About Dr. April
Core Values
Intimacy
Committed to helping individuals and couples build deeper emotional, physical, and spiritual bonds through active listening and compassionate guidance.
Authentic
Approaches every client with authenticity, empathy, understanding, and a non-judgmental mindset to foster healing and growth.
Empowerment
Provides tools, guidance, and insight that enable clients to take ownership of their relationships and personal growth.
About Dr. April
Dr. April Brown is a Certified Relationship and Sex Therapist, Board Certified TeleMental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor, an EMDRIA – Approved EMDR Therapist, and a Qualified Clinical Supervisor in Florida and Wisconsin. She is a Licensed Mental Health Christian Counselor in Florida, Wisconsin, New York and New Jersey, and can accept clients from these states for virtual therapy. She has a thriving group practice called Cape Coral Therapists in Cape Coral, Florida where she specializes in intimacy, anxiety, depression, trauma, self-esteem, relationships, emotional support animals and Virtual Therapy. Dr. April holds a Masters and a Specialist degree in Counseling and Human Systems and a Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology.
Since 1997, Dr. April has been in the counseling field. She has a very diverse background in counseling children, teens, adults, couples, and families from various cultures and backgrounds. She has counseled, taught, and facilitated groups, workshops, courses, and presentations. Dr. April has worked in community centers, public schools, universities, businesses and private practice. Plus, she has supervised many school and mental health counseling interns.
Dr. April believes that intimately connecting with ourselves, others, and our Higher Power can eliminate the conflicts, anxiety, and depression in our lives so that we can be empowered to know and live a purposeful life. Over the past twenty years, she has effectively empowered thousands of individuals, couples, and families to break down the barriers that causes fear so that they can embrace true intimacy in their lives. Dr. April’s mission is to increase intimacy for all. Thus, Dr. April started hosting her own new Radio/TV Show in February 2018 and it is call “Bringing Intimacy Back” where she and other intimacy experts will provide resources and tips on increasing intimacy in all types of relationships.
Furthermore in 2020, Dr. April Brown began offering intimacy retreats for couples. Vacation Counseling® retreats are designed for couples who want to strengthen communication and emotional, physical and spiritual intimacy. The Ultimate and Exclusive retreats are located in Southwest Florida and at Vacation Counseling® Dr. April and her colleagues work with one couple at a time at exclusive retreats in Southwest Florida and the Sarasota area, as well as with groups at exotic locations. To view all upcoming retreats and intensives, visit www.VacationCounseling.com.
In 2021 and 2022, Dr. April has released her eBooks called “Improving Intimacy” which is now available on Amazon.
Doctor of Intimacy– Dr. April Brown is a Licensed Mental Health Christian Counselor, Relationship and Sex Therapist, Distance Certified Counselor, and a National Certified Counselor. She specializes in anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and relationships and if you contact her, you will get a direct response from her.
Most of all, Dr. April believes that counseling is helping others with their struggles in life. She will support and empower you to work through your challenges with insight and motivation. Dr. April will take the time to provide you with an empathetic and nonjudgmental atmosphere and you will receive coping resources and skills. You will realize that you are not alone in your struggles, and you will have the inner strength to change and reach your goals. Her motto is “Quality counseling services that provide insight, motivation, empowerment, results, and action in a nonjudgmental environment.”
Dr. April’s counseling style is a multicultural, cognitive-behavioral, family system, and a solution-focused treatment with an interactive client-centered approach. She also uses the most proven effective couples therapy – Gottman Methods and Interventions to help her couples increase their communication, intimate, and friendship skills. These treatments are proven effective and they will you gain insight, coping skills, relationship skills and empowerment. They are good for stress, depression, anxiety, anger management, loneliness, addiction, impulse control, relationship difficulties, and many other mental health problems or job and career issues.
Work Experience
Since 2000, Dr. April has been in the counseling field in Lee County. She has a very diverse background in counseling children, teens, adults, couples, and families. She has counseled, taught, and facilitated groups, workshops, courses, and presentations. Dr. April has worked in community centers, public schools, universities, businesses and private practice. In addition to being a well-known relationship and anxiety specialist therapist, she has been recognized as a “Lee County Counselor of the Year”. She provides workshops to various communities. Plus, she supervises local registered mental health counseling interns. Dr. April’s experiences have shown her ability to work with a broad spectrum of clients.
