Meet the Staff

Dr. Levine is well known for her innovative work with eating and anxiety disorders, and speaks annually at national and local conferences. She recently completed a training program for professionals in La Paz, Bolivia, and was instrumental in helping them open "Acacia," a center for well-being, that specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. She enjoys working with the media, makes frequent radio and television appearances, and contributes regularly to national journals, magazines, and newsletters. She recently appeared in the series, Healthy Woman 2000: Eating Disorders, narrated by Susan Blumenthal, M.D., and produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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As a result of her many years as a psychologist, Dr. Susan Scholz-Rubin has concluded that relationships of all kinds are both our greatest gifts and our most intense challenges. She helps patients (individuals, couples, and families) resolve their relationship difficulties by developing a deeper understanding of their childhood issues, by identifying and breaking self-destructive patterns, by teaching conflict resolution techniques, and by developing a deep sense of self-love and self-esteem. All of these insights and changes allow for a greater acceptance of self and others and an openness to giving and receiving love.

When working with couples, Dr. Scholz-Rubin's preference is for them to maintain rather than discard their committed relationships. That decision necessitates hard work, letting go of defensiveness and resentment, and a willingness to listen to the needs and requests of each other. Marital infidelity often provides the greatest challenge, and many couples are successful at rebuilding their shattered dreams or creating new ones.

Nonetheless, sometimes marital hopes end in separation or divorce, and a state of tragic tension often develops. In 1992, Dr. Scholz-Rubin opened the Divorce and Family Counseling Center where individuals and couples can explore either rebuilding their relationships or giving serious consideration to ending them. The cost of divorce is both emotional and financial, deeply touching all members of the family; therefore, Dr. Scholz-Rubin assists divorcing couples in open and cooperative communication. In 1981, she became a divorce and family mediator. Mediation is a task oriented process focused on settling the many issues that arise when one home divides into two. Issues such as distribution of financial assets, child support, spousal support, and how each parent spends time with children are decided in a cooperative, respectful and creative atmosphere. Divorce mediation is a positive alternative to the often destructive adversarial system.

Dr. Susan Scholz-Rubin also serves as a Parenting Coordinator for the 11th Circuit Court, Family Division. Parenting Coordinators work with divorcing or post-divorce high conflict families to facilitate the resolution of disputes between parents, and to protect the children from the damage resulting from prolonged and intense levels of animosity.

Dr. Scholz-Rubin is the original founder of the Women's Resource and Counseling Center (WRCC). Incorporated in 1977, WRCC has become a special place where women of all ages come for counseling and support as they continue to balance and reshape their lives. The important relationships in women's lives are recognized so that parents, partners, siblings, and children are included in therapy when appropriate.

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Ms. Fink is currently starting a group for people who want to work on their depression, and a group for adult women who have eating disorders. Her group work has included a women's self-esteem psychotherapy group and numerous assertiveness training workshops.

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Dr. Scholz provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy for a variety of presenting problems, life struggles, and relationship issues. He especially enjoys the rewarding work of assisting couples with the often difficult, but frequently satisfying tasks of navigating their relationships. He has a particular specialty with issues surrounding affairs and emotional and/or sexual infidelity. He understands the 'roller coaster' ride individuals and couples experience when there has been a breach of trust, and can offer insights into the emotions, doubts and concerns of both the hurt partner and the unfaithful partner. As a certified family and divorce mediator, Dr. Scholz can also skillfully guide families and individuals through the turbulent and emotion filled time following the decision to divorce.

In addition, Dr. Scholz specializes in the treatment of women and men with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating. He is socially active in local efforts to bring about improved levels of eating disorder awareness, and stays abreast of the latest eating disorder research and treatment strategies while working closely as a member of a multidisciplinary eating disorder treatment team. Dr. Scholz brings a high level of energy, enthusiasm and compassion to the field of eating disorder prevention and treatment, and to the field of psychology as a whole.

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Her practice has evolved over time into a specialization in grief and loss. Grief and loss covers a broad spectrum, from the loss of a loved one, to death, to other losses. Most depressions occur as the result of some kind of personal loss. Each year of her practice, she has continued to receive extensive training in the treatment of grief and loss.

