Jithin George, LMHC, NCC - Clinical Director
Jithin George grew up in Chicago and worked there as a Counselor for 2 years before moving to Florida. He currently lives in Lake Worth with his wife and 2 beautiful children. Apart from his work as a counselor at Catholic Charities, he is also very involved with a Catholic Youth movement called ‘Jesus Youth’ and its various ministries. He enjoys his work as a counselor and is grateful to the Lord for giving him the opportunity to work with Catholic Charities where he can live out his Catholic calling to the fullest. Jithin has worked with Catholic Charities since 2018. "I work with children, adults, couples, and families who may be struggling with stress management, anxiety, depression, trauma, bipolar disorder, marriage or relationship issues, adjustment issues, and grief."
- Mental Health First Aid Instructor (Adult & Youth)
- EMDR Therapist
- Bilingual: Malayalam
Dr. Anita Cocoves, Ph.D., LMHC, MCAP
Originally from Princeton, NJ, Anita moved to Stuart where she lives with her husband and son. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Barry University; Master’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University; and, Doctorate Degree from LaSalle University. Anita is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and State of Florida Qualified Clinical Supervisor as well as a Master Certified Addiction Professional, Certified Addiction Prevention Professional, Certified Mental Health Professional and Internationally Certified Drug and Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Prior to joining the Catholic Charities Team, Anita envisioned, founded and managed Martin County’s Health and Human Services Department and, most recently, developed programming for a local police department. This experience enabled Anita to provide individuals most in need with access to health care, stable and affordable housing, asset ownership, access to entitlements, civic engagement, alternative sentencing and other pathways to be the best version of themselves and amplify their voices in the community. Anita has extensive experience providing service to youth and adults who are at-risk of developing or live with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental health disorders, providing trauma informed care to all clients. Anita’s experience includes working with individuals who have impacted the justice system, including affected families.
Elizabeth Maldonado, MSW
Elizabeth Maldonado, MSW is a Social Worker with Catholic Charities. With a passion for the field and an unwavering commitment to her specialties, Elizabeth is an expert in changing the lives of her clients for the better. She has a wide variety of expertise in the field which enables her to tailor treatment to each individual and not utilize a cookie-cutter approach. As a leader and expert in her field, Elizabeth is passionate about enhancing client quality of life. She embodies the values of communication, safety, and trust when dealing directly with clients. Elizabeth also value diversity with her clientele and is bilingual to be able to work with the Spanish-speaking community.
Rochelle Dorney, Psy.D., LMHC
Rochelle was born and raised in New York and moved to Florida in 1970. She has two beautiful grown daughters from her first husband who died of a massive heart attack. Rochelle is now remarried and currently live in Vero Beach, Florida with her husband and stepson. She has been hearing impaired since she was a child, and placed in regular public schools. Rochelle attended the New York League for the Hard of Hearing until she graduated from high school. It was at the New York League that Rochelle learned to speak and lip read. Rochelle received her bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University. Her first Master’s degree was from Florida Atlantic University in Public Administration. Her second Master’s was from Webster University in Counseling. Rochelle's Psy.D is in Psychology, awarded in October 2023, from California Southern University. Rochelle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Master Certified Addiction Specialist, Internationally Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, Anger Management Specialist, Nationally Certified Counselor and a State of Florida Qualified Supervisor for Mental Health. Prior to working for Catholic Charities, Rochelle was employed at an Outpatient Treatment Center and managed their DUI program. Rochelle also worked for the State of Florida as a Child Protective Investigator.
Kayla Henriques, MSW, Registered Intern
Kayla Henriques was born and has remained in South Florida. She received a degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University. She returned to FAU and obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work. She has worked with marginalized populations within South Florida including children and adolescents, geriatric, substance abuse/ use disorders, and developmentally disabled. As a social worker, she believes every individual deserves the opportunity to receive treatment that works with their strengths. She is grateful to work with Catholic Charities and assist individuals with finding hope to follow their path. Kayla is also involved in the community and shares mindful movement classes.
Maria Nowak, Mental Health Counselor, Registered Intern
Born in Brazil, Maria Nowak's large family transplanted several times between Argentina and cities across the US. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in History from The University of Dallas, her work with a Catholic organization led her to mentor young women in New York, Houston, and Boston. She was inspired to complete her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Divine Mercy University, with specialized training in the Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person (CCMMP). She is experienced in treating clients with depression, anxiety, and personality disorder, as well as clients embedded in traumatic situations spanning grief, domestic conflict, child safety, and job loss. She uses person-centered therapy that values the inherent goodness of the person and their capacity for growth and healing. She lives in Florida with her husband, and is capable of providing services to the large Spanish-speaking community there (se habla español).
Maria Quant - Program Support
Maria Quant is originally from Nicaragua. She grew up in Miami and recently relocated from San Francisco. Her previous experience as Bilingual case manager III, on call counselor for the child protective services of San Francisco and substance abuse counselor has given her the opportunity to work with low-income communities as well as individuals struggling with mental health and co- dependency for over 10 years. She is passionate to help people with their counseling needs and other areas they might need referrals. In her spare time, you might find her practicing yoga, Muay Thai, Capoeira, JIU JITSU and learning how to surf.
Key
- LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
- LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- NCC: Nationally Certified Counselor
- Registered Intern: Completing state requirements for full independent licensure.
- *EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- Ph.D: Doctor of Philosophy
- Psy.D: Doctor of Psychology
