Meet Our Clinical Team

Sarah Ruza, RMFT-I, Certified Coach

After graduating from Touro University with a master's in Marriage and Family Therapy, Sarah founded Yacholet Ikann, a non-profit organization that raises funds to help young Jewish women who have experienced trauma or face mental health struggles. Sarah started IKANN Wellness as a therapeutic space where young women could feel heard, be supported, and become empowered!

Sarah helps clients connect the importance of somatic awareness and the connection between the mind-body experience when it comes to navigating trauma along with our regular daily struggles. She has a strong emphasis on hypnotherapy, the use of mantras, and spiritual connection. Sarah utilizes multiple modalities in her work as a solution-focused integrative practitioner and prioritizes therapies that bring about centering, grounding, and self-actualization.

Atara Raab, LMFT

Atara has a master's degree in marriage and family therapy from Touro University and holds a license in Florida. She is dedicated to providing comprehensive and effective care to individuals and families seeking support for mental health challenges. Atara's goal is to help clients identify their strengths and build resilience, supporting them in their journey towards improved well-being.

Additionally, Atara works closely with parents and family members, recognizing the integral role they play in the recovery and healing process. She offers guidance and support to families, fostering healthy communication and understanding to create a supportive environment for the client's therapeutic journey. With her expertise and compassionate approach, Atara is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those she serves.

Ana Carolina Bendeck, LMHC

Ana Carolina Bendeck is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over seven years of experience in the mental health field. She began her work in eating disorder treatment while in graduate school, serving as a recovery coach at a residential facility for eating disorders. This early experience laid the foundation for her clinical expertise and passion for supporting individuals in recovery.

She continued her professional growth at Monte Nido Miami, where she advanced from therapist to Assistant Clinical Director. In this leadership role, she oversaw the care of up to 14 clients while also managing and supporting clinical staff, ensuring high-quality, compassionate treatment.

Carolina currently owns and operates her own private practice, where she specializes in working with individuals experiencing co-occurring eating disorders and complex trauma. She is dedicated to helping clients build a safer relationship with their bodies, process trauma, and move toward sustainable recovery.

Originally from Honduras, Carolina's perspective has been deeply shaped by witnessing social inequalities, poverty, and limited access to mental health services. These experiences continue to inform her commitment to accessible, culturally sensitive care.

Linda N Ruza, MSW, CAP

Linda has 30+ years of experience counseling, coaching individuals, and facilitating groups in the fields of addiction, mental health, co-occurring disorders, women's issues, and trauma. She is involved in the Jewish Recovery community and serves on the boards of organizations addressing community issues related to her field of expertise.

Eden Tovah, MFT, CYT

Eden Tovah is a marriage and family therapist working with couples, adults, adolescents, and families navigating anxiety, depression, intimacy issues, and life transitions. She works in a relational, attuned manner, helping clients make sense of emotional patterns that shape their lives and relationships.

Her work is informed by training in somatic therapy, solutions-focused therapy, Gestalt therapy, and dreamwork, along with her background as a certified yoga teacher. Eden's approach is individualized, shaped by each client's history, values, and readiness for exploration.

She integrates spirituality and creative inquiry to deepen reflection, foster resilience, and unveil personal meaning. Guided by the belief that "there's nothing more whole than a broken heart," Eden and her clients establish a relationship forged through honesty, integration, and possibility.

Gabrielle

As a therapist, Gabrielle is passionate about helping people feel more like themselves again. Her approach to therapy is down-to-earth, nonjudgmental, and collaborative. Whether life feels overwhelming, your thoughts won't quiet down, or you're just feeling stuck, she's here to help you navigate those challenges and find tools that actually work for you.

Gabrielle works with teens and adults navigating anxiety, OCD (including taboo OCD), ADHD, depression, life transitions, and relationship challenges. She is also passionate about working with fellow artists and creatives, as she is a musician and knows the unique challenges in it.

She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other practical, evidence-based approaches to help shift unhelpful patterns and build skills that empower you to face life's challenges. Every client is different, so therapy is tailored to fit individual needs and goals. With OCD, she uses Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to challenge symptoms.

Chana Nissel, RMFT-I

Chana is a Marriage and Family therapist with over 15 years of experience servicing her communities in Jerusalem, New York, and South Florida. She uses a holistic approach specializing in trauma, anxiety, depression, and addiction.

Through the use of various modalities such as somatic therapy, DBT, meditation and yoga, Chana facilitates a healing environment for her clients in both group and individual therapy. Chana is credentialed as an Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor as well as a Certified Yoga Instructor.

Carol Sassoon

Carol Sassoon is a direct, warm therapist with over 35 years of experience helping people make meaningful changes in their lives. She is highly solution-oriented and focuses on helping clients develop the practical tools they need to solve problems, feel empowered, and move toward their goals with confidence.

Carol believes deeply in one's ability to change. Her approach centers on building real-world skills that support lasting growth, confidence, and meaningful improvements in daily life. Therapy with Carol is supportive, focused, and practical — she aims to help clients make progress they can feel and apply outside of session. She has recently been using her hobby as a mosaic artist to help clients work through their struggles and build self-confidence, courage, and a positive self-image.

Heala Baitner Cohen, MSW

Heala Baitner Cohen is a compassionate and versatile social worker and holistic healer with over 18 years of experience empowering women to overcome trauma and abuse. Combining clinical counseling with intuitive energy therapies — including Reiki, meditation, breathwork, yoga, and sound healing — she creates transformative healing spaces rooted in Jewish values.

Her extensive background in mental health, garnered through work with individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and vulnerable communities in Brooklyn, informs her integrative approach to helping women reclaim their strength and live at their highest vibration.

Risa Berkowitz

Risa has a passion for supporting others through life's challenges, bringing warmth, sensitivity, and a presence of true understanding in therapy. She works closely with teenagers and women navigating emotional and relational struggles, helping them build insight, resilience, and inner stability.

As an MFT, she enjoys using various modalities to help clients feel better and move forward along their life's journey. Risa lives in Miami Beach with her husband and children, where she remains actively involved in the community through teaching and organizing meaningful programs. She is dedicated to contributing positively to every individual, family, and team she serves.