T

Welcome!

We have over fourteen years of experience helping adolescents and adults with depression, mood disorders, substance abuse, complex trauma, anxiety disorders, and crisis or long-term treatment plans.  We are also certified to provide SAP-DOT Evaluations.  Please contact us with any questions.  
We look forward to hearing from you!

José G. Cruz Rodríguez, PhD, LMHC, LPC, LCDCS, CAADC, SAP
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional
Licensed Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor
Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Substance Abuse Professional-Department of Transportation

We are proud to announce that Diversity Counseling has been granted accreditation by The Joint Commission!

Services

Areas of Clinical Expertise

Alcohol Use
Anger Management
Bipolar Disorder
Codependency
Complex Trauma
Coping Skills
DOT-SAP EVALUATIONS AND RETURN TO DUTY FOLLOWUP
Divorce
Drug Abuse
Family Conflict
Grief
Internet Addiction
Life Coaching
Life Transitions
Marital and Premarital
Men's Issues
Parenting
Racial Identity
Relationship Issues
Self Esteem
Sexual Addiction
Spirituality
Stress
Substance Use

Treatment Modalities

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Christian Counseling
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Culturally Sensitive
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Expressive Therapy
Experiential Therapy
Family-Marital Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
Gestalt Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Motivational Interviewing
Narrative Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy
Reality Therapy
Schema Therapy




About Us

José G. Cruz Rodríguez, 
PhD, LMHC, LPC, LCDCS, CAADC, SAP
Founder

José is a bilingual, Mental Health Therapist and Substance Abuse Specialist with over 14 years of experience providing direct behavioral health services in a variety of mental health settings for adolescents and adults.  He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor, Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Substance Abuse Professional (SAP-DOT).

As a licensed chemical dependency counselor and supervisor and certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor and DOT Substance Abuse Professional, José helps clients struggle with substance abuse and clients in need of substance use evaluations required by the Department of Transportation.

Utilizing evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, compassion-focused therapy, mindfulness, person-centered therapy, and motivational interviewing, José enjoys helping clients find comfort and relief from overwhelming sadness and anxiety through development of effective coping strategies.



As a graduate of San Francisco Ecclesiastical Orthodox University, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he enjoys building valuable relationships and work well with people at all levels of an organization including agency representatives, case workers, team members, family members, and clients.

José is also passionate about working with Hispanic and Latino clients and draws from his own personal and professional experience to help clients overcome their struggles with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, substance abuse, and complex trauma.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Teresa Dombrowski, MA, LMHC, LCDP(RI), LADC-I(MA)                    Executive Administrator  

Teresa is licensed in Rhode Island as a licensed mental health counselor and licensed chemical dependency professional and in Massachusetts as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.  Having graduated from San Francisco Ecclesiastical Orthodox University with a Master of Arts in Holistic Counseling, her approach to helping clients struggling with substance use disorder is rooted in spiritual and transpersonal counseling.

Teresa serves in an administrative management capacity to support clients through the screening and intake process to help them achieve recovery that is focused on the relationship between spirit, mind, and body. 




Teresa draws from previous experience in the fitness and wellness industry where she helped clients reach their fitness and wellness goals.  She was also instrumental in developing a ministry for New England Teen Challenge design to help adolescents struggling with substance use disorder reach their goals for sobriety in the context of spiritual growth.  

Drawing on her training and experience in psychodynamic, cognitive/behavioral, humanistic. existential, spiritual, and transpersonal counseling, she is able to help clients struggling with substance use disorder to understand the importance of cultural and family contexts, personality, attitudes. and wellness-belief systems in achieving long-term recovery.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Bianca Ogando, MSW, LCDP, LCSW

Bianca is licensed in Rhode Island as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who provides individual psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Bianca received her Master’s of Social Work from Walden University. She has worked in the mental health field working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults for over ten years. She is a fluent Spanish speaker, who welcomes all clients looking to improve their mental health and overall well-being.

Bianca brings experience, empathy, and a passion to help others into all of the important work she does. Among other areas, she works with those struggling with all forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and managing life transitions.

Asking for help can be difficult and it takes courage. It can also be rewarding as it can lead to fulfilling your goals in life. Life is full of emotional challenges and together we can work to cultivate growth by understanding the barriers that you face. Together we can explore solutions to help you regain control of your life and continue to move forward in pursuit of your dreams.



