About Us
Meet Our Administration Team
Thomas Economos
- 855-743-4273
- teconomos@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com
Gunjani Patel
- 855-743-4273
- gpatel@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com
Dr. Josh Littleton
- 855-743-4273
- jlittleton@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com
Jaden D'Ambra
- 855-743-4273
- JDambra@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com
Meet Our Providers
President & CEO of Florida Office
Tom Economos
MPH, MSW, LCSW, CAP, SAP, CISM, CEAP, CFM
Tom maintains private practice in psychotherapy / marriage & family counseling, addictions counseling, sex therapy, mediation, Tom is a qualified & licensed clinical supervisor of clinical social workers and mental health counselors. His specialty is in helping interns establish private practices.
Director of Operations
Jen Allen
LCSW, CLC, MSW
Jennifer is licensed in Florida as a Clinical Social Worker. She received her Masters in Social Work, from the University of New Hampshire.
Jennifer is licensed in Florida as a Clinical Social Worker. She received her Masters in Social Work, from the University of New Hampshire.
Ms. Allen has conducted presentations on a variety of subjects for “Cancer Survivors”, “Grandparents raising Grandchildren”, Spirituality, Women/Men and 12 step groups. She has facilitated a monthly Cancer Support group at FL Cancer Specialists in Hudson, FL for the past 20 years. Presently she serves on the Board of Directors of The Life Center of the Suncoast, Inc.
She moved from serving the Hospice population into private practice at Excelsis Behavioral Health in 2018. Ms. Allen is trained to help with many varieties of disorders such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, relationships, addictions, grief/loss. She is a specialist in Clinical Hypnosis, EFT (Tapping), EMDR, Life Coaching, NLP and Solution Focused Behavioral Therapy.
Vice President & CEO of California Office
Gunjani Patel
MA, LMHC, LPCC, CISM, ABA
Gunjani is a specialist in EMDR, Clinical Hypnosis, EFT (Tapping) and NLP.
Gunjani is licensed in Florida (LMHC MH1441) and California (LPCC4683).
Gunjani has expertise in working with individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through her work at YAI- National Institute of People with Disabilities, emphasizing on various behavioral modification treatment options, education and trainings to individuals and families involved. She is also trained and Certified in ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) therapy. This experience has helped develop her skills of building an alliance with children and adolescents to help them develop the confidence, awareness and skills needed to improve their relationships, sense of themselves and school performance.
Additionally, Gunjani spent several years working with survivors of abuse at a Community Violence Intervention center where she provided crisis counseling, suicide helpline and support for victims of rape, sexual abuse. This experience builds upon her knowledge of working with individuals recovering from severe and persistent mental health conditions.
She is a specialist in EMDR, Clinical Hypnosis, EFT (Tapping) and NLP.
Gunjani is licensed in Florida (LMHC MH1441) and California (LPCC4683).
Vice President of Florida Office & Provider
Dr. Josh Littleton
Ph.D, CST, NCC, DBT-1, SFT-1
Josh is trained to provide therapeutic services respective to relational distress, LGBTQIA+ affirming care, sexual health, & attachment. Josh is licensed in the state of Florida (MH20252) and is a Nationally Certified Counselor.
Josh is trained to help with anxiety, depression, PTSD, relationships, & grief/loss.
As a solution-focused mental health provider, my aim is to help you discover your true potential and flourish. While we can’t alter tough circumstances of the past, we can work to resolve trials in your life. I offer a safe space to do the courageous work of personal development. Using evidence-based practices, I hope to support, encourage, educate, and empower you. I’ll walk beside you to help strengthen awareness and increase personal and professional growth.
Josh is licensed in the state of Florida (MH20252) and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community himself, Josh finds himself in a familiar territory working with teens, adults, and couples using non-judgmental approaches in a safe environment.
Provider
Kathy Whitney
MSW, LCSW
Kathy’s scope of practice includes relational distress, couples & family, codependency, and those who struggle with motivation & self-esteem.
Kathy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Intern and leverages a individualized client-centered approach to her therapeutic work. Sometimes, our past hurts and traumas can affect how we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us. They can affect our thoughts, feelings, and actions. They can cause us to act in ways that hurt the ones we love and go against our values, morals, and principles. You don’t have to go through life’s challenges alone or carry the burden of having to figure it all out on your own.
