Heather Whitefield, M.S.
Licensed Mental Health Clinician, Trauma & Crisis Specialist, Speaker
Heather received her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling at Nova Southeastern University. Heather has extensive background and experience working with individuals of all ages, adults, children, adolescents providing individual, family and group therapy in outpatient, inpatient, in-home settings as well as negotiating onsite with crisis.
Heather is passionate about speaking on mental health issues, especially trauma and crisis, to increase public awareness, as well as to inspire and invoke change.
Heather has past experience collaborating services with DCF, DUI/Drug/Family Courts, Targeted Case Management and Law Enforcement as Family Intervention Clinician, working to reunify families struggling with substance abuse, treating trauma and negative family dynamics including guiding parents to utilize appropriate parenting strategies. Additionally, she has extensive experience and training in trauma, DV, abuse, crisis stabilization and conflict management, working as a Licensed Trauma Clinician at BayCare Behavioral Health, as a First Responder/Licensed Crisis Intervention Clinician with the Pasco Mobile Response Team BayCare, as a Suicide Line Counselor and a Trauma/Sexual Abuse First Responder on the S.A.R.T. Team at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Heather has worked in inpatient psychiatric units and intensive outpatient programs at HCA West Tampa Hospital and HCA South Tampa Hospital, completing critical assessments, meeting with patients individually and leading psychoeducational groups.
Currently, Heather owns a private practice, PsychForte, which provides individual, family, and group therapy, as well as presenting customized psychoeducational and wellness workshops/seminars for small companies and large corporate settings. Heather now partners with the United Way of Pasco, providing therapeutic trauma support for their Human Trafficking Survivors Program.