I am passionate about empowering individuals and assisting them to improve their quality of life. My specialties include but are not limited to Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, self-esteem issues, life transitions, adjustment disorder, disturbance of conduct, family relationship problems, and reactive attachment disorder. I am bilingual (Spanish).

I use Solution Focused Therapy which I customize for each client’s needs, and we work together to find personalized solutions. This approach has been very successful with different individuals including children adolescents and adults. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Emily Mello, MSW, LICSW

Emily is licensed in Rhode Island as an Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) who provides individual psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Emily received her Master’s of Social Work from Rhode Island University. She has worked in the mental health field working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults for over five years. 

Emily brings experience, empathy, and a passion to help others into all of the important work she does. Among other areas, she works with those struggling with all forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and managing life transitions.

Emily is passionate about working with and helping individuals lead meaningful and productive lives.



My specialties include but are not limited to Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, self-esteem issues, adjustment disorder, disturbance of conduct, and relationship problems.

I use cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, empowerment perspectives, trauma informed care, mantras, and deep breathing to help my clients. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sherry Fontanez, MS, LCDP

Sherry is a master-level licensed chemical dependency professional who provides individual counseling services to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Sherry received her Master of Science from Johnson & Wales University. She has worked in the mental health field working with adolescents and adults for over two years. Sherry is a fluent Spanish speaker who welcomes all clients looking to improve their mental health and overall well-being.

Sherry brings experience, empathy, and a passion to help others into all of the important work she does. Among other areas, she works with those struggling with all forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and managing life transitions.

Sherry draws from different therapy models in her client-centered and culturally-sensitive approach to therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and mindfulness.



If you are reading this, you have taken the first and most difficult step in obtaining the help you have been looking for. We understand that trusting someone new and making changes in your life can be difficult, but here you will find a safe space where you can be yourself in a judgment-free setting, where we will work to identify and process potential barriers in your life that are keeping you stuck. 

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Melissa McKenna, MA, MS, LCDP

Melissa is a master-level licensed chemical dependency professional who provides individual and group counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults. She received her Master of Science in Addiction Counseling from Grand Canyon University and her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling with a Mental Health Counseling specialization from the University of the Cumberlands. She has worked in the addiction field helping adolescents and adults with case management and substance use disorder counseling for over ten years.

As a Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional, Melissa draws from different therapy models in her client-centered approach to counseling, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing.

Melissa's experience includes working at the Juvenile Hearing Board in Barrington, where she did outreach to encourage adolescents to resolve criminal charges and legal issues referred to the Board.

Melissa draws upon her experience and skills to empathize with clients from all walks of life.  She understands that taking the first step to seek help can be difficult.  Working in judgment-free setting, Melissa will work with you to identify and address barriers in your life that can often times be difficult to manage alone.
 
Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Davis, LCDP, LCDCS

Michael is licensed in Rhode Island as a Chemical Dependency Professional and as a Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor.  With over 11 years experience with diverse populations struggling with co-occurring mental and substance use disorder, he is skilled at helping clients to differentiate between the symptoms from causes to help them achieve long-term recovery.

Drawing from his extensive experience and training, he works with clients to recognize and address issues early on to foster a therapeutic alliance in all phases of treatment.






Michael has worked in multiple settings, including intensive outpatient programs, outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and inpatient treatment and rehabilitation programs.  He brings valuable experience in maintaining quality assurance and effective utilization of services at various  treatment programs in Florida and Illinois.  
 
Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Ve-Linda Silva, LCDP

Ve-Linda is licensed in Rhode Island as a Chemical Dependency Profession (LCDP) who provides individual services to adolescents and adults. She received her Master’s in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. She has worked in the mental health field working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults for over four years. 

She draws upon her experience providing case management and ABA therapy to clients in the academic sector, where she developed curricula, and Education Support programs for Special Education students

She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, where she is focusing on clinical interests, including Crisis Intervention, Addiction and Mental Health Counseling, and Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Health Assessment.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Claritza Tejeda, MSW, LICSW

Claritza is licensed in Rhode Island as a independent clinical social worker.  Having graduated from Rhode Island College with a Master of Social Work with graduate certification in Integrated Behavioral Health Care and certification in Trauma Focused Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy, her approach to helping clients struggling with mental health disorders is based on her previous experience with and trauma informed care.  

