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MONTVERDE EATING DISORDER PROGRAM

Montverde, FL

HOME / LOCATIONS / MONTVERDE, FL

Virtual treatment available: CFD outpatient programs can also be accessed via online telehealth services.

Center for Discovery Montverde is a high level of care eating disorder treatment facility that offers residential treatment and partial hospitalization to patients of all genders from 9 to 17 years of age. This location opened in January 2016. It is 40 minutes west of Orlando, in a serene location near the Florida Turnpike. This eight-bed estate offers individualized care for every patient. Treatment modalities we offer include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)exposure & response prevention (ERP) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

In addition to receiving evidence-based therapies, patient have the opportunity to put “joy” back into movement through yoga, table tennis, Corn Hole and other activities.

Insurances accepted include, but are not limited to, Aetna/Shaller Anderson/GHC, BCBS – FL New Directions, HealthNet, TriCare East – Humana, and UNICARE – Beacon HS. Please remember that the insurances we accept change frequently. Our insurance team will verify your coverage.

Center for Discovery Montverde is gender-inclusive and treats all adolescents regardless of their gender identification or sexual orientation. Our facility includes bilingual clinicians and floor staff to aide in the recovery of those individual’s and their families in which English is not their primary language. The clinical staff is composed of certified eating disorder specialists, Health at Every Size® (HAES®)-informed clinicians, and professionals trained in various trauma focused therapies such as and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and traumatic incident reduction (TIR), family therapy, dietary consultations, DBT skills groups, expressive art groups, as well as groups focused on healing from trauma, family dynamics, and positive psychology/acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). All are routine therapy approaches during each patient’s stay. Additionally, we provide a minimum of 20 hours of school time per week, supervised by a Florida-certified teacher with 20+ years of experience in the classroom working with children and adolescents of all ages.

This center also offers a monthly family day where loved ones can visit and take part in treatment. This day is also extended to members of the community, including alumni and outpatient providers who would like to continue their understanding of eating disorders. The clinicians at Center for Discovery Montverde are actively involved in the community, including IAEDP meetings, NEDA and Alliance walks, and provide regular outreach trainings to local schools, outpatient providers, hospitals and mental health organizations.

*Health At Every Size® and HAES® are registered trademarks of the Association for Size Diversity and Health and used with permission.

MEET THE TEAM

CLINICAL ADVISOR

Dr. Celine Passeri, Psy.D.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Marissa Jones, MS, MHCA, LMHC, CEDS

PSYCHIATRIST

Laurie Harden, MD

CLINICAL OUTREACH AND STAFF RECRUITMENT REPRESENTATIVE

Sara Dreier

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Pamela Dove, MHA

CLINICAL DIRECTOR

Caroline Dorr, LMHC

Primary Therapist

Luis Ramirez

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Brooke Cockson, RDN/LDN

NURSE ADMINISTRATOR

Savitri Awadh, RN MSN

Equine therapist

Jessica Oliver, LCSW

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Katlyn Duncan, RCSWI

REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST

Lindsay McNeil

CLINICAL ADVISOR

Dr. Celine Passeri, Psy.D.

Celine Passeri, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a doctorate in clinical psychology. Dr. Passeri specializes in treating eating disorders and co-occurring mental health illnesses.Dr. Passeri has worked in a variety of mental health settings throughout her career. The Child and Family Wellness Center at Florida Hospital for Children was created with the coloration and expertise of Dr. Passeri. To help address the current pediatric obesity crisis in Central Florida, Dr. Passeri helped to develop The Child and Family Wellness Center at Florida Hospital For Children. Dr. Passeri created the first department to identify and address the presence of eating disorders and body image issues in children and adolescents diagnosed as overweight or obese.

As a leader in the Eating Disorder Network of Central Florida (EDNCF), Celine is committed to raising eating disorders awareness and providing specialized treatment and prevention. In February 2011, Dr. Passeri organized the first National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) walk in Orlando and she and her team recently celebrated their 7th Annual NEDA Walk on March 11th, 2017. Dr Passeri is one of the founders of the yearly EDNCF scholarship program, which provides eating disorder treatment funds to families and individuals in need. Dr. Passeri is a member and Education chair of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) Orlando Chapter.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Marissa Jones, MS, MHCA, LMHC, CEDS

