Dr. Marino Enrique Carbonell was born in Cuba and immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was seven years old. Today, he is a successful certified psychotherapist with 25 years of experience as an addiction specialist. Many would say he is living the American dream. 

Dr. Carbonell has worked hard over the years to receive an education and earn a reputation of excellence in his field. After arriving to the historic Freedom Tower in Miami, his family decided to settle in Newark, New Jersey. It was tough growing up in the housing projects in north Newark, Dr. Carbonell says. Because school was not a priority during that time, he earned a GED. Ten years later, with pure determination and ambition, he achieved his educational objectives, graduating with honors and a Doctor of Education degree.  

On a trip to South Florida, the ambitious student met his future wife in Fort Lauderdale’s legendary disco club, Pete & Lenny’s. It was at the height of disco fever, the movie Saturday Night Fever was all the rage and Travolta had nothing on the young Carbonell, says his wife, Karelia.  

It’s been 34 years since the couple left it all on the dance floor that night at Pete & Lenny’s. Dr. Carbonell, founder and director of the South Miami Hospital adolescent addiction treatment program, now focuses on helping adolescents and families deal with substance and alcohol abuse. 

Dr. Carbonell’s credentials include a doctorate in Child and Youth Studies from Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services and a master’s in Mental Health Counseling. He received his certification in Addiction Counseling from the University of Miami and has been a Certified Addictions Professional since 1994. He is a Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association and a board-certified Professional Counselor.  

Dr. Carbonell has served on the Board of Directors of Informed Families and was honored with the Special Speakers Recognition Award. He proudly gives back to the community, traveling to local public and private schools to lecture to students and parents about the symptoms and consequences of substance and alcohol abuse. Additionally, he has written extensively about the subject of addiction and cognitive moral development in young adults.  

Dr. Carbonell is a practical, interactive, solution-focused therapist. He is an advocate of talk therapy as a treatment approach, providing support and practical feedback to help patients resolve current problems and long-standing patterns. He incorporates a blend of conventional and alternative approaches, drawing upon a variety of styles and techniques to incorporate methods that will be most helpful to the client. With sensitivity and compassion, Dr. Carbonell helps patients build on their strengths to identify and achieve life goals. 

For more information about talk therapy, addiction and recovery, visit www.marinocarbonell.com.