2005 – Present Dr. April Brown, Inc. Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral Therapists, LLC Sarasota, Florida
Private Practice Mental Health Counselor, Qualified Supervisor, Florida Certified
Sex Therapist, Owner of Cape Coral Therapists & Vacation Counseling,
• Provided over 5000+ effective hours of multicultural counseling and
relationship and sex therapy to individuals (including adolescents, adults, and
older adults) and couples.
• Conduct assessments, diagnose mental health disorders, provide evaluations,
create treatment plans with clients to facilitate change and maintain client files
• Provide mental health and disability documents such as ESA documentations
as needed
• Collaborate services with physicians to assist clients with medication needs
• Administer and evaluate standardized career and psychological inventories
• Supervise post-master mental health clinicians and assist them in their
licensure process
• Create and teach professional development curriculum for interns
• Prepare and oversee marketing strategies, financial statements, and goals
2020 – Present Vacation Counseling, LLC Southwest Florida
Creator, Owner and Costa Rica
Retreat Host Jamaica
• Create, schedule, plan, and provide intimate couples retreat opportunities for
couples to get intense couples counseling services while on vacation.
• Help couples learn and experience all forms of intimacy
2009 – 2016 Hodges University Fort Myers, Florida
Director of Counseling Services and ADA Coordinator
Mental Health Counselor
• Counsel students on their psychological, vocational, and curriculum needs
• Manage and supervise career and mental health counselors
• Assess students’ needs and develop and facilitate workshops and counseling
groups based on students’ needs and professors’ requests
• Coordinate accommodations and services for students with disabilities and
lead the Disability Support Services Committee
• Devise and utilize technology and online resources to provide counseling,
career development, and disability services to the college students
• Develop and analyze qualitative and quantitative reports on services
• Educate students about resources according to their needs, organize various
student and faculty meetings, and supervise counselors in higher education
• Work on the Clinical Mental Health Counselor Diversity Advisory Board for
CACREP and the Diversity and the Institutional Effectiveness Committees
• Research legislative regulations and ethical guidelines on counseling practices
and licensures and ADA accommodations.
• Serve as a guest lecturer for various CACREP master level classes and some
undergraduate courses
• Conduct student and faculty orientations and develop student and employee
manuals about counseling and disability services
• Chair the Tobacco-Free Committee to create a Tobacco-Free campus by 2017
Summer 2012 Richard Milburn Academy Fort Myers, Florida
External Consultant
• Assessed their guidance department in relation to the standards set by the local
school district
• Consulted on their process of reviewing transcripts and awarding credit and
provide recommendations
2003 – 2009 Florida SouthWestern State College – Upward Bound Fort Myers, Florida
Instructor
• Taught students about the college planning process and assisted them in setting
academic and career goals
• Presented college survival, career development, and counseling workshops at
colleges and universities
• Initiated leadership-development activities for student groups at secondary and
post-secondary schools
2000 – 2009 The School District of Lee County Fort Myers, Florida
Guidance Department Head and Testing Coordinator, 504 Coordinator
School Counselor
• Researched and devised a school counseling curriculum
• Advised students on their educational progress and goals
• Facilitated the accommodation process for students with disabilities
• Researched, developed, organized, implemented, and directed curriculum,
leadership, assessments, career, and diversity programs for students
• Evaluated and accommodated students’ psychological and educational needs
• Supervised school counselors and interns in k-12 schools.
• Coordinated student, parent, and teacher conferences and meetings
• Created master schedule of courses for middle and high school
1998 – 2000 Florida International University Miami, Florida
Career Services Coordinator
• Assisted students in resume writing, interviewing, and networking
• Developed working relationships with employers and traveled nationally to
recruit companies for career fairs, jobs, and internship opportunities
• Created and facilitated “Rainbow of Diversity Networking Reception” for
culturally diverse students and companies
• Increased the attendance of schools and students participating in an annual
law/grad fair by 30%
• Developed and organized 17 events for college students in a six-month period
1998 – 1999 Florida Prevention Association Tallahassee, Florida
Researcher/ Workshop Facilitator/Consultant
• Researched, developed, organized, implemented, and directed curriculum,
leadership, career, and diversity programs for students
• Produced and operated recruitment and retention strategies for schools,
universities, and businesses
Spring and Summer Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee, Florida
1998 Counselor Intern for Mental Health Counseling
• Developed and conducted peer student groups and workshops
Fall 1997 Lincoln High School Tallahassee, Florida
Counselor Intern for School Counseling
• Assisted in the preparation of comprehensive treatment plans and individual
learning plans for students
1996 – 1998 Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida
Graduate Assistant/Group Counselor for Mental Health
• Facilitated counseling groups for at-risk youth
• Organized and analyzed psychosocial and educational assessments of children.