Marissa Jones graduated from The University of Oklahoma majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology/criminology. Marissa has had an interest in the counseling field since her teen years eager to help young people with identity development, and to help individuals learn their own value in the world. Marissa continued on to pursue two graduate degrees, one in Counseling from Oklahoma State University, and a Second Master of Science in Health Care Administration from Oklahoma State University.
Marissa has worked in the acute/residential setting for eating disorder treatment since 2012 now becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and supervisor relentlessly pursuing higher education and professional development to provide quality care to her clients. In addition, Marissa has extensive training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy, an evidenced based modality for the treatment of eating disorders and depression, from the IPT Institute. Marissa Joined the Discovery team in 2017 as the Program Director of the Orlando residential program, and quickly advanced to the Regional Director of Operations. Marissa is a licensed professional counselor in Virginia, Georgia, and Florida overseeing the residential and outpatient locations in the MidAtlantic and Southeast region.
PSYCHIATRIST

Laurie Harden, MD

Dr. Harden is board certified in General Psychiatry. She graduated from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 2007.Dr. Harden attended a residency at the Palmetto Health/University of South Carolina program in Columbia, SC. She has been a Psychiatrist in Florida since 2011. She is available for psychiatric consultation, evaluation, and medication management. Dr. Harden has experience with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and many other psychiatric conditions. In addition, she has a strong interest in multiple types of therapy including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy.

CLINICAL OUTREACH AND STAFF RECRUITMENT REPRESENTATIVE

Sara Dreier

Sara specializes in Community Outreach, Marketing Strategy, and Business Development. Sara is actively involved with the recovery community. This has led her to public speaking, educating healthcare professionals, facilitating support groups, as well as fundraising and advocacy for prevention and improved access to treatment in the Central Florida Community and beyond.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Pamela Dove, MHA

Pamela is a certified teacher with over 20 years of experience in the classroom. She graduated from Columbia International University with a degree in biblical studies and went on to graduate summa cum laude from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Resource Management. She earned her education certification through the Educator Preparatory Institute at Valencia College and completed her master’s degree in healthcare administration, helping to make her the perfect leader for Center for Discovery. Pam joined the Center for Discovery team in 2015 and has been an integral part of the healing process for many patients. Her passion has always been to support student learning and to advocate for students that need additional support. She is grateful for the opportunity to support staff and to help families as they navigate eating disorder recovery. Additionally, Pam tirelessly works to improve the education system within the community, advocating for evidence-based practices that do not cause harm in children and adolescents.

CLINICAL DIRECTOR

Caroline Dorr, LMHC

Caroline is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida. She graduated from Auburn University with a major in psychology in 2015. In 2017 she graduated from Mississippi State University with a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is certified in cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD and is currently working to obtain her CEDS certification. Caroline has been a therapist with Center for Discovery since 2020 and is grateful to serve as the clinical director in 2022. Her therapeutic approach is compassionate, empathetic and nonjudgmental, creating a safe space in which patients can meet their identified goals. Caroline believes that all patients have unique strengths and are capable of creating meaningful change in their lives.

Primary Therapist

Luis Ramirez

Luis is a mental health counselor with a passion for understanding the narratives of those he works with. Luis earned his Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and his Master of Arts degree in counselor education from the University of Central Florida. He has worked in the mental health field for approximately four years, aiding clients ranging from children to adults from various backgrounds and struggling with a range of concerns. Luis has an immense desire to assist clients in understanding their lives, accepting who/where they are and forging new paths. His experiences have helped him understand that each and every individual is unique. In understanding this, he helps clients discover their personal journey forward by incorporating their goals, values and therapeutic needs. Throughout his experiences, Luis has felt thankful to partake in the journeys of those who have shared their stories with him. He strives to provide them with genuine kindness, compassion and insight in regard to the lives they have lived, and the futures they wish to write.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Brooke Cockson, RDN/LDN

Brooke is a licensed and registered dietitian nutritionist in the state of Florida. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative sociology from the University of Puget Sound in 2000. Through personal experiences, she was introduced to Intuitive Eating, which changed her life. After a long career as a social worker working primarily with adolescents, she decided to go back to school to study nutrition and dietetics at Keiser University and graduated in 2021. Brooke completed her coordinated dietetic internship through Keiser University. During her internship, Brooke worked in the disordered eating community by providing medical nutrition therapy in multiple private practices and acute care settings. She spent a good portion of her time during the COVID-19 pandemic studying anti-diet culture, Health at Every Size ® and Body Trust. Brooke has always been passionate about helping the adolescent population overcome their struggles. When the opportunity to work at the Center for Discovery Montverde location presented itself, she knew she had to take it. She is currently in the process of completing her graduate program at Colorado State University studying organizational leadership with an emphasis on population health. In her spare time, Brooke scuba dives, paddleboards, kayaks, rollerblades with her daughter, gardens, and loves to cook and write stories. She believes everyone deserves to enjoy life as much as she does and is determined to help make that happen.

