Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt received her specialty training at New York University-Bellevue Hospital in New York City, where she served as Chief Resident. She has held faculty positions at New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine and University of Nevada School of Medicine. Prior to founding Oliver-Pyatt Centers, she founded Center for Hope of the Sierras and Eating Recovery and Wellness Center of Nevada. She served as the Medical Director for the State of Nevada Division of Mental Health and Disability Services, Medical Director and Chief of Staff of Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health and has received Senatorial Recognition for her commitment to the mental health community. As an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Wendy educates medical students, nursing students, and psychiatry residents on the treatment and medical consequences for all forms of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and exercise addiction.

She co-authored the Academy for Eating Disorder’s Guidelines for Obesity Prevention Programs. Her book, Fed Up! The Breakthrough Ten Step No Diet Fitness Plan, written to prevent dieting and disordered eating, has been featured in a variety of national publications, including Family Circle, Psychology Today, Women’s Health and Fitness, and Town and Country, and has been reviewed in the AED Forum, published by the Academy for Eating Disorders. She has given frequent presentations and interviews throughout the country and at national and international eating disorder conferences, and has been featured on WebMD.

Dr. Oliver-Pyatt is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorder (served as the Advocacy Co-Chair), is an active member of the National Eating Disorders Association, and serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and the Binge Eating Disorder Association.

Described by colleagues as warm and wise, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt matches both her comprehensive training and personal victory over food and body issues with an unwavering belief in compassionate and scientifically sound treatment. She lives with her husband Michael, their two daughters, and several adored family pets.

Dr. Lemus is board certified in Internal Medicine and board eligible in Anti-Aging Functional Medicine. She attended University of Miami undergraduate school where she obtained a Bachelor in Microbiology and Minor in Chemistry. She graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara Medical School and proceeded to do her residency in Internal Medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

She is a native to Miami, Florida, and is fluent in Spanish. She has her own Internal Medicine practice in Coral Gables, Florida, and maintains hospital privileges at Doctors Hospital and University of Miami Hospital.

Dr. Lemus has developed a passion for treating patients with eating disorders, and medically manages all patients at Oliver-Pyatt Centers with care and compassion.

Karen Gutierrez-Santos, MS, received her Master in Science from Florida International University, and also earned a medical degree from Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Mexico. She completed her internal medicine internship in Brazil.

Karen provides medical coordination services and medical care for adolescents and adults with eating disorders in both residential and inpatient settings. She values a multidisciplinary approach and works closely with medical doctors, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, and health care providers in the community. In addition, she is a member of the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine.

Karen joined Oliver-Pyatt Centers in 2008. She shares Wendy Oliver-Pyatt’s belief that effective eating disorder treatment combines high-quality medical care with an individualized and compassionate approach.

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Dr. Melissa McLain is a licensed psychologist with specialty training and experience in eating disorders. She completed her doctoral degree at the University of Southern California and served as the Eating Disorder Program Coordinator at the University of California, Davis. Her doctoral dissertation, “Must We All Clean Our Plates? How Culture and Food Rules Impact Disordered Eating,” received honors from the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the National Eating Disorder Association, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She speaks nationally on eating disorders, body image, food rules, and self-care.

Dr. McLain combines clinical expertise with warmth and insight. She joined Oliver-Pyatt Centers because she believes in Dr. Oliver-Pyatt’s vision for treatment and recovery.

Dr. Karin Lawson is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in eating disorders and training in stress and wellness issues. She finished her doctoral degree in clinical psychology with a concentration in health psychology at Nova Southeastern University. She was originally exposed to eating disorder work while in graduate school working at the Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, Florida. She completed her internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California, Davis, where she served as the Eating Disorder Program Coordinator on campus.

Prior to her position at Oliver-Pyatt Centers, Dr. Lawson was in private practice with the Institute for Girls’ Development in Pasadena focusing on body image, eating disorders, and dialectical behavior therapy groups for girls and women. She is a member of IAEDP; the Florida Psychological Association; and the American Psychological Association, including Division 49, the Society of Group Psychotherapy, and Division 56, the Society of Trauma Psychology.

Dr. Lawson's passion is to help women discover a fuller life through self-expression, mindfulness, creativity and self-compassion. She is known at Oliver-Pyatt Centers to join in a game of Scattergories or leave a page of inspiring quotes on your seat for you to contemplate.

Angelica Gonzalez is a primary therapist at Oliver Pyatt Centers in South Miami, Florida, where she works with individuals with eating disorders and their families. She has been working as a therapist for over seven years, with an emphasis on treating trauma and related disorders. She has trained in psychodrama for the past eight years and uses creative therapy in most of her work.

Angelica is passionate about her work and believes that as therapists we need to explore every and any way to move our clients into a healthier place in their lives where they can dream again.

