Healing Solutions for Adults & Children

Our Staff

Our staff are experienced and passionate about helping you overcome the challenges that affect you across all areas of your life. We focus on behavior and developing skills at home, in school, the workplace and in the community to make life more manageable for everyone.

“I see therapy as an opportunity to learn positive ways to respond to life’s challenges, to understand and change self-defeating behavior patterns, and build a more balanced, meaningful and rewarding life. Together, we use your present life experience to understand your therapy issues and use a broad range of therapy techniques to help make changes.”

Kimberly Cruise

Kimberly Cruise LMHC, NCC, BCaBA

Kimberly Cruise LMHC, NCC, BCaBA

Clinical Director

Kimberly is experienced in treating children and adults with a variety of mental health issues. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator, and is Board Certified by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. Kimberly works with individuals, couples, and families alike and has specialized training in trauma, anxiety, mindfulness, and high-functioning autism. Kimberly’s approach is interactive and collaborative.

Cheryl Alvarado MSW, LCSW, RHT

Cheryl Alvarado MSW, LCSW, RHT

Clinical Hypnotherapy and EMDR

As a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Cheryl assists clients suffering from a multitude of issues including those exhibiting symptoms related to PTSD. Cheryl utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprossing techniques to identify and overcome past traumas.

Sarah Smith M.S., LMHC

Sarah Smith M.S., LMHC

Mental Health Counseling

Sarah completed her undergraduate education at East Carolina University where she majored in Family and Community Services with a minor in Psychology. She completed her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Nova Southeastern University.

Sarah is currently a licensed Mental Health Counselor, is trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and certified in Circle of Security Parenting. She has 16 years in working in the Child Welfare field. She has experience and enjoys working with parents, teens as well as young children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the pool and traveling.

Travis Nolan MSW, LCSW

Travis Nolan MSW, LCSW

Position

Travis is experienced in working with school aged children as well as adults. He brings his years of experience working in crisis units and working for the school system. He uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address where the thoughts and beliefs come from that frame our view of our system. He works with each client individually to address the past traumas and negative thoughts and how they influence the version of yourself that we present to the world. By challenging these negative thoughts and equipping ourselves with the tools to self-regulate, we can experience improved mental health and overall a higher level of well-being. Travis helps create a safe space in the therapy journey for each client. He aides the client in discovering the healing connection of positive relationships. He also uses Solution Focused techniques to counteract the difficulties we experience in a variety of our social relationships.

Amy Jo Edred (AJ)

Amy Jo Edred (AJ)

Office Manager

Amy Jo “AJ” Eldred is the Office Manager at First Coast Behavior Solutions and works at the “front line” to ensure all client needs are met.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a long history of working with children and families involved in the foster care system.  She is an instructor for our Separate Yet Together Co-Parenting Class and takes pride in helping families dealing with the effects of divorce and separation.  In her spare time, AJ runs a non-profit focused on life skill development and empowerment for girls 8-17 years of age and is currently studying to become a Certified Dog Trainer. 

 

If you call or email our office, AJ is likely the one with whom you will speak.  She is happy to help you navigate through the services we offer and provide you with any information you might need to get things started.

Amanda Starr B.S., CPT, RBT

Amanda Starr B.S., CPT, RBT

Director - Active Parenting and Education

Our Parent Education team specializes in providing innovative programming to parents and families including court approved, research-based Active Parent Training, Family Nurturing Classes, Supervised Therapeutic Visitation, and Therapeutic Sibling Visitation. Amanda is also a Registered Behavior Technician.

Shadianna Singh-Vinson, BA, BCaBA

Shadianna Singh-Vinson, BA, BCaBA

Director of Behavioral Services

Shadianna Singh-Vinson, BA, BCaBA is the Director of Behavioral Services at FCBS and she is also a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst. She relocated from Houston, Texas to Jacksonville, Fl. In 1987. Shadianna attended University of North Florida where she acquired her degree in Psychology and a minor in Behavioral Medicine. While attending University, she was a volunteer at the Suicide Prevention Center and The Juvenile Probation and Restitution Center.
Shadianna has a great deal of experience working with children on the Autism Spectrum and those who are Dually Diagnosed. She has an array of knowledge within the Florida Child Welfare Dependency System, as well. Shadianna enjoys working with our families, so they are successful by implementing environmental interventions and behavioral strategies to decrease target behaviors.
Shadianna appreciates spending quality time with her family and friends in addition to Coby, a Nanday Conure who is 24 years old, and loves to dance! In her spare time, she likes traveling, walks on the beach, water fitness, Zumba and cooking. In addition to, dare we say, watching Lifetime and Hallmark movies.

