Sandra Rico

Warm, pragmatic support for life transitions

LMHC Florida

Experience: 16 years in practice
Focus areas: LGBT, Relationship, Family
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English, Spanish

About Sandra

Sandra Rico is an LMHC practicing in Florida with 16 years of experience helping people work through a wide range of emotional and interpersonal challenges.

Background and approach

She builds a practice around empathy and respect, guiding clients through concerns such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and stress. Her work also addresses relationship and family dynamics, intimacy and parenting issues, body image, eating and sleeping difficulties, ADHD, and life transitions.

Her style blends evidence-informed methods with a client-centered stance, aiming to help individuals strengthen communication, manage difficult emotions, and develop practical coping skills. Sandra incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside mindfulness practices, motivational interviewing, narrative approaches, and psychodynamic ideas to tailor care to each person's needs.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, she accepts international clients and offers video, phone, chat, and text-based sessions to increase access to care. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule based on therapist availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy, validation, and collaboration, focusing on the client's perspective to support personal growth and improved self-understanding. This approach helps when someone needs a supportive, nonjudgmental space to explore identity, relationships, or difficult emotions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to distress, using practical exercises and skill-building to manage anxiety, depression, and stress. In online sessions CBT can be paired with mindfulness practices to increase awareness and emotion regulation while working on concrete coping strategies.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Sandra works with clients to identify goals, preferences, and practical needs, then adapts techniques from different methods to create a personalized plan rather than using a single fixed model.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules or to connect from another location. These formats allow therapists and clients to use worksheets, guided exercises, and conversational techniques in ways that support learning and progress over time while accommodating different communication styles.

Frequently asked questions

What types of concerns does Sandra address?

Sandra works with a broad set of concerns including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, stress, relationship and family issues, intimacy and parenting matters, eating and sleeping problems, ADHD, and related areas.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

She combines a client-centered approach with evidence-informed techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, and psychodynamic ideas to tailor sessions to each individual's needs.

What is her professional background and experience?

She is a licensed mental health counselor with 16 years of practice helping people navigate emotional, interpersonal, and life transition challenges.

Where is Sandra licensed and practicing?

She holds a Florida LMHC credential listed as FL LMHC MH10434 and practices from Florida while offering remote services to a wider client base.

Can clients work with her in languages other than English?

Yes, she conducts therapy in both English and Spanish and is available to work with international clients.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and needs.

How are fees and subscriptions handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; services use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps are involved in getting started?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issues

Also works with

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse GriefEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changes ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks PhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

16+ years

Licensed

Florida

Languages

English, Spanish