The Episcopal Counseling Center

Dale D. "Dede" Eshleman, M.S. DaleE@ecc1021.com Orlando Office Marriage & Family Therapist #1695 Florida Approved MFT Clinical Supervisor Executive Director

   Dale was first drawn to family counseling in 1990 when a member of the youth group she led was hospitalized for behavioral issues. After a successful 21 days of treatment the young person returned home where the same issues re-emerged. This pattern continued several more times, until the teenager left home. "There must be other ways to work with teenagers and their families in crisis," Dale thought.

  Dale left full time youth ministry in 1995 to complete her Masters of Science in Marriage & Family Counseling at Stetson University in Deland, graduating in December of 1995. She joined the Episcopal Counseling Center in 1999 and was named director in 2004.

  Since 1996, Dale has worked in community mental health, providing school and home based intervention for families dealing with serious illness, loss of loved ones, depression, domestic violence trauma, behavioral issues and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. In addition Dale has worked with couples seeking to improve their relationships. Dale enjoys working with children with attachment and abuse issues, teaching parents the skills of play therapy to enhance family relationships, and working with teenagers individually as they transition to adulthood.

  Dale works with children, teenagers, couples and parents all within the context of their larger families and seeks the God-given creativity and resilience within each individual to empower the therapeutic process.

  Professionally, Dale enjoys working with Masters' level student interns, and with the Central Florida association for Play Therapy, the Central Florida Association for Marriage & Family Therapy and the Mental Health Counselors Association.

  Dale and her husband, Jamie, are members of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Maitland. Dale also volunteers at Trinity Preparatory School with the 6th grade girls volleyball team. Dale also likes snow skiing, going to the beach, photography, reading, eating ice cream, go-cart racing, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and other family and friends.