Penny

Penny

Director of Morale and Happiness

Penny is an adorable miniature Dachshund mix, and is without a doubt the most popular member of our staff. Upon request, Penny can join any of our clinicians as part of your therapeutic team. You may see Penny around the office just about any time… if you would rather not have her in the office when you are here, please feel free to let us know and we will gladly give her the afternoon off.

Our caring, trained staff are here to help you find your balance.

We’d Love to Help

We Have Experience With…

Health Solutions
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Behavior Therapy

Behavior Therapy addresses behavioral excesses and deficits through a systematic and continuous analysis of data to develop and implement various interventions designed to assist parents and caregivers facilitate growth and change. 

Specialized Trauma and Abuse Counseling

Trauma and abuse can take many forms, and their effects on children and adults alike can be debilitating. Addressing these issues requires that the therapist have extensive knowledge and experience in this area of need in order to better support clients in their journey towards healing.

Active Parenting Training - Therapeutic Family and Sibling Visitation

FCBS offers two distinct Parent Training Curriculum – Active Parenting and Family Nurturing,- both of which are evidenced based programs. The programs address difficult areas like teen parenting, parenting after divorce, step parenting and special parenting issues such as incarcerated parents and families involved in dependency. These positive parenting approaches teach proven effective parenting strategies to help maintain and strengthen families. The Parenting Program also offers coached and sibling supervised visitation to assist family members in strengthening their relationship with each other. Intensive therapeutic visitations are offered in which approaches, conducted by a therapist, are utilized to assist families with dysfunctional dynamics.

Separate Yet Together: Families Are Forever

The purpose of this 4 hour course is to prepare parents for post-divorce living, explain legal expectations.

 

Family Therapy

Our clinicians assist families in addressing problems and identifying stressors in their relationships to form stronger, more supportive bonds whether it be between parents, children, siblings, or any combination of these.

Couple's Counseling

First Coast Behavior Solutions is proud to offer counseling based on the Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy. Call for an appointment today!

Family Focused Anger Management

Our approach to Anger Management is unique to the area and is designed to not only address the aggression displayed by the individual referred, but the environment in which they may have learned to express their frustrations as well. By teaching every member of the household to identify their stressors and to use appropriate coping and de-escalation skills, the likelihood of growth and change increases exponentially.

Hypnotherapy and EMDR

Hypnotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Retraining are therapeutic tools used to identify and treat anxiety and trauma related disorders.

Tutoring

Academic tutoring is provided by Florida certified teachers and is available for all students including those struggling with attention and behavior issues that interfere with learning. By improving the child’s proficiency in areas such as reading and math, the occurrence of escape and avoidance behaviors are often reduced.

Respite

Day respite is available for up to three children* by therapists who have been fingerprinted, have passed Level I Background screenings, and have received specialized training from licensed mental health clinicians.

*Children with high magnitude or aggressive behaviors may require additional providers to ensure the health and safety of all the children in the home.

Clinical Supervision

Qualified Supervisors for both RMHCI’s and RCSWI’s are available to assist these interns obtain the clinical contact and supervision hours required by the Florida DOH for licensure in their respective fields.

Staff In-Service and Trainings

Our clinicians are available for in-service trainings on a variety of developmental, behavioral, and psycho-educational topics. We would be happy to collaborate with your organization to tailor the curriculum to create topic and audience specific trainings. Please contact our office for further information or to speak with a clinical trainer.

Our Approach & Philosophy

At First Coast Behavior Solutions, we strive to find the root of you or your family members needs. We provide evidence based, positive therapeutic methods in a calm and peaceful environment. Our trained staff have years of experience in finding the right intervention or training technique uniquely designed for your personal support needs.

We understand the struggles that everyday life can bring. Between the stresses of work, family, health or a combination of all and more. Families, individuals, and couples are stretched thin. Feelings of overwhelm, tiredness, anxiousness, depression can consume our lives. We at FCBS are here to help navigate a path back to normalcy.

We offer specialized, individual services that focuses on you and your needs. Give us a call to schedule your appointment to a better you today!

 

Get In Touch

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Call

904-200-7979

Fax

 904-485-8885

Address

2317 Blanding Boulevard
Suite 102
Jacksonville, Florida 32210

Hours

Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm
Sat: By appointment only
Sun: Closed