NURSE ADMINISTRATOR

Savitri Awadh, RN MSN

Savitri graduated from a four-year nursing program in Suriname in 1994. Due to her love for the nursing profession, she completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2005 from the University of Phoenix and her master’s degree in nursing education in 2012 from the Western Governor University. Savitri’s passion for taking care of people and educating them about the importance of good health and wellness inspired her to work in various settings of nursing. Throughout her career, she has worked in hospitals, home health nursing, long-term care, and pediatric nursing. Savitri joined Center for Discovery in 2018 and discovered a new passion for caring for adolescents with eating disorders and behavioral health issues. Savitri is committed to providing high quality, evidenced-based nursing treatment to everyone in her care.

Equine therapist

Jessica Oliver, LCSW

Jessica graduated from the University of Southern California in 2018 with her master’s in clinical social work specializing in trauma informed care. She started Peaceful Pastures Therapy as a way to bring an unparalleled form of unique therapy working with horses. Horses in a herd closely resemble the family system. Through our interactions with horses, it can lead to an awareness of how we relate to ourselves and others. Each horse’s distinct personality may remind you of someone you know, eliciting emotions and behaviors that can be processed in a safe and non-judgmental way. New insights, skills and successes developed with the horses transfers to each participant’s everyday life. Equine therapy provides a fun, challenging and unique environment in which human growth, healing and potential may be achieved. Her clinical focus is trauma informed care through hypnotherapy and equine assisted psychotherapy. She offers equine sessions for individuals that are struggling with relationships, self-confidence, anxiety, eating disorders and parent-child conflicts. She and the horses work together to bring unconscious patterns and beliefs to awareness, create a more compassionate and empowered relationship to those patterns, and learn to move with and through the blocks.

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Katlyn Duncan, RCSWI

Katlyn is a registered clinical social work intern with a passion for helping people recognize and achieve their goals. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and her Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida. She has worked in the mental health field for several years, working with patients ranging from children to adults. Through her experiences working with a variety of populations, Katlyn has a deep understanding that everyone is on a different journey with different goals and treatment needs. In each of her experiences, Katlyn has been happy to witness the changes in her patients as she provides them with kindness, compassion and a willingness to meet them where they are while also encouraging positive growth.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST

Lindsay McNeil

Lindsay is a registered dietitian nutritionist and licensed dietitian who received her bachelor’s in dietetics and over 1,200 hours of supervised practice through Utah State University. Throughout her education and practice, Lindsay felt like she did not resonate with the weight-centered messages she received and witnessed. She found her passion when she began working at an eating disorder treatment center as an undergraduate and began focusing her education on eating disorder care, Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size ®. Lindsay believes that all foods fit in a healthy diet and hopes to help her clients regain trust with food and their bodies.

Here’s What Patients Say After Completing Treatment*

  • 97% can identify their triggers*
  • 97% believe they can help themselves get better*
  • 96% understand when to ask for help*

“We are beyond grateful for the help we received from everyone at Center for Discovery. The communication from the staff members was outstanding. The facility’s location is very peaceful and conducive to recovery.” – Christine B., former parent of CFD Montverde alumni

“We couldn’t have done it without your help. You saved my daughter’s life. I am so thankful for this program and for all of you here. The treatment team was always a phone call or email away and always responsive to my questions and concerns. You kept me in the loop from start to finish.” – Lauren H., former parent of CFD Montverde alumni

*Percentage includes adult and adolescent patients who admitted to the Center for Discovery program in 2021 (between 1/1/2021 and 12/31/2021) and completed the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS, N=2,644). Average treatment range 41.3 days for those who completed treatment (did not discharge to higher level of care, due to insurance, against treatment advice transfer or administratively).

Support Group

This location provides free online eating disorder support groups. Our online support groups vary. Find out more about how to join our free support groups.

Preferred In-Network Provider for All Major Health Insurance

FIND HELP TODAY CALL 866.482.3876
OR SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

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