About Dr. Reilly

LCSW | Executive Director | Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator

In-Person and Virtual Appointments Available

Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW, brings over 30 years of experience as a therapist for children, teens, adults, couples, and families, helping navigate life’s most difficult and rewarding challenges. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Florida Supreme Court-Certified Family Mediator, a Qualified Parent Coordinator, a Life Coach, and an accomplished therapist specializing in helping marriages and families thrive. Dr. Reilly is also a child and play therapy expert, known for his calm and engaging approach that puts even the most anxious children and stressed parents at ease.

Warm, welcoming, and family-friendly, Dr. Reilly’s practice is a safe place to be real. Clients often describe him as “Dr. Ernie” or “Coach Reilly”—the calm in their storm—bringing insight, humor, empathy, and guidance to every conversation. Outside of his practice, Dr. Reilly has been happily married for over 25 years and is a proud father of two student athletes (along with several beloved dogs and turtles through the years). He understands firsthand the ups and downs of family life and the strength, clarity, and resilience it takes to thrive.

Dr. Reilly specializes in:

• Depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma

• Childhood behavioral and emotional issues

• Play therapy, adolescent, and adult counseling

• Marriage, relationship, and co-parenting issues

• Divorce and high-conflict family dynamics

• Sports Counseling, mindset training, and resiliency building

• Life coaching, parent coaching, and relationship coaching 

• Forgiveness issues, life transitions, and life guidance  

• ADHD, school problems, and concentration challenges

• Eating disorders, attachment difficulties, and separation anxiety

• Acting out behaviors, aggression, and other behavior problems

Guidance in Complex Family Matters

When legal or court-related dynamics are involved, families require more than basic therapy—they need clarity, unbiased assistance, and a guide who understands both the legal system and the emotional dynamics. Dr. Reilly brings rare expertise to these high-stakes cases as a:

• Florida Supreme Court-Certified Family Mediator

• Qualified Parent Coordinator

• Parent-Child Reunification Therapist

• Mental Health Neutral (Collaborative Law Model)

His specialized training helps reduce conflict, misunderstanding, and unnecessary legal expenses while promoting healthier family outcomes.

Coaching for Growth & Performance

Not every challenge requires therapy. Sometimes, you just need a coach who listens deeply and helps you map the path forward. As "Coach Reilly," he offers:

• Life Coaching for adults and young adults facing life transitions

• Parent Coaching for caregivers seeking tools and confidence

• Marriage Coaching to strengthen or restore connection

• Sports Counseling for student-athletes who want to thrive mentally and emotionally

His coaching work helps individuals and families reach their goals, develop resilience, increase capacity, foster grit, develop mental strength, unlock their abilities, and create early intervention strategies that prevent more serious problems from developing.

Leadership & Professional Education

Dr. Reilly has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida, training graduate students in clinical work with children, families, and couples. He is also a Florida Board-Approved Supervisor for therapists pursuing licensure in mental health counseling, clinical social work, and marriage and family therapy. He supervises trauma therapists, child therapists, and play therapists pursuing specialized certifications.

He has been recognized with Florida’s Mental Health Services Award for his leadership in treating children and supporting abuse victims. He is a nationally sought-after speaker and trainer in the fields of child therapy, family counseling, and trauma treatment. Dr. Reilly has provided training to universities, seminaries, hospitals, churches, athletic organizations, and treatment facilities. He is also a founding leader of both the Central Florida chapter of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and the Association for Play Therapy.

Academic & Clinical Background

Dr. Reilly holds degrees from Florida State University and Asbury Theological Seminary, including a bachelor's degree with dual majors in Psychology and Philosophy, a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work (with advanced training in treating children, adolescents, and families), and a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) with a concentration in transformative and innovative approaches to marriage and family therapy.

He has focused much of his clinical, academic, and professional work on helping people heal from abuse, strengthen relationships, navigate divorce, improve co-parenting and family dynamics, and cultivate forgiveness. This includes a doctoral dissertation on "The Use of Forgiveness in High-Conflict Divorces," which aims to promote cooperative co-parenting. He has pursued postgraduate training at the Orlando Regional Healthcare System, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women, the Family Research and Guidance Center, and the Howard Phillips Center, where he has served in various capacities, including therapist, Director of Psychosocial Services, and, most recently, consultant for mental health programs.

🏥 Insurance and Payment Information

In-Network Insurance Plans Accepted:

• Aetna

• United Healthcare

• Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Cigna

• Tricare

• Optum

• Oscar

• Diocese of Orlando

• UCF Athletics

• Victims Compensation

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs):

• United, Cigna, and Aetna EAPs

Out-of-Network Benefits: We welcome clients with out-of-network benefits and can provide documentation for reimbursement.

Self-Pay & Sliding Scale: Affordable self-pay options are available. Sliding scale fees can be discussed and approved directly with Dr. Reilly.

Please Note: Unfortunately, we are not able to accept Medicare or Medicaid plans at this time. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.

Marriage, Couples & Family Therapy, Divorce Issues, Reunfication therapy, and Forgiveness Issues

Some couples, families, coparents, and parents and children need minor adjustments to get back on their feet, and some need a major overhaul to save their relationship, marriage, or family. Some parents and children require more intense work, such as reunification counseling to repair their relationships, while some coparents need Parent Coordination to learn how to coparent after a divorce. Sometimes families just need gentle guidance or family and parent coaching, while others need more intensive and specialized interventions. Some couples or families come to counseling to prevent problems from occurring in the future, and some come to solve current problems or heal from past relationship wounds.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT & TF-CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is to unhelpful patterns what clear glasses are to blurry vision. It teaches children, teens, and adults to notice how thoughts, feelings, and actions work together—like three gears—so they can shift from stuck to steady. In CBT, we learn simple, practical steps: catch the thought, check the facts, choose a fairer thought; calm the body with breathing and grounding; and take small, doable actions that lift mood and confidence.”

“Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) uses the same tools with extra care for safety and trauma memories. We build coping skills first, then gently tell and ‘right-size’ the story of what happened so the brain can file it where it belongs instead of letting it replay. Caregivers are included to support healing at home. The goal in both: fewer spirals, more skills, and a clear plan for feeling and functioning better.”

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