As a bilingual therapist, Claritza has five years of experience in diagnosis, crisis intervention, and counseling utilizing biopsychosocial methods within a therapeutic relationship to help bilingual clients achieve
a higher level of functioning.

Claritza also draws from previous experience as a life skills coach and therapeutic mentor to help client's reach their goals for treatment by addressing communication, daily living, and social needs.  

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Carmen Benjamin, MSW, LICSW

Carmen is licensed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts as an Independent Clinical Social Worker who provides individual psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, adults, and veterans. Carmen received her Master’s of Social Work from Simmons University. She has worked in the mental health field working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults for over five years. 

 Among other areas, she works with those struggling with all forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and managing life transitions.

Carmen utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution Focused Therapy to address emotional challenges, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders to help clients regain control of their lives.



Carmen draws from previous experience in helping veterans address homelessness, trauma, and other obstacles by providing access to comprehensive health and human services.

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Nisa Sorensen, BA, BS, LCDP  

Nisa is licensed in Rhode Island as a chemical dependency professional.  Having graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Chemical Dependency and Addiction Studies, her approach to helping clients struggling with substance use disorder that is rooted in spiritual and transpersonal counseling

Nisa has nine years of experience in the behavioral health field providing chemical dependency services, counseling, crisis intervention, program management, and clinical supervision.



Nisa draws from her previous experience as a chemical dependency counselor and clinical supervisor, where she conducted client assessments, developed person-centered treatment plans, monitored patient adherence to treatment goals, evaluated treatment effectiveness, developed client wellness programs, and coordinated of care for clients in medication-assisted treatment. 

Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.

Stephanie Cruz

Stephanie serves as a first point of contact for clients seeking treatment at Diversity Counseling.

While Stephanie is beginning her career in human services, she has previous experience in housing assistance, helping clients navigate the intake process, and assisting tenants with housing-related inquiries.

More recently, Stephanie worked in the legal field in an administrative capacity managing client records, client inquiries and appointments.

We welcome Stephanie to our practice!  








Please contact us to see how we may be able to help you with your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you.





Diversity Counseling
is licensed as a Behavioral Health Organization 
by the Rhode Island BHDDH to provide 
General Outpatient Services for Co-0ccuring Mental Health and Substance-Related Disorders.

Our clients are given the opportunity to engage in the counseling process in our offices that are designed to ensure maximum privacy and comfort. 

Office Building Entrance

Office

Waiting Room 

Our clients are given the opportunity to engage in the counseling process in our office that is designed to ensure maximum privacy and comfort. 

Office Building Entrance

Comfortable and Confidential Setting

Office 

We are here to provide a relaxed and comfortable setting to make the counseling process easier for out clients.

Private Office

Comfortable and Confidential Setting

We provide a comfortable office setting for our clients. 

A Message from our Founder
José G. Cruz Rodríguez,
PhD, LMHC, LPC, LCDCS, CAADC, SAP

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO START

Request an Appointment

Additional Location Coming Soon!

We are pleased to announce that we are adding a second location in Cranston! 
We look forward to serving you at our new location!

1020 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02910

1 (123) 123 45 67

Insurance 

We accept the following insurance plans.

BlueCross and BlueShield
Neighborhood Health Plan of RI
Optum
UHC | UBH
UnitedHealthcare
FSA Flex Spending Accounts
HSA Health Savings Accounts
Visa, Mastercard, Amex
Paypal, Venmo

VERIFY INSURANCE BENEFITS
Click on the icon above to submit your insurance information to us for verification of benefits.

Contact Us

We look forward to hearing from you!  We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer your call.  

Facebook

Google

WhatsApp

YouTube

Approved Educational
Provider
 

We are proud to announce that we have been approved by  NAADAC as a continuing education (CE) provider.  

Stay tuned for training opportunities coming this Spring! 

Diversity Counseling® with design is a registered trademark owned by Diversity Counseling LLC.
NAADAC® and associated designs are trademark owned by the NAADAC Association for Addiction Professionals.
Copyright 2021-2022. Diversity Counseling LLC. All Rights Reserved.