ABOUT FREEDOM COUNSELING & YOGA THERAPY IN NAPLES, FLORIDA

Where healing meets compassion and your nervous system finally feels at home.

At Freedom Counseling & Yoga, we believe healing happens when the body, mind, and nervous system feel truly safe.

Our practice blends trauma-informed therapy, experiential therapies, somatic work, and therapeutic yoga to support deep, lasting change.

Whether you’re navigating old wounds, anxiety that never seems to quiet, relationship challenges, or the desire to reconnect with yourself, we offer a grounded, compassionate space where your healing can unfold at the pace your nervous system needs.

Our mission is simple: to help you feel more regulated, more connected, and more free - in your body, your relationships, and your life.

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MEET THE FOUNDER

Trauma-Informed Therapist • Nervous-System Attuned • Heart-Led Healer

Emily is the founder of Freedom Counseling & Yoga and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Naples, Florida. She specializes in trauma, early childhood wounds, attachment healing, and relationship dynamics.

Her approach blends Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, and somatic, body-based practices to help clients feel safe, understood, and supported at every step.

Emily’s work is warm, relational, and deeply human. She understands how early experiences shape the nervous system and how compassionate, evidence-informed therapy can gently shift those patterns back toward safety and connection.

Her goal isn't perfection. It's freedom — the freedom to feel grounded, loved, and fully yourself.

Meet The FREEDOM COUNSELING & YOGA Team

Eric Cioffi | Certified Marriage Coach and Certified Bereavement Coach

Eric joins the practice with a unique blend of professional training and lived experience. A graduate of the University of Delaware and a Certified Coach through the Symbiosis program, Eric specializes in helping couples navigate the difficult transition from "surviving" to "thriving."

Eric’s passion for coaching stems from his own journey. After serving in the U.S. Army, he returned home to a marriage strained by stress, exhaustion, and controlling behaviors. He knows firsthand the pain of agonizing fights and the feeling of hopelessness—but he also knows the path out.

Eric helps clients identify the specific internal shifts necessary to dissolve resentment and reconnect with their partners. He is dedicated to helping you transform how you view your spouse, moving you past the bickering and into a marriage that is stronger and more connected than before.

Desiree Polonis | LCSW

Desiree offers a person-centered, mindful approach to therapy rooted in empathy, presence, and collaboration. She works at a pace that feels supportive and intentional, creating space for clients to feel heard, understood, and respected. Her work integrates evidence-based practices including mindfulness, somatic techniques, and CBT. Sessions may focus on practical coping tools, emotional exploration, or understanding patterns shaped by past experiences, guided by what feels most relevant to each client.

A specialty of Desiree’s work is supporting individuals through life transitions and providing psychedelic-informed preparation and integration. She offers an ethical, grounded space to explore and process psychedelic and non-ordinary experiences within safe and legal boundaries, with attention to emotional regulation, integration into daily life, and ongoing psychological wellbeing. Desiree holds a certification in psychedelic harm reduction, preparation, and integration through Psychedelic Today’s VITAL program.

Desiree also has a background in medical and hospital settings including oncology, neurology, cardiac care, and palliative care. She works with individuals and caregivers navigating change and uncertainty and is a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner.

At the heart of her work is a deep respect for each client’s story, identity, values, and resilience. Desiree approaches therapy as a human connection, offering thoughtful, attuned support through life transitions, uncertainty, and periods of growth.

Brittany Franklin, LMHC

Brittany Franklin offers a supportive, collaborative approach to therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups. She is dedicated to creating a safe, culturally responsive space where clients feel respected, understood, and valued.

Her work centers on honoring each client’s lived experience, identity, and strengths, with particular attention to the impact of trauma on emotional well being, relationships, and daily life. Brittany approaches therapy as a partnership, supporting healing, resilience, and meaningful growth within a nonjudgmental and affirming environment.

Brittany provides both in person and telehealth therapy. At the core of her work is a deep respect for each client’s story and resilience, offering steady, compassionate support through life’s challenges and meaningful change.

Ana Lulsdorf | RMHCI

Ana Lulsdorf is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who works primarily with adult women navigating emotional distress related to life transitions, trauma, relational challenges, and identity development.

Ana offers a thoughtful, emotionally focused approach to therapy, helping clients slow down and make sense of their inner world with curiosity and compassion. She supports women in developing greater emotional awareness, establishing healthy boundaries, and fostering personal growth in ways that feel authentic and sustainable.

When appropriate and aligned with a client’s values, Ana integrates a faith-sensitive framework, honoring the role spirituality may play in the healing process while always centering client choice and autonomy.

Ana believes therapy is about creating a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space where individuals can feel seen and understood. Through exploring emotions, patterns, and lived experiences, therapy becomes a place for healing, clarity, and meaningful change - at a pace that feels right for each client.

Our Core Values

Healing only happens when the nervous system feels safe. We pace the work gently, with deep respect for your body’s wisdom.
We don’t force insights or push past your limits. We meet you exactly where you are, always.
Every modality we use honors how trauma impacts the brain, body, and relationships. Your experience is taken seriously and treated with care.
We integrate mind, body, and nervous system approaches to support lasting change, not temporary coping.