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Ms. Pankow-Martinez specializes in the treatment of women with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating. She has extensive training and experience at nationally recognized eating disorder treatment centers, including the Renfrew Center of Florida, in Coconut Creek, Florida. She was the former Director of the Day Treatment Program and the Intensive Outpatient Program for eating disorders at the Renfrew Center of Miami. In addition she participates in eating disorder advocacy at the local and national levels and is co-chairperson of the Miami-Dade National Eating Disorders Awareness Week Committee.

In addition to her work in the field of eating disorders, she also provides individual, family, and group psychotherapy for those struggling with a range of issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, and relationship difficulties. Ms. Pankow-Martinez is also Level I trained and certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a treatment method used to heal symptoms of trauma as well as other emotional conditions. She utilizes this method to complement work being done with current clients.

Ms. Pankow-Martinez particularly enjoys the challenge of working with couples and in her experience she has come to see that being a successful couple means reaching a delicate balance between taking our partners needs and desires into consideration while at the same time not forgetting our own individual needs and desires. Her goal is to work compassionately, non-judgmentally and collaboratively with the couple, creating a safe place for the couple to risk new ways of relating to each other, listening to each other and expressing thoughts and feelings with each other, ultimately leading to new possibilities and solutions to their problems.

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Her clinical practice includes 8 years at Miami Children’s Hospital, nutritionist at the Aventura Children’s Center, consultant for the Eating Disorders Program at the Jewish Community Service and 4 years at the Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders in Coral Gables. She teaches the nutrition counseling and communication courses at Florida International University and has been the Director of the Graduate Internship Program there for the past 10 years. She has co-authored and published a textbook, used by schools and universities to train dietetics students in the area of nutrition counseling.

Amy maintains an active role in the nutrition community and has served as President of the Miami Dietetic Association, with several elected board positions on the Florida Dietetic Association. She has provided numerous presentations and interviews locally and nationally, on the radio, TV, newspaper and print media on topics related to dieting, eating disorders, nutrition counseling and pediatric nutrition.

“My approach is highly individualized, holistic, and my style is to collaborate with patients, rather than dictate to them, using a non-diet approach and philosophy.”

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Ms. Perez is bilingual (English/Spanish), culturally sensitive, and her goals are to empower clients, help them discover their strengths and resources, and assist them in achieving their desired level of functioning working from a constructivist perspective

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In addition to counseling, Dr. Sandrow provides psychological evaluations and testing for learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia or reading, writing, math, and other processing deficits), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD), developmental delays, emotional or behavioral problems, and IQ or gifted placement.  He works with both children and adolescents to help guide them in their academic careers and provides to the parents and teachers the appropriate recommendations, diagnoses, and accommodations.  Please feel free to contact the office or Dr. Sandrow directly for further information at DSandrow@miamicounseling.com.

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Mrs. Robiou-Krischer’s treatment modality is fueled by the belief that the most important part of a child’s life is his/her family. As a result, she works closely with parents and other family members in order to provide their child with the best support. She also works closely with the child’s school system, meeting and consulting with teachers as needed. Mrs. Robiou-Krischer also has training and experience in working with female, adolescent victims of sexual abuse, helping them work through feelings of anger, and assisting them in developing healthy relationships in the future. Mrs. Robiou-Krischer also enjoys working with couples, individuals, and the elderly. Her other areas of interest include feminist psychology, health psychology (HIV, cancer), the integration of spirituality and mental health, and multicultural issues. She has facilitated workshops and trainings on topics such as, depression, stress management, improving communication between parents and the school system, and coping with a family member who has Alzheimer’s disease.

Ms. Robio-Krischer is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the American Psychological Association (APA), and APA’s Committee on Ethnic and Minority Issues. Mrs. Robiou -Krischer obtained her Master’s degree in clinical social work from Boston College in 1996. She is presently completing her Ph. D in Counseling Psychology at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and is conducting research on the impact of spirituality on depression and social support in Latinas.