1995 – 1996 Domino’s Corporation Atlanta, Georgia
Accountant
• Prepared, balanced, and evaluated financial statements for 27 stores.
• Created and help computerized accounting systems
1994 – 1995 Bankers United Atlanta, Georgia
Marketing Manager
• Supervised, organized, and motivated sales teams to deliver services to the
target market.
• Promoted the sale of annuities through creating individualize portfolios that
would meet the clients’ needs.
• Recruited new customers and employers by integrating their needs with
services provided.
Education
Dr. April received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Finance from Florida State University in 1994. She went on to earn her Master of Science in Counseling from Florida State University in 1998. In 1998 Dr. April also achieved a Specialist of Education in Counseling from Florida State University. It was in 2014 when Dr. April Brown received her Doctorates of Education in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University.
MODERN SEX THERAPY INSTITUTES West Palm Beach, Florida
2019 150 Hours of Sex Therapy Training – Certified Sex Therapist
ARGOSY UNIVERSITY Phoenix, Arizona
2014 Doctorate in Education in Counseling Psychology – GPA: 4.0
Dissertation Topic – Traditional and Nontraditional Students with Anxiety
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY Tallahassee, Florida
1998 Specialist in Education Degree in Counseling and Human Systems – GPA: 3.93
Majored in Mental Health and School Counseling in a CACREP Program
1998 Master of Science Degree in Counseling and Human Systems – GPA: 3.93
Majored in Mental Health and Counseling in a CACREP Program
1994 Bachelor of Science Degree – GPA: 3.44
Majored in Finance and Marketing
License, Certifications & Awards
2021-2027 New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor – 0011345
2021-2025 New Jersey Professional Counselor – 37PC00776000
2020-2025 American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapist (AASECT)
2020-2025 Wisconsin Licensed Professional Counselor 8035 – 125
2016-2028 Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider – 1038
2019-2025 Florida Certified Sex Therapist
2020-2025 National Board Certified Counselor – NCC #644849
2011-2025 Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor – MH 9682 & Qualified Supervisor in Mental Health (MH) & Marriage & Family Therapy(MFT)
Distanced Counselor Certified – 1857
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) Certified
Certified School Counselor
2018 Black Girls Rock Women in Health
Professional Activities and Memberships
President of Gulfcoast Mental Health Counselors
Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida
Florida Counseling Association
American Counseling Association
Florida Catholic Chambers of Commerce
Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development
American College Counseling Association
Christian Chamber of Southwest Florida
Research & Conference Presentations
2017 – It’s All About Me- Dealing with Life Issues Children, Youth & Young Adults
2016 – Counseling Students with Anxiety
2015 – Panel Presentation on the Stigma of Mental Illness at Open Door/Open Minds
2015 – Dissertation Presentation at the Online Virtual Psychology Research Conference
2014 – Mental Health Literacy and Wellness in the African-American Community
2014 – Cross-Cultural Counseling
2013 – Psychology of Diversity at Hodges University
2012 – Area Resources: Reaching Underserved Elderly and Others with Comprised Mental Status in the Areas of Drug/Alcohol Use and Misuse – Conference
2011 – Christian Anger Management for At-Risk Youth
2011 – Working with Disruptive Students
Professional Development Training
2024
Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider
2023
EMDRIA Approved EMDR Therapist
2022
Gottman Couples Therapy Training III
2020
Gottman Couples Therapy Training I and II
2019
Qualified Supervisor Continuing Education
Emotional Support Animal Documentation
Gender, Orientation, and Identity Issues
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Legal, Ethical, and Forensic Issues in Sex Therapy
Sexual Abuse Treatment
Developmental Sexuality
Diagnosis of Sexual Dysfunctions
Domestic Violence
Medical Marijuana
Trauma Model Therapy
