Hi! I’m Dr. Vassilia Binensztok.
I’m a psychotherapist, an author, a researcher, an academic, and the founder of Juno Counseling and Wellness.
I know what it’s like to feel like things will never get better, and I’m here to show you the way to the other side.
Like many, I come from a dysfunctional home teeming with depression and mental illness. I experienced chronic childhood trauma, culminating in the death of both of my parents in a car accident when I was 17.
In the years following the death of my parents, I felt like good things were meant for other people, but not for me. As I moved into adulthood on my own, I didn’t have the tools to process the way my childhood trauma was showing up in my life.
It was my own therapeutic journey that helped me reframe my story to reclaim my personal power. That’s why I founded Juno Counseling and Wellness: to help you understand the root of your struggles and make positive, lasting changes in a safe, judgment-free space.
I didn’t set out to become an expert in my field.
I set out to learn as much as possible—
and that road brought me here.
Since earning my Master’s and Ph.D. in Mental Health Counseling, I’ve served as the Mental Health Counselor for Palm Beach State College, taught mental health counseling at the elite graduate level, and published a wide array of books and articles in the field of mental health. But my passion isn’t just gaining knowledge; it’s sharing it in a personal and practical way.
With over 15 years of experience helping people heal from complex trauma, I use my wealth of knowledge and expertise to analyze complicated situations, find the root of the problem, and unearth the path to healing. I’ve dealt with a wide array of cases, from working in a high-risk, locked psychiatric unit, to providing Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for people with Schizophrenia. I promise you won’t shock me. Whatever heaviness you’re holding, it’s safe to share.
Now, I’ve built a team of professional therapists with varied specialties and one commonality: we all believe in the continued pursuit of knowledge.
And we’re here to share it with you.
Education
- Ph.D. Counseling, Florida Atlantic University
- M.S. Mental Health Counseling, Nova Southeastern University
- B.A. English, Dartmouth College
Certifications
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor – MH14175 Florida
- National Certified Counselor (NCC)
- Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH)
- Qualified Supervisor for Registered Mental Health CounselingInterns (QS)
- Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator (CFMHE)
- Parenting Coordination
Professional Memberships
- American Counseling Association
- American Psychological Association – Teacher Affiliate
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Palm Beach County
- International Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
- Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling
Specialty Trainings
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level II
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Cognitive Enhancement Therapy
BOOKS
Learning and Practicing Adlerian Therapy
Ultra-Brief Cognitive Behavioral Interventions
Multicultural Child Maltreatment Risk Assessment
Publications
- Binensztok, V. (2021, July). Multicultural child maltreatment risk assessment: Effective evaluation for diverse populations. Routledge.
- Binensztok, V., & Vastardis, T.E. (2019). Child abuse assessment strategy and inventories. In L. Sperry (Ed.), Family assessment: Contemporary and cutting-edge strategies (3nd ed.). Routledge.
- Binensztok, V., Vastardis, T. E., & Gill, C. S. (2018). Spiritual and religions interventions in “Third Wave” cognitive-behavioral therapies. In C. S. Gill & R. R. Freund, Spirituality and religion in counseling: Competency-based strategies for ethical practice (pp. 132-146). Routledge.
- Sperry, L., & Binensztok, V. (2018, Fall). Adlerian Pattern-Focused Therapy: A treatment manual. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 74(3), 309-348.
- Sperry, L., & Binensztok, V. (In Press). Ultra-brief cognitive-behavioral interventions: A new practice model for mental health and integrated care. Routledge.
- Sperry, L., & Binensztok, V. (2019). Learning and practicing Adlerian therapy. Cognella.
