Our Office
“During these trying times of COVID19 pandemic, I am only able to offer telecommunications to evaluate and conduct treatments for new and established patients. Look forward to the day, I can meet you in person as I used to do before.”
“I advocate for telepsychiatry because it allows to provide what best fits my patients’ needs and wants.”
“Medicine and technology are dependent on each other for their progress, and telepsychiatry is one of its best examples.”
“Telepsychiatry improves the access to services, reduce the burden of transportation, reduce the need of taking time off to attend appointments, waiting in the waiting room, reduce the risk of transmitting disease, and accommodates to your schedule at work, at school and at home.”
Mara Fiorentino, M.D.
As a psychiatrist who has been in practice for over 20 years, Dr. Fiorentino advocates for telepsychiatry because it allows her to provide care that best fits her clients’ wants and needs. She received her medical degree from the University of Buenos Aires and went on to train at Columbia University in New York City. She later worked at the Office of Mental Health in New York, Mount Sinai Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital and at the New York City Department of Human Resources. Dr. Fiorentino holds active medical licenses in Argentina, New York, New Jersey and Florida. Her specialties include — psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, general psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and sleep medicine, all of which are available in-person or via telepsychiatry.
Medicine and technology are two fields that are constantly enhancing and evolving. With this in mind, one branch of health care growing in popularity is telepsychiatry, which Destin based psychiatrist Dr. Mara Fiorentino utilizes in her practice.
Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatric assessment and care via telecommunications technology, usually videoconferencing. This innovative psychiatry practice is promising and increasingly popular because it is convenient, affordable and readily accessible. Telepsychiatry can benefit patients in a number of ways: It improves access to mental health, brings care to the patient, reduces the need for trips to the ER, cuts delays in care, improves continuity of care, reduces the need of taking time off, reduces the stigma barrier and dissolves the need for transportation.
The overarching purpose of telepsychiatry stems from the need to reach underserved populations and to continuously promote the importance of mental health. Telepsychiatry is especially beneficial to those who do not have access to traditional forms of mental health care. It is comparable to a traditional in-person appointment because the content and format is the same including issues discussed in private, forming a treatment plan and prescribing medications. Studies have shown that the results of telepsychiatry are comparable to in-person appointments in accuracy, quality of care, treatment effectiveness and client satisfaction. Telepsychiatry has been found especially effective in the treatment of PTSD, depression and ADHD.
Experience
Medical Education
Mar1974-Dec79 Bachelor in Sciences Superior School “Dr. Carlos Pellegrini”. Buenos Aires. Argentina
Mar1980-Dec85 Medical Doctor University of Buenos Aires Medical School. Argentina
Jan1982- Dec86 Psychoanalyst Asociacion Psicoanalitica de Buenos Aires
Mar1986-Dec90 Child And Adolescent Psychiatrist Child, Adolescent& Adult Interdisciplinary Psychiatric Resident, Ministry of Health and Social Services. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jul1994 - Jun98 Psychiatrist Psychiatric Residency -Bergen Regional Medical Center, Paramus, NJ.
Jul1998- Jun99 Fellow in Public Psychiatry Columbia University School of Physicians and Surgeons. NY, NY.
May2002-2022 Diplomate in Psychiatry American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
April 2017-2021 Diplomate in Psychiatry National Board of Physicians and Surgeons.
Clinical Appointments
Jan1988-Dec90 Medical Director- Maternal Infantile Center “El Paso Infantil” Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jan1991-Jun92 Staff Psychiatrist Emergency Room Department- General Hospital “Dr. Ramos Mejia”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jan1991-Jun92 Staff Psychiatrist Consultation-Liaison Department- General Hospital “Dr. Ramos Mejia”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jun1990-Jun92 Staff Psychiatrist Emergency Room Department- General Hospital “Dr. Mariano Castex”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jul1992-Jun94 Psychiatrist Substance Abuse Inpatient Rehabilitation Program- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Miami, Florida
Jul1994 -Jun98 Psychiatric Resident Bergen Regional Medical Center- Paramus, NJ
Jul1998-Sep98 Staff Psychiatrist HIV/AIDS-Substance Abuse-Mental Illness- Highbridge-Woodycrest SNL, NY
Jul1998-Jun99 Outpatient Psychiatrist- Critical Time Intervention Program- Fort Washington Homeless Men’s Shelter-Mailman School of Public Health- Columbia University School of Physicians and Surgeons
Jul1999-May00 Attending Psychiatrist- Acute Inpatient Treatment Unit-Allen Pavilion
May2000-Oct05 Psychiatrist II - Inpatient Care Unit- Admission- Triage- Rockland Psychiatric Center
Oct2005-May06 Chief - Psychiatric Inpatient Unit Elmhurst Hospital Mount Sinai Services, New York
Jun2006- Dec06 Staff Psychiatrist- Medical and Psychiatric Disability Analyst- Lenox Hill Hospital-New York City Human Resources Administration
Jan2000- Jun07 Adult General and Geriatric Psychiatrist- 104-01 Roosevelt Avenue, Corona, NY
Jul2007- Sep07 Adult Inpatient Psychiatrist- Orange Regional Medical Center, Goshen, NY
Sep2007-Nov07 Adult and Children In/outpatient Psychiatrist- David Lawrence Center, Naples, FL
Dec2007-Oct 09 Correctional CSU/ Outpatient Psychiatrist- Florida Department of Corrections-Santa Rosa Correctional Institution, Milton, FL. Appalachee Correctional Institution, Sneads, FL. Jefferson Correctional Institution, Monticello, FL. Northwest Florida Reception Center, Chipley, FL
Dec11- July2013 Child& Adolescent Outpatient Clinic and Inpatient Psychiatrist Indian River MC, Vero Beach, FL
Jul09- July 2015 Child& Adolescent, Adult and Geriatric Outpatient Psychiatrist- Florida Therapy Services, Inc.
Jan2010-Jun2014 Independent/Peer Review Medical Consultant- Medical Consultant Network, Seattle, WA
Mar2014-2018 Pediatric Behavioral Team – Children Medical Services – Florida Dept of Health- Panama City, FL
Jan2015-2019 Adult Correctional Psychiatrist – US Bureau of Prisons – Jacksonville, FL
Jan2008- present Child& Adolescent - Adult and Geriatric Solo Practice- 4507 Furling Lane Suite 110, Destin, FL
Kathy Bowden
Mrs. Kathy Bowden, a Registered Mental Health Counselor graduated with a Bachelor degree in Science from Valdosta State University, Athens, GA in 2005. She pursued a Master Degree in Psychology and Counseling, which she completed in 2010. She previously served for 17 years, and retired from the United States Air Force with a rank of Staff Sergeant.
She is happily married since 1991, and has 3 sons Joshua (23), Thomas (12), and Derrick (7).
She enjoys the beach, camping and traveling in the United States, teaching and discovering new things with her boys.
She says “I have been practicing for 10 years and hope to continue to enjoy a job I adore”.