I am a licensed psychologist and a board-certified music therapist with over 25 years of clinical experience. I received my doctorate from Carlos Albizu University in 2007 and completed my doctoral internship at Miami Children’s Hospital in the Department of Psychiatry. I established The Cadenza Center for Psychotherapy & the Arts, Inc. in 2000 to serve the greater Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.
While I do work with adults, my primary focus is with children & their families. I have training in behavior modification, family therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy & developmental psychology. In addition to conducting therapy, I also do evaluations for learning disabilities, conduct and behavioral disorders, autism, mood and personality disorders. For forensic cases related to autism, I have provided testimony and expert opinions as well as serving as an expert witness.
In addition to my work with clients, I serve as the center’s President and Clinical Director as well as supervise trainees in mental health and psychology. Finally, in addition to being a featured speaker at professional seminars, my professional service includes being on the editorial board for “Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts” (a peer-reviewed APA journal) and serving on several national committees and advisory boards both in psychology and music therapy.
serves as our Director of Behavior Analysis Services. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst who earned her undergrad in Psychology at Florida International University and then completed a Master of Arts in Special Education at Arizona State University with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. Daniella has served a diverse demographic of clients ranging from toddlers through young adults, including family members and those most involved in her clients’ lives.
Joining Cadenza in mid-2022, Daniella is a local Floridian who is an enthusiastic, passionate, and down to earth professional wanting to make a difference. By incorporating state-of-the-art practices, she strives to uphold the highest clinical standards and steers the rest of the behavioral team towards greater competence.
When she is not “working” it’s hard to know where Daniella might be. She loves spending time with her family, exploring new foodie hot spots, soaking up sun at the beach, paddle boarding, and even running around at the dog beach!
Ashley joined the Cadenza Center in 2019 and is particularly adept at working with difficult family dynamics, aggressive behavior, and adolescents with autism. Ashley’s professional interests include verbal behavior, behavior reduction, feeding, independent living skills and helping to improve family communication and relationships. In addition to maintaining a small caseload, Ashley serves as the Cadenza Center’s Operational Director. She is responsible for overseeing effective operating procedures across the company. Her duties include reviewing company guidelines, policies and procedures as well as assessing productivity, hiring and training procedures. Ashley intends on pursuing a degree in mental health in order to better serve as a primary clinician who can integrate her behavioral background with psychological theory.
Liora Namiech is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 5 years of experience working with children of special needs. She was introduced to behavior analysis during an internship semester while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Behavior at the University of Florida. Prior to entering the field of ABA, Liora taught yoga and health education classes and was motivated to earn a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in autism studies.
Liora has provided ABA therapy and supervision in a variety of settings and her professional skills include assessment and treatment of problem behaviors, implementation of direct skills assessments, and application of evidence-based teaching methods to promote acquisition of critical skills. Liora also has experience teaching functional communication to both vocal and non-vocal children from a verbal behavior approach.
Liora strives to provide compassionate service delivery, honoring each child’s individual needs and preferences. Liora was born in Paris, France and grew up in Miami Beach; she speaks both French and English fluently. Liora continues to reside in Miami and lives with her partner and their fur baby Jack. In her free time, Liora enjoys spending time with her family, eating sushi, and doing yoga.
Irene Taffe (formerly Van Elderen) is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience in the field of Autism working with children and adolescents. Initially trained in speech therapy, Irene is a highly-motivated and a dedicated professional committed to continued learning and clinical advancement. She is not only skilled in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), but also hold certification in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Organizational Behavior Management (OBM).
Having worked at the Cadenza Center for over three years, she has not only provided direct ABA services, but she has served as a consultant to the clinical director through her expertise in program development, performance management, staff training, quality monitoring, and clinical outcome measurement. Irene believes in a holistic viewpoint and supports open communication with parents, caregivers and educators. She currently coordinates Cadenza’s training and mentorship program for RBT’s working towards certification as a Behavior Analyst.
Ingrid Barrero is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 6 years of experience working with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, working in homes, schools, centers, and community settings. She graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology from Florida International University and Masters degree in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology.
Ingrid is especially proud to be a member of the Cadenza Center because she is passionate about the company’s vision to integrate behavioral and psychological treatments. She is especially interested in the role of mental health in early intervention. Ingrid intends on pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology to combine her behavioral background with psychotherapy to implement a concentrated and personalized treatment for individuals.
BriAnne Weaver is a board-certified music therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s Degree in Music, with an emphasis in Music Therapy, from the University of Miami, and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology from the College of William and Mary. BriAnne has a wealth of experience working with individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, with multiple and varying diagnoses and diverse levels of ability, across the entire lifespan.
Kyara Ramirez-Guzman is a bilingual Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Registered Marriage Family & Couples Therapy Intern. Kyara is also a National Certified Counselor who offers you 3 years of experience in working with individuals, family, marriages, couples and children in variety of settings in the mental health field. Kyara is also trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She obtained her Masters in Counseling with a Dual Specialization in Mental Health and Marriage, Family & Couples Therapy at Barry University.
Andrea is a new addition to Cadenza’s front desk team. She is a graduate from Miami-Dade Community College with a degree in Marketing Management – International Business. Andrea speaks Spanish and English, being originally from Ecuador. She is a proud parent of two and brings her customer service experience from the world of hospitality. Andrea aims to bring a bright smile and genuine care to all those that first reach the Cadenza Center
Xochi joined the Cadenza Center team in 2022, bringing her background in logistics and is part of our front desk team, serving as the scheduling coordinator. She is a graduate of St. Mary’s University of San Antonio with a BBA in Information Systems Management. Xochi brings experience from nonprofit, corporate and governmental organizations. She is adept in project management and working with a wide range of stakeholders to develop win-win solutions.