She is licensed in the state of Florida and has a Master of Social Work degree.
Provider
Joe Tabone
MSW, LCSW
Joe’s areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, substance use and those who struggle with motivation and self-esteem.
I acknowledge the courage it takes to seek a more fulfilling and happier life and commend you for your choice in reaching for it. I look forward to working with you in an environment free of judgment and full of compassion and care.
My areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, substance use and those who struggle with motivation and self-esteem.
My practice is client centered, client driven and is highly individualized. My approach to emotional health and well-being includes strategies and exercises rooted in positive psychology. Other ways of meeting your needs may include the techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotive behavioral therapy. I am also a certified life coach and have experience helping clients set and reach their personal and professional goals.
I am licensed in the state of Florida (SW21832) and have a Master of Social Work degree.
Provider
Megan Santiago
M.A., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Megan specializes in utilizing EMDR and EFT (tapping) techniques to support individuals facing interpersonal relationship issues, ADHD symptoms, and trauma. She is licensed in the state of Florida (IMH24603). Megan’s therapeutic approach is tailored to foster healing and provide effective coping strategies for her clients.
Megan is trained to assist individuals dealing with interpersonal relationship issues, ADHD symptoms, and trauma.
As a compassionate mental health provider, Megan’s goal is to help you navigate through challenges and embrace your personal journey towards healing. Recognizing that the past cannot be changed, she focuses on employing therapeutic techniques such as EMDR and EFT (tapping) to address current struggles. Megan creates a safe and supportive environment for the essential work of personal growth, leveraging evidence-based methods to bolster, inspire, educate, and empower her clients. She is committed to accompanying you on your journey, fostering enhanced self-awareness, and promoting growth in both personal and professional realms. Her approach is particularly empathetic and effective in a therapeutic setting, providing tailored support in a respectful and safe environment.
Provider
Janibelle Jackson-Stuart
M.A., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Janibelle integrates ACT and CBT techniques into her practice, along with energy healing, to support individuals through life transitions, relationships, anxiety, anger management, mindfulness, co-dependency, career counseling, and Body Code Energy Healing. She is licensed in the state of Florida (IMH26226). Janibelle’s therapeutic approach is trauma-informed, specializing in creating effective coping strategies and fostering healing for her clients.
Janibelle is trained to assist individuals dealing with life transitions, relationships, anxiety, anger management, mindfulness, co-dependency, career counseling, and Body Code Energy Healing.
As a compassionate mental health provider, Janibelle’s goal is to help you navigate through challenges and embrace your personal journey towards healing. Recognizing that the past cannot be changed, she focuses on employing therapeutic techniques such as ACT, CBT, and energy healing to address current struggles. Janibelle creates a safe and supportive environment for the essential work of personal growth, leveraging evidence-based methods to bolster, inspire, educate, and empower her clients. She is committed to accompanying you on your journey, fostering enhanced self-awareness, and promoting growth in both personal and professional realms. Fluent in Spanish, Janibelle offers bilingual counseling services, providing tailored support in a respectful and safe environment.
Provider
Dennis "DJ" Jones
M.A., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Are you seeking a greater sense of freedom, purpose, or inner peace? Life’s challenges—whether from difficult relationships, personal struggles, or work demands—can leave you feeling overwhelmed or disappointed. DJ specializes in helping children, teens, families, and veterans navigate these complex emotions. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, anger, or major life transitions, DJ is here to support you in finding balance, unpacking trauma, and discovering the solace you’re searching for. He is licensed in the state of Florida (IMH25498)
The journey to self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-care begins with the courage to seek support. The work DJ does with clients is tailored to their unique challenges and rooted in respect for each individual’s experiences. DJ provides a calm, warm, and judgment-free space where clients can explore their authentic selves.
Provider
Shamika Gaskin
M.A., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Shamika is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern in the state of Florida (IM26167) and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist for Veterans (# CPRS100497-V). Shamika is trained to help with depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, marital issues, self-care, LGBTQ+, and self-validation.
As a dedicated mental health provider, Shamika creates a safe and supportive space for clients to explore and navigate life’s challenges. She works with individuals facing personal struggles, relationship concerns, and the complexities of self-care, using evidence-based practices like DBT, CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and ACT. Shamika is committed to helping clients find solutions, strengthen their awareness, and foster personal growth.