Dr. Analesa Clarke is a clinical psychologist who works primarily with individuals and their families towards full recovery from eating disorders. She completed her doctoral degree from Texas A&M University where she developed her passion for psychotherapy. She has a specialty in treating eating disorders as well as training and experience in a variety of clinical settings (i.e.; community mental health, college counseling, and forensic). She works mostly from a humanistic perspective and is passionate about helping individuals gain self-awareness and insight so they can work towards living to their full potential.

Dr. Clarke is also a member of several professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Florida Psychological Association, and the Academy for Eating Disorders.

Dr. Stephanie Diamond received her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Miami and has a master’s degree in the same discipline from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, her hometown. Dr. Diamond’s clinical and research interests include women’s issues in general, and eating disorders in particular, as well as comorbidity and personality style. Prior to working at Oliver-Pyatt Centers, she had worked as part of an Eating Disorder Unit in Montreal, Canada; had facilitated various eating disorder support groups; and had treated women who struggled with eating disorders on an outpatient basis. Her clinical style can best be described as interpersonal, individualized, and strength-based.

Dr. Diamond strives to strike a balance between supporting her patients/clients in a loving, compassionate manner, and challenging them to find and face their true selves and grow. Beyond the individual work, Dr. Diamond also runs Interpersonal Process groups at OPC and creates a group environment where honest feedback can be safely shared and received and where women can achieve increased self-awareness.

Outside of OPC, Dr. Diamond teaches as an adjunct professor in the Masters in Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy programs at the University of Miami. She lives with her husband, David, and their two boxers.

Dr. Stephanie Wasserman is a Clinical Psychologist with experience treating women with eating disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Miami, where her research focused on the value of attending to relationship dynamics in understanding and treating mental health issues. Her training includes helping multicultural families respond adaptively to mental illness. She fervently believes that healing, growth, and freedom can be reached through the use of therapeutic relationships. She also brings her training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy to Oliver Pyatt Centers: through her therapeutic relationships with her patients, she joins patients in reaching the inner wisdom they possess and guides them in applying their inner wisdom to making life-affirming choices.

Dr. Wasserman is a member of the American Psychological Association, Division of Psychoanalysis and Society for Family Psychology, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and the Southeast Florida Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology.

Dr. Nicolle DeLeo holds her doctorate in clinical psychology and Masters in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. Prior to joining Oliver-Pyatt Centers, Dr. DeLeo worked in various treatment settings throughout Broward County, Florida. She comes to Oliver-Pyatt Centers with specialized training and practice in treating both the eating disorders and individuals whom have experienced trauma, specifically complex traumatic stress reactions associated with childhood sexual abuse. Dr. DeLeo formerly worked as a Primary Therapist at The Renfrew Center of South Florida and most recently completed an internship in medical psychology at Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Dr. DeLeo is a member of The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, The American Psychological Association, and The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention.

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Christina Sendiña Garbati, MS, LMHC, is the Director of the Intensive Outpatient Program at Oliver Pyatt Centers in South Miami, Florida. She completed her master’s degree at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. She has been working as a therapist specializing in trauma and eating disorders and has extensive training in TF-CBT and play therapy.

Christina is enthusiastic and passionate about helping individuals and families in the process of healing. She brings warmth and grace into her clinical work. Her genuine spirit allows her to easily connect with others and meet them where they are at in their recovery journey. She helps others to develop their self-efficacy. Her loving boundaries help clients build personal accountability in their recovery.

Jamie Blosser is a mental health counselor who received her master’s degree from the University of Miami and completed her clinical training at Oliver-Pyatt Centers. She brings a passion for helping individuals throughout their recovery process, working to uncover and embrace their authentic and intuitive self. She approaches each client with the belief that full recovery is possible. She understands the challenges that individuals may face during their transition into a different level of care. Understanding and validating these challenges, Jamie offers empathy, compassion, and support while working with individuals to build their sense of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-direction outside of a treatment setting.

Prior to joining the clinical team at Oliver-Pyatt Centers, Jamie worked with high school athletes and coaches as a substance abuse and eating disorder preventionist. Her work as a preventionist involved educating others and facilitating implementation of primary prevention programs in high schools throughout the state of Florida.

Jamie currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness and continues to be involved with community outreach, education, awareness, and prevention of various eating disorders and body image issues.

Terina Lopez is a mental health counselor who is passionate about working with the eating disorder community. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and worked at the student health care clinic organizing primary prevention in the form of health education about the harms of smoking, the importance of time management and the prevalence of eating disorders in the college community.

Terina received her master's degree from Florida International University and completed her clinical internship at Oliver-Pyatt Centers. She combines her zest for life with her clinical experience to form creative group therapy settings at both the comprehensive and intensive outpatient levels of care. Terina understands the importance of positive body image and healthy self-esteem, and actively works to repair the relationship between the mind and body. She maintains focus on building clients' skills to remain recovery-oriented throughout treatment and as they transition back into their lives. Understanding the importance of a supportive environment, Terina works to establish and build trust within an individual’s support network.

