- sheri.serenitywellness@gmail.com
- (813) 504-4913
About Sheri Lawrence , LMFT & Team
Sheri Lawrence is the owner and founder of Serenity Wellness, she is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has practiced for over 20 years.
Experienced in several areas of counseling with extensive training specifically in couples counseling, is an expert in the field of marriage therapy. Sheri also works with individuals who have depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, and many other mood disorders.
Main modes of therapy practiced are Family Systems, Emotionally Focused and Mindfulness Based- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBT and Ketamine Assisted Therapy.
Sheri’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Social Science, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Social Work from USF and a Masters of Arts from Argosy University with a major in Mental Health & Marriage and Family Therapy. Sheri is a certified supervisor for the state of Florida Mental Health and Marriage and Family Therapy Registered Interns.
Sheri has personal experience raising a family that includes 3 young men. She has experienced in her own life divorce and remarriage, creating a blended family. Keeping a marriage at any stage in any situation is one of the most difficult things most of us will experience. Sheri is able to relate to you where you are and can bring compassionate guidance to the struggles you are experiencing. Sheri is very thankful for the supportive and loving family and friends that she is blessed to have been surrounded by to make her journey all it is today.
Sheri Lawrence
Karly Parada
Hello, my name is Karly Parada, and I am a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern. I’m excited to share that I am now accepting individuals and couples for therapy through Serenity Wellness.
My approach to therapy is deeply holistic and integrative, honoring the connection between the mind, body and nervous system. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, I work to understand the whole person. I believe meaningful and lasting healing occurs when we address emotional, mental, and physical well-being together in a supportive space.
I am a certified Somatics and Nervous System Regulation Specialist, and my work is rooted in helping clients gently reconnect with their bodies and inner awareness. In our sessions, I may incorporate mindfulness-based techniques such as EFT tapping, sensory grounding exercises, somatic movement, breathwork, mindfulness, butterfly tapping, meditation and nervous system regulation techniques. These approaches help cultivate safety within the body, allowing you to process emotions, release stored tension and develop a deeper sense of self-trust and resilience.
My work can be especially supportive for individual’s navigating stress, anxiety, trauma, emotional overwhelm, or those seeking greater self-awareness and personal growth. Together, we will explore emotional patterns, deepen your understanding of your inner world, and create space for authentic healing and transformation. I also offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, a therapeutic modality that can help make sense of your inner world, promote neuroplasticity, and support deeper emotional processing. In addition to psychotherapy, I am a certified sound healer. Through intentional sound and vibration, sound baths can encourage grounding, body awareness, and a meditative state that allows the nervous system to soften and restore balance.
My intention is to create a warm, safe, and non-judgmental space where you can feel fully seen, supported, and empowered. Healing is a deeply personal process, and I am here to walk alongside you as you reconnect with yourself and move toward greater clarity, balance and well-being.
To schedule a session or ask questions, please email:
Karly.serenitywellness@gmail.com
Kayla Wright
Hi, my name is Kayla Wright and I am a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (RMHCI) here at Serenity Wellness, practicing under the clinical supervision of Sheri Lawrence, LMFT. Life has a way of throwing us off balance, and whether you are navigating the heavy fog of depression, the constant hum of anxiety, the complexities of substance use, or the uncertainty of a major life transition, it can often feel like you’ve lost your sense of direction. I believe therapy is most transformative when it is a true partnership, which is why my approach is rooted in a Person-Centered philosophy. I provide a warm, safe, and non-judgmental space where you remain the expert of your own story and the architect of your own growth. Within this supportive environment, we will utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to examine how your thoughts and patterns shape your world, effectively turning a sense of being overwhelmed into something manageable and actionable.
My goal is to ensure you feel empowered, equipped, and ready to reclaim your sense of self, moving beyond simply surviving to truly thriving. Taking that first step toward support is an act of immense courage, and I would be honored to walk alongside you as you find your footing and build a life that feels authentic to you.
To schedule or ask questions, please email: Kayla.serenitywellness@gmail.com
Amanda Effertz
Hi everyone! I’m Amanda Effertz, and I am a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern. I completed my master’s degree a little over a year ago and have been working under Sheri’s supervision while I work in the community to support individuals, couples, and families.
I use a warm and accepting approach and work collaboratively with my clients to help them reach their goals in therapy. Two of the approaches that I find to be helpful, especially with trauma, are Internal Family Systems or IFS, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR. Both use a bottom-up approach that is much different than regular talk therapy.
With EMDR, bilateral stimulation is used to help clients move beyond “stuck”points in their life or healing journey. We learn coping skills first and then identify issues to target. From those target issues, an image and negative cognition are paired, then the bilateral stimulation begins and you let your brain do the rest! It is an amazing tool that works well for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression! Kids can do it too!
Geeta Batra
The journey of exploring your inner world can feel intimidating. It takes courage to take that step—again and again. As deep emotions and thoughts begin to surface and be processed, the experience can feel overwhelming. That’s why having a safe and trusting environment can be so therapeutic. I am committed to holding a safe, compassionate space for you—one where you can gently process whatever arises. Through guided body awareness, I support you in cultivating that same sense of safety within yourself, so you feel empowered not only in our sessions, but in your everyday life.
I have been a practitioner and teacher of yoga, meditation and mindfulness for over 10 years. I specialize in stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional dysregulation, and grief. Trained in EMDR, yoga and mindfulness, while we dive into deep seated issues, I weave trauma-informed somatic practices, mindfulness, meditation, body scanning , body awareness and grounding techniques into my work to build safety in your body leading to slowly feeling empowered within yourself.
Creating a safe, supportive environment where you feel empowered to explore your inner experiences is my priority. At the heart of my approach is collaboration – working along your side to help you live from a place of deeper connection with yourself. It would be an honor for me to be a part of your healing journey to Wholeness.
To schedule an appointment or ask questions, please email: Geeta.serenitywellness@gmail.com