2018
Animal Assisted Interventions and Theory
Counselors in the Courtroom
Creative Couples Counseling Techniques
Experiential Activities with Families in Crisis
Incorporating Forgiveness Practice in Counseling
Black Hair and Mental Health
How to Use Levity in Counseling
The Impact of Trauma
Is there a book within you
Male survivors of child sexual abuse
Protecting Families and Homes of Suicidal Youth
Overview of Sex Therapy and Diagnosis
Sexual Development
Mental Illness and Sexuality
Sex and Aging
Diagnosis of Female Sexual Dysfunction
Burnout and Mindfulness
Treatment of Male Dysfunction
Diagnosis of Male Dysfunction
Queer Affirmative Therapy
Cultural Sensitivity in Sex Therapy
Integrating Couples and Sex Therapy
Out of Control Sexual Behavior
What To Do When A Patient Walks Through the Door: Putting Theory Into Practice
Millennials, High Achievers and Sex: An Overview Intersection of Sexuality and Religion
What’s Next for Sex? How the Latest Innovations in SexTech are Transforming the Ways We Mate, Relate and Masturbate
Somatic Sex Therapy
More Tech, More Talking: How Evolving Sex Tech Impacts Fidelity Agreements
Pills and Skills: Treatment of 21 Century Clients with Complex Sex Problems and Coexisting Mental Conditions
Sexual Attitude Reassessment
Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationship & Sexuality
Ethics in Sex Therapy
History of Sex Research
2017
From Grief to Healing: Coping with Various Types of Loss
Counseling Children
Medical Factors Relating to Sexuality
Treatment of Sex Offenders
Diversities in Sexual Expressions
BDSM and Kink
Ethics and Boundaries
Substances of Abuse
Porn and Sex Addiction
Cancer and Sexuality
Human Sexual Response
2016
Distance Counseling Training by Renewed Vision Counseling Services
Distance Counseling in Florida by Tanya Johnson
Neuroscience: Effective Treatment Options for ADHD by Dr. Mabel Loez
High Speed, Drug-Free Treatment for Anxiety Disorders by Dr. Burns
2015
Codependency: A More Pervasive Disease by Linda Meyerholz
Psychopharmacology by Dr. Monica Robles
Spirituality by Dianne Durante
American Counseling Association National Conference
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Dr. Kelly Wilson
ESA/ADA Coordinator Training
2014
Recognition and Prevention of Medical Errors by Dr. Jerry Williamson
Professional and Ethical Responsibility by Margot Escott, LCSW
Substance Abuse and Prescription Pills by Alejandro Garcia-Barbon
Psychotherapy Relationships That Work by Dr. John C. Norcross
Obstacles in Multicultural Counseling by Kelly Bushey
2013
Domestic Violence of Mental Health Providers
The Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD by Dr. Edna B. Fau
Applying Marital Research to Couples by Dr. Hofmann
2011
Overview of Bereavement, Grief, and Mourning
DSM – Diagnosis in Clinical Practice: Current Principles of DSM – 5
2010
Psychodrama by Margot Escott, LCSW
Technology, Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Counselors by Dr. Sabella
Calling on Collaboration with Local Services
Reality Therapy with Dr. Robert Wubbolding
2009
Psychotherapy by Dr. Donald Meichenbaum
Rapid Trauma Resolution
Playing with the Idea of Play Therapy
The Intimacy Space
Improving Intimacy Book Series
The Improving Intimacy Book Series offers insightful, practical guides to help you deepen emotional, spiritual, and physical connections in your relationships and within yourself.
Intimacy Quizzes
Personal & Partner Intimacy Quizzes: Discover how connected you truly are with our free Personal Intimacy Quiz and Partner Intimacy Quiz—designed to help you explore your needs, strengthen bonds, and grow closer in love and understanding.
Bringing Intimacy Back Podcast
The Bringing Intimacy Back Podcast is a free, thought-provoking show that explores real conversations to help you build deeper connections, improve relationships, and rediscover intimacy in every area of life.
Doctor Of Intimacy
Dr. April Brown
MH# 9682, CST, NCC, BC-TMHC, AASECT, EMDRIA Approved
Relationship and Sex Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Christian Counselor in FL, NJ, NY, WI and Qualified Supervisor for MH and MFT, and an EMDRIA – Approved EMDR Therapist – Doctor of Intimacy
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