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Meet Our Team of Therapists

at Ricci Psychology Partners of Palm Beach & Jupiter

Our Palm Beach psychologists are here to help you and your family live healthier, happier lives.

Palm Beach Gardens Psychologists

We believe in taking a multi-disciplinary approach to our patients' mental health by frequently consulting with general practitioners, pediatricians, psychiatrists, oncologists, nutritionists and other health professionals.

Dr. Holly LaSalle Ricci Palm Beach Psychologist

Holly LaSalle-Ricci, Ph.D.

Dr. LaSalle-Ricci is a New York native, now serving the psychological needs of patients in Palm Beach County.  She completed specialized training at Georgetown University, Georgetown University Medical Center, Catholic University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).


She has worked in a variety of clinical settings including counseling centers, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, medical centers, and community mental health clinics. Dr. LaSalle-Ricci worked as a researcher for many years and published several papers on health psychology, psychiatric comorbidity, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and hoarding. Her specialties include OCD, trichotillomania, phobias, mood disorders, expert witness testimony and anxiety. She also taught courses in statistics and psychology at the undergraduate level.

Dr. LaSalle-Ricci is dedicated to giving back to the community. She allots 8 appointments per month for pro bono patients who are unable to afford the specialized treatments she provides. She also serves on Georgetown University's Academic Career Panel, providing undergraduate students support for continuing education in psychology.

Kristie DeBlasio Palm Beach Psychologist

Kristie DeBlasio, PhD, MA, CCATP

Dr. Kristie is a native of South Florida. She obtained her undergraduate and master's degrees at Elon University and Loyola University, where she worked for the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and Johns Hopkins Hospital. She returned home to complete her Ph.D. at Nova Southeastern University. She also obtained specialized training in the treatment of anxiety disorders as a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) and recently completed Cornell University’s Nutrition and Healthy Living certificate program.

Dr. Kristie has provided therapy, assessment, and research in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, psychiatric hospitals, drug and alcohol treatment centers and medical centers. She was also the Clinical Director of a dual-diagnosis facility. She has been appointed to and continues to serve on the Florida Bar’s Committee on the Mental Health & Wellness of Florida Lawyers. In addition to seeing clinical patients, Dr. Kristie provides gifted, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological testing. 

Dr. Kristie utilizes a combination of therapeutic techniques, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She helps children, adolescents, and adults work through challenges associated with anxiety, obsessions and/or compulsions, phobias, and trauma, as well as social distress, low self-esteem, abandonment, codependency, life transitions, and relationship distress. She is often accompanied by her trained therapy dog, Sienna, in her sessions.


Check out Dr. Kristie's webinar presented to the Florida Bar Association:
Happy vs. Healthy: How Toxic Positivity Could be Affecting You and Your Practice.

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laura ellick palm beach psychologist

Laura Ellick, Ph.D.

 

Dr. Laura Ellick is a recent transplant to Florida from New York, where she has been licensed since 2001. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from The College of William and Mary, where she double majored in Psychology and Spanish. Dr. Ellick earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from St. John’s University and completed her dissertation on the role of cultural factors in the development of disordered eating. 


Dr. Ellick has worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings and most recently was the Program Director for the Center for Discovery, a residential eating disorder facility in the Hamptons. She has maintained a thriving private practice since 2001 and specializes in working with patients with eating disorders, trauma and medical illnesses, as well as depression and anxiety. She is currently pursuing additional training in trauma treatment including Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR). She authored the books Total Wellness for Mommies and Wisdom From The Universe and works with patients who are interested in learning how to achieve work/life balance. She is also certified in Reiki and is a Zumba instructor.

Dr. Ellick's latest book, Wisdom From The Universe: A Journal To Motivate & Inspire, is available at Amazon.com & LauraEllick.com

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Check out the rest of Dr. Ellick's ongoing video series here.

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Barrett Platzner, RMHCI, CAC, CBHCM

 

Barrett entered the counseling field in 2013 working with a population of dually-diagnosed mental health and substance use disorder clients as therapist in a behavioral health hospital setting. He completed his New York State certification as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor in 2015 and worked with mental health patients at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester for six years.


Barrett relocated to Florida and decided to further his education by earning his Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. He has experience working in both inpatient and outpatient settings with patients ranging from adolescents to older adults. Most recently, Barrett was a primary therapist at Origins Hanley Center in West Palm Beach where he worked with a population of older adults.

Barrett is trained in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the NeuroAffective Relational Model and Trauma Informed Care techniques, which he uses to support patients in crisis and those dealing with challenging life events and issues. He is particularly skilled at working with clients struggling with depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, memory issues, grief and loss, PTSD, and substance abuse.

Barrett also has extensive experience working with families and couples. His approach is empathetic and compassionate while remaining dedicated to helping his patients shift into healthier ways of being.

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