Shamika is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern in the state of Florida (IM26167) and a Nationally Certified Counselor. As a military veteran, she brings a deep understanding of the unique experiences of service members and works with young adults and adults in a non-judgmental, compassionate environment.
Provider
Michael Gaskin
M.S., Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
Michael is trained to provide therapeutic services related to marital issues, relationship difficulties, family trauma, LGBTQIA+, and military service. Michael is registered in Florida as a Marriage and Family Intern (IMT4186) and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist for Veterans (# CPRS100498-V).
Michael is a 20-year retired military veteran who appreciates working with adolescent children through senior citizens, veterans, and their families. Michael assists those concerned with relational and family distress, psychotherapy & intellectual testing, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, emotional dysregulation, grief, and substance abuse. Michael uses an Emotionally Focused Therapeutic approach to guide individuals, couples, and families toward strategies that promote the awareness, acceptance, regulation, and transformation of emotions to create new meanings.
As an American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) member and a Master of Divinity undergraduate, Michael is knowledgeable about spiritually integrated therapy, which incorporates the client’s religious or spiritual beliefs into the therapeutic process. I’m humbly honored to provide a safe space to communicate and unpack life’s complications by offering compassionate, non-shaming, and unpack life’s complications by providing a compassionate, non-shaming, and non-judgmental therapeutic experience. Thank you for considering me!
Provider
Bri Dankerl
MSW, Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern
Bri is a therapeutic social worker who specializes in menstrual wellness for all, LGBTQIA+ affirming care, trauma, and young adults.
Bri is a therapeutic social worker specializing in menstrual wellness for all, LGBTQIA+ affirming care, trauma, and young adults. She is trained in CBT, CPT, and trauma intervention therapies. Her practice utilizes holistic, evidence-based approaches to help clients learn therapeutic tools, foster self-encouragement, and provide a safe space to navigate life’s tribulations. Bri is passionate about supporting individuals with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), chronic menstrual conditions, and those experiencing postpartum challenges. As a Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern (#21451) through the Florida Board of Mental Health, she draws on her personal challenges with menstrual wellness to offer empathetic therapeutic services to anyone facing these issues, as well as to adults and young adults.
Provider
Mia Martinez
M.S., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Mia specializes in helping individuals manage relationships, build self-esteem, cope with stress, adjust to life transitions, and foster a healthy relationship with their bodies.
Mia integrates a blend of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and mindfulness techniques to support clients in navigating life’s challenges.
Her goal is to create a warm, accepting, and emotionally secure space where clients can explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences at their own pace. Understanding that each journey is unique, she is committed to meeting clients where they are and guiding them with kindness and understanding toward their personal goals. Mia encourages clients to view therapy as a powerful tool that offers compassionate, expert guidance tailored to each individual’s needs, using evidence-based approaches to empower and support their growth. Mia is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida (IMH27326).
Provider
Verla Barrow
M.S., Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern
Verla specializes in helping children, adolescents, and families manage anxiety, navigate behavioral and emotional challenges, cope with chronic pain, and build stronger, more connected relationships.
Verla integrates a blend of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based techniques to support children, adolescents, and families in navigating life’s challenges with resilience and clarity. Her approach is warm, client-centered, and developmentally attuned—designed to meet each client where they are and guide them at their own pace.
With a passion for supporting young people through issues such as bullying, anxiety, depression, behavioral difficulties, and emotional regulation, Verla creates a safe and compassionate space where children and teens can feel heard, empowered, and understood. She also brings specialized experience working with individuals and families managing the emotional impact of chronic pain, helping them build sustainable strategies for healing and strength.
In addition to clinical work, Verla provides practical and empathetic parenting support, equipping caregivers with tools to navigate power struggles, improve communication, and foster meaningful connections with their children.
FIND US
Tampa, Central Office
- 4144 N. Armenia Ave. St. 350, Tampa, FL 33607
- (855) 743 - 4273
- (855) 743 - 4273
- info@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com
California
- 6540 Lusk Blvd, St C277, San Diego, CA 92121
- (646) 379 - 5163
- (855) 743 - 4273
- info@excelsisbehavioralhealth.com