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Dr. Carina Esteban, who was raised in Miami, is a licensed Psychologist in 2 states (Florida and California).  Dr. Esteban earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida International University, and her Master’s degree and Doctorate in Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in Fresno.  Dr. Esteban completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Oregon’s Counseling Center and her postdoctoral Multicultural fellowship at the University of Houston’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center.

Dr. Esteban provides individual, couples, and group psychotherapy.  She has extensive experience and interest in providing clinical services to individuals of diverse populations (ethnicity/race, religion/spiritual practices, sexual orientation, ability, and size).  She has treated a variety of issues including depression/mood disorders, anxiety disorders, women’s issues, eating disorders/body image issues, interpersonal concerns (relationships, friendships, family), adjustment issues (career/job, school, marriage, acculturation), and identity development/issues (cultural, sexual, value formation/clarification).  Dr. Esteban works from a multidisciplinary treatment team approach and often collaborates, when warranted, with other professionals including, nutritionists, physicians, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists in order to provide the highest quality services possible.  Dr. Esteban has a strong commitment to the field of Psychology and brings much warmth and compassion to her work.  Additionally, Dr. Esteban is bilingual/bicultural and conducts therapy in English as well as Spanish.

Dr. Esteban is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Latina(o) Psychological Association (NLPA).  Moreover, Dr. Esteban has presented at state and national conferences on topics such as group therapy, Latinas and body image issues, and Sizism.

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She completed a pediatric residency in 1994 and a psychiatry residency in 1998 at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.  During her last year of training, she was Chief Resident of Psychiatry.

She joined the University of Miami School of Medicine faculty in 1999.  She has been Medical Director of the Partial Hospitalization and Day Treatment Programs at Jackson Memorial Hospital.  Since 2002, she was Medical Director of the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinics at Jackson Memorial Hospital, as well as Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine.

She has been involved in Psychiatry Residency Education since 1999, and has participated in numerous committees.  Some of these committees have included: Clinical Cabinet for the University of Miami Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Cabinet for Mental Health Jackson Memorial Hospital, Mental Health Clinical Quality Committee, Psychotherapy Advisory Committee, and Psychiatry Forensic Fellowship Selection Committee.

Dr. Castro-Golden was born in Cuba and at the age of one immigrated to the United States with her family.  She spent her early childhood in the Northeast, subsequently moving to Miami as a teenager.  She is married and has 2 children.  She is bilingual and has the expertise to treat a diverse patient population.  Her interest lies in psychopharmacology, depression, anxiety, and family issues.  She is extremely pleased to be joining our practice.

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In his work as a Mental Health Counselor, Ernesto has enjoyed working with couples, families and children, addressing interpersonal issues and guiding them through the challenges and the demands related to having a family and raising children in the 21^st Century. He has also worked closely with individuals recovering from addictions and has developed an expertise in confronting anger management problems. In summary, Ernesto’s areas of specialization are:

• children, family, and adult counseling
• couples and marriage counseling
• school counseling
• addictions
• anger management

Mr. Felipe is also a school counselor (9-12 grades), experienced in providing assistance to students, parents and teachers with educational and counseling concerns within the school settings; he introduces them to educational programs that foster healthy decision making. He is an energetic and committed individual who puts into his work a great deal of compassion and dedication and who keeps abreast of the latest research and most current treatment strategies.  

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In addition to her formal education, Dr. Reyes has worked in various agencies of the South Florida community including The Children’s Psychiatric Center, The Mailman Center for Child Development, AYUDA Family Empowerment Program, The CHARLEE Program, and the University of Miami’s Department of Psychology.

Although Dr. Reyes treats individuals, couples, and families from childhood into late adulthood, she especially enjoys working with children and adolescents. Her particular areas of interest include play therapy, trauma and sexual abuse survivors, bereavement and terminal illness, spirituality, infertility, spinal cord injuries, self-injurious behaviors, and marital and family issues.

Dr. Reyes offers therapeutic services in both English and Spanish. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Miami Association for Christian Counselors. 

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