Sabrina Fichera
Program Director & Founder
Sabrina Fichera, is a licensed and registered dietitian with a Masters of Science and Health with emphasis in nutrition from the University of North Florida in 2009. Her background varies from a wide assortment of healthcare settings including hospitals and outpatient care. Her extensive professional experience consists of working with eating disorders which began at The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore, Maryland in 2013.
From there, Sabrina relocated to Orlando, Florida where she worked in private practice where she continued to specialize in eating disorders. In 2018, Sabrina was given the opportunity to assist in opening and developing the nutrition program at Turning Tides Eating Disorder Treatment Center in her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.
Turning Tides closed their doors in March of 2024, however this provided Sabrina with the opportunity to once again develop and implement Waves of Hope Eating Disorder Care Center for the greater Jacksonville area.Sabrina is passionate about assisting individuals and their families with treatment and guiding them towards recovery.
She enjoys training and educating others in the foundations and standards of eating disorder treatment. With her experience in all levels of care for eating disorders, she cannot imagine working in any other field. In her free time, Sabrina enjoys spending time with her 3 daughters and husband, preferably somewhere outdoors in the Florida nature.
Dr. Jason Lulejian
Medical Director
Dr. Jason Lulejian, DO, Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Medical Director Dr. Jason Lulejian is a distinguished psychiatrist and an esteemed medical director, renowned for his contributions to the field of mental health, with a special focus on eating disorders.With a career spanning over six years, Dr. Lulejian has dedicated his expertise to improving mental health care through innovative treatments and compassionate care.
Currently serving as an Associate Medical Director at Valera Health, Dr. Lulejian leads telehealth services for individuals battling severe mental illness, demonstrating his commitment to making mental health care accessible to all. His role involves collaboration with Mindbloom, pioneering psychedelic psychiatry to offer groundbreaking treatments.
Dr. Lulejian's career is highlighted by his tenure as Medical Director of Addiction Services at Samaritan Medical Center, where he applied his profound knowledge in addiction psychiatry to aid those struggling with substance use disorders. His multifaceted experience includes significant positions in correctional, veterans, and general psychiatry, reflecting his versatility and dedication to mental health care.
A passionate educator, Dr. Lulejian is an adjunct faculty member at several prestigious institutions, where he shares his knowledge and insights with future medical professionals. His expertise is further recognized through multiple certifications, publications, and awards in psychiatry. Dr. Lulejian holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Western University of HealthSciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from UC Santa Barbara.
Board certified in Psychiatry and Neurology, as well as in Addiction Medicine, he brings a comprehensive approach to treating mental health disorders. Committed to improving the quality and outcomes of mental health care, especially for underserved populations, Dr. Lulejian embodies the integration of technology and compassion in transforming behavioral health care.
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Ashton Dumdei
Clinical Director
Ashton Dumdei is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Alabama and her Master of Clinical Social Work from Florida State University. Ashton first gained experience in the mental health field while providing community-based counseling to individuals and families with Jewish Family and Community Services.
Ashton also served as the lead clinician for the Open Doors Outreach Network at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, where she specialized in working with survivors of complex trauma. Additionally, Ashton worked as an outpatient therapist for Baptist Behavioral Health, treating various mental health conditions, including PTSD, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.
She was most recently the Executive Director at Turning Tides Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Jacksonville, Florida where she managed IOP and PHP programs for adolescent and adults.Throughout her career, Ashton has developed expertise in navigating mental health services, care management, training, and advocacy within various systems in Northeast Florida, including the education, child welfare, and justice systems.
Ashton’s professional experience has expanded her understanding of the complexity of eating disorders and the necessity of adopting a holistic and patient-centered approach to recovery. In her free time, Ashton enjoys traveling, yoga, caring for her ever-growing jungle of house plants and spending time with family and friends.
Aly Godek
Therapist
Aly Godek is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern who received both her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of North Florida.
Aly first gained experience in the field of mental health during her internship at Head Start where she provided psychoeducation, support, and assisted in psychological observation for both adults and children. Aly has worked in outpatient settings during her time as a counselor, working with individuals of all ages and with varying mental health conditions including PTSD, personality disorders, eating disorders, anxiety and depression.
Aly has also worked with individuals struggling with substance use disorders in both group and individual settings. Aly is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, a modality used to treat and reprocess trauma that allows clients to store memories adaptively.
Aly uses a holistic approach using trauma informed care, interpersonal therapy, as well as psychodynamic therapy to help treat all aspects and complexities of eating disorders. In her free time, Aly enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and board games.
Sara Buchanan
Therapist
Sara Buchanan is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern who received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Stetson University and her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of North Florida. Sara first obtained experience working in an outpatient private practice, where she treated individuals with a variety of mental health diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
She also received Dialectical Behavior Therapy-informed training and led DBT groups for both adults and adolescents. She then went on to work as a therapist at Koru Spring, a residential eating disorder program in Jacksonville. While there, she gained experience working with various individuals with a primary diagnosis of an eating disorder, as well as other co-occurring disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and trauma related disorders.
During her career, Sara has worked in a variety of therapeutic settings, delivering both individual and group counseling. After working in several different treatment settings, she has found that her passion is working with those struggling from eating disorders.
She adopts a holistic style, including a variety of therapeutic modalities but has particular interest in DBT and trauma-informed practices. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, spending time with her partner and friends and also her cats.
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Ansley Hitson
Graduate Student Intern
Ansley is a graduate-level counseling intern pursuing her master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of North Florida.
She focuses on guiding adolescents and adults towards holistic well-being by fostering self-compassion, emotional regulation and self-esteem in a safe environment. Ansley's therapy approach combines CBT, DBT, ACT, Person-Centered Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to address eating disorders, anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma and other mental health concerns.
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Abhilasha Kumar
Graduate Student Intern
Abhilasha Kumar is a graduate-level intern pursuing her master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her passion lies in providing support to both adults and adolescents as they navigate their journey towards healing their relationships with food and their bodies.
Creating a nurturing and secure environment where clients can explore their true selves and tap into their inner potential is at the core of Abhilasha's therapeutic approach.
She draws from a variety of modalities including Schema Therapy, Existential Theory, Choice Theory, CBT, and DBT to ensure that each client receives a personalized and holistic treatment plan tailored to their unique needs.
Practicing self-care is very important to Abhilasha, so when she is not helping others, you can find her curled up on the couch with a book or working on a puzzle. She also enjoys spending time with her dog, Toast, and going on adventures with her family.
Danielle Reish
Director of Community Relations
Danielle is a native Floridian who attended Florida State University, where she interned at the Governor's office and held positions within the local Business & Professional Women’s Foundation.
Danielle has an extensive background in advertising, marketing and communications. She has previously worked as both a Physician Liaison and Director of Marketing within the medical field. She enjoys spending her spare time focusing on interior design and spending time at the beach with her husband and children.
Email: dr@wavesofhopeed.com
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