Terina's enthusiasm shines brightly in her work.

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Amanda Mellowspring is a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and a nationally recognized resource in the area of nutrition and eating disorders, including Orthorexia Nervosa. Amanda received her BS in Foods and Nutrition from Appalachian State University and her MS in Whole Foods Nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. Her background and training include both traditional and holistic approaches to nutrition management. She has previously served as a nutrition program manager at residential and outpatient eating disorder treatment centers around the country.

Amanda currently serves as Co-Chair for the Behavioral Health Nutritionists Eating Disorder Workgroup through the American Dietetic Association, developing Standards of Practice for dietitians working with the eating disorder population. She presents nationally on topics related to nutrition and eating disorder recovery, including exercise, food trauma, and orthorexia, and has a passion for educating future nutrition professionals about eating disorders. In addition to overseeing all aspects of nutrition programming and individual nutrition care for each client at OPC, Amanda also leads weekly Mindful Eating groups to support the journey into recovery through exploring and integrating both mindful and intuitive eating principles.

Amanda combines medical nutrition insight with nutrition therapy in order to best support each individual in reaching their personal goals in recovery. She strongly believes that all recovered individuals can have freedom from judgments related to food and weight.

Rullina Acra-Cabral is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist, with a nutrition counseling practice in Coral Gables, Florida, specializing in eating disorders, intuitive eating, and overall wellness. Rullina’s nutrition philosophy is based on a non-dieting approach, which emphasizes balanced nutrition and lifestyle with mindfulness. Rullina believes food is both fuel and pleasure, and a healthy lifestyle can be achieved when there is balance. Nutrition consultations are tailored for individual needs and transformation is facilitated with compassion, awareness, and motivation.

Rullina earned her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Florida International University. Her passion in the field of eating disorders began in 2001 while completing her internship at a residential treatment center for eating disorders in Florida. Since then, she has dedicated herself to treating clients struggling with eating disorders at all levels of care, counseling individuals, groups, and families. She has participated in numerous national and international conferences to further strengthen the multidisciplinary treatment team dedicated to eating disorder recovery.

In addition to her private practice, she lectures and provides training and meal support on intuitive eating and healthy lifestyle to health care professionals, schools, universities, and the community at large.

Lisa Schachter, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant. With over 20 years of experience, Lisa has expertise in all phases of nutritional counseling and teaching. She provides individualized counseling specializing in a non-diet approach, working with clients to address a variety of weight and eating related issues. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and has experience in working with eating disorder patients in both the in-patient and out-patient settings. Using an intuitive and mindful eating method, she assists individuals in breaking away from restrictive diets and guides them in learning self-acceptance and self-regulation of food and weight.

As a sports nutritionist, she also works with competitive and recreational athletes of all levels. Lisa is an avid runner and cyclist and she is the team nutritionist for the Miami Feet Running Club, Leukemia Society Team in Training, and Team Footworks, and provides sports nutrition clinics throughout the year for South Florida runners, cyclists, and triathletes.

She is a nationally registered and Florida licensed dietitian and also a member of the American Dietetic Association; the Miami Dietetic Association; as well as the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group; and the Nutrition Entrepreneurs Practice Group.

Lissa Garcia knows the importance of providing skills-based learning opportunities and a supportive environment to help lay the foundation for sustainable recovery. She has filled a variety of roles at Oliver-Pyatt Centers since soon after its inception. Lissa oversees all food service, including menu development and upholding an individualized approach to meeting the nutritional needs of each client. In addition to seeing clients for nutrition counseling, Lissa leads experiential activities such as grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking, snack challenges, and meal outings. She believes that developing these life skills is crucial in helping our clients make a smooth transition back into the community. Confidence building activities to foster self-efficacy is also foremost on Lissa’s agenda. She believes that proper modeling, scaffolding, and practice are necessary to instill mindful eating habits in our clients. Lissa is dedicated to each client’s recovery, and her engaging, versatile, and compassionate nature make her an asset to the Center.

Lissa was born and raised in Miami and is a devoted mother to her bulldog, Ursula.

Prior to founding Oliver-Pyatt Centers, Vicki Kroviak was an international television executive who worked for twenty years in television programming and production in Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Miami, and New York. She has worked for Star TV in Asia, Sky Latin America, and MTV Networks, most recently for Nickelodeon’s preschool division. She has a passion for fostering culturally positive role models, with healthy and realistic body images, in the media. Vicki—who recovered from an eating disorder herself—and Wendy are lifelong friends and former college roommates. Together they envisioned creating the kind of treatment center that didn’t exist during their college years: one that would address the needs of those with food and body issues in a thoughtful and compassionate way.

Vicki has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Denver, and lives in Westchester County, NY, with her husband and their three daughters.

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