Penela, Elizabeth C, PHD

Write a Review954-753-1112

Dr. Elizabeth Penela is a Licensed Psychologist who offers an active, warm, results-oriented approach that will empower you or your child to overcome the barriers that are keeping you from living a full and meaningful life. Dr. Penela specializes in providing research-based, gold standard treatment to children, adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and related disorders. As a bilingual psychologist conducting therapy in English and Spanish, Dr. Penela works primarily within a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) framework using exposure and response prevention (ERP), but also incorporates mindfulness, acceptance-based techniques, and other modalities as needed. For individuals experiencing great difficulty with daily functioning due to severe anxiety (e.g., difficulty attending school/work), Dr. Penela also offers an intensive treatment approach, which involves engaging in therapy multiple times per week. This approach is grounded in CBT and helps individuals and families learn to manage intense anxiety-driven avoidance behaviors. Dr. Penela completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Miami with a specialization in children and families. She later completed her pre-doctoral internship training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where she gained specialized training in early intervention with young children (e.g., intense shyness, disruptive behavior, emotion regulation difficulties). Then, throughout her postdoctoral fellowship at the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment (CAMAT) program within the University of Miami, Dr. Penela specialized in the treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders in youth and adults. Now, Dr. Penela practices at the Weston location of Pediatric Psychology Associates, a group private practice that provides evidence-based treatment to the South Florida community.