersonal difficulties. In addition to his areas of expertise Dr. Shibi speaks Hebrew fluently.

Dr. Shibi works collaboratively with his clients on their identified goals and objectives for therapy in a safe and supportive atmosphere. Dr. Shibi guides clients on their journey for personal growth by assisting them in transforming obstacles to opportunities and replacing destructive coping mechanisms with adaptive ones.


Education

  • Nova Southeastern University, Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, 2014
  • Florida International University, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (cum laude), 2007

License, Certifications & Awards

  • Florida Licensed Psychologist

Professional Activities and Memberships

  • APA Member, 2008-present

Dr. María José Rendón

Dr. María José Rendón is a Post-Doctoral Psychology Resident who provides bilingual (English and Spanish) psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, and adults, as well as psychological testing.


Dr. Rendón holds a doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Miami. She has over six years of psychotherapy as well as psychological and psychoeducational assessment experience. Dr. Rendón acquired extensive clinical and research training with the culturally diverse communities of South Florida during her doctoral training, with a focus on Latino mental health. Dr. Rendón attained two years of training at the Florida International University Counseling and Psychological Services Center, three years of training at community-based clinics (the University of Miami Institute for Individual and Family Counseling, and Family Counseling Services of Greater Miami) and one year of training at a multidisciplinary pediatric center (The UM Mailman Center for Child Development). In addition, she acquired three years of training in the delivery of cognitive behavioral and trauma-resolution interventions for Latino adults with PTSD and associated co-morbidities at the University of Miami.


Dr. Rendón works with a wide variety of presenting issues. Her areas of expertise include trauma resolution, anxiety, depression, interpersonal conflict in family and occupational contexts, parenting, ADHD and child oppositional behavior, as well as culture, gender, and sexual orientation issues. Her approach integrates interventions from cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, family systems, and object relations to address the specific concerns brought by the client. Dr. Rendón seeks to utilize culturally-sensitive awareness, knowledge and skills to address the specific concerns clients bring within a safe space. She endeavors to build on client’s strengths, provide feedback and teach healthy coping skills in the context of a nurturing therapeutic relationship. In her work with families, she helps family members strengthen their alliance and develop strategies to meet their goals.


Dr. Rendón has also acquired significant assessment experience to assist clients in diagnosing and providing recommendations to address psychological, academic, and occupational difficulties.


Education

  • 2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Counseling Psychology, University of Miami
  • 2008, Bachelor of Arts, Major - Psychology, Smith College

Professional Activities and Memberships

  • National Latino Psychological Association, since 2014