AEDP Therapists in North Arlington, NJ

My style as a psychotherapist is engaging, warm, and reflective, and I place a great emphasis on building trust and connection as the foundation of my clinical work. From there, we can begin to explore difficult and sometimes painful life experiences and understand the emotions beneath it. By paying attention to these experiences and emotional signals, you can better understand yourself, both past and present. I believe, at birth, we are all hard wired for healing and self-repair but we need the support of trusting and caring relationships to access the powerful drive within ourselves to heal, grow, love, and flourish.

When you are seeking therapy, finding the right therapist is the first and most important step. With the right therapist, you feel understood and safe to explore difficult issues. I am a warm and empathic listener who can help you gain insight into your life and give you tools to regain control. I received my doctorate from New York University and training in Psychoanalysis at the National Institute for Psychotherapies in NYC. Currently I am an adjunct faculty member & supervisor at NYU.

My goal as a therapist is to help you connect more deeply with yourself and others, and to restore you to your natural state of health and wholeness. With more than a decade of clinical experience, I bring a warm, authentic, and collaborative approach to my work. I specialize in the areas of interpersonal relationships; trauma; attachment issues; and ADHD/neurodiversity. My primary theoretical orientations are AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) and Attachment-Focused EMDR. I also utilize Mindfulness and Self-Compassion in my work.

LANI SOMMER-PADILLA, LCSW, is a New Jersey state licensed psychotherapist focusing on individual, couples and family psychotherapy. Among her areas of expertise are marital and family relationship issues, parenting adolescents, school refusal, and the treatment of depression and anxiety.

I believe we all want to feel safe, to feel genuinely seen, to have meaningful connection, to be able to weather challenges, and to feel, deep down, that we are good enough and not alone. When we better understand our inner patterns and all our parts feel welcome and seen, then we can tap into the natural ability of our brains and bodies to learn and transform. Beneath our protective defenses and habits, I believe every one of us is curious, courageous, loving, and worthy of love. As flowers turn toward the sun, humans are evolved for resilience. I work closely with clients to rediscover their natural inner resources for healing.

As humans we crave connection: to be known and deeply loved. But sometimes we may feel like there are parts of us that aren't acceptable or loveable. We may learn to be sensitive to other people's signals, discerning what we need to do so that they'll love and accept us. Sometimes, we get so good at it that we don't even realize we’re doing it anymore. In the safety of therapy, I invite you to explore your full human experience. We will shine a light on the hidden places that you may not have been allowed to explore. We’ll acknowledge the barriers you have faced along the way while empowering you to move toward your fullest self.

I believe in a collaborative approach with my clients to identify and address areas in their lives in which they are struggling. It is important to me to create an emotionally safe environment in which you can talk about your inner experiences in a reflective way. My goal is to help you find relief and clarity, recognizing your inherent strengths and capacity for meaningful change. Depending on your needs, I provide both short and long-term treatments. My approach and style is rooted primarily in psychodynamic and experiential theories, including AEDP. I draw on treatment approaches from various other theoretical backgrounds.

People often come to me because they recognize something is not working and they are willing to admit that it is no longer fruitful to simply try to figure it out on their own. They are open to self-reflection, new ideas for coping, self-care, and communication with others. People present with all kinds of issues: depression and anxiety, relational struggles, difficulty connecting to what they want and following through on goals, unresolved trauma from the past or present, the use of coping mechanisms that had been helpful, but no longer are, and challenges posed by various life-stage transitions. We all need support in hard times.

Contact me if you are struggling with relationship difficulties, sex, sexuality concerns, trauma, losses of loved ones, ADHD, depression or anxiety. I will help you better understand and accept yourself, and use your own insights and strengths to change and grow. I am also passionate about working with individuals, families and groups with cross-cultural/immigration background. Coming to United States as an international student myself, I deeply understand the challenges in the international community, the painful process of loss and separation from home countries, and difficulties to fit in due to language and cultural barriers.

When we are given a safe space to explore our innermost thoughts and feelings, opportunities for self-expansion are endless. I consider the intersecting areas of the dynamic person you are to guide you on your journey of healing and self-discovery. I'm passionate about working with AAPI individuals, couples, and women navigating relationships, cultural identity, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-esteem. Together, we'll work toward self-acceptance, building emotional resilience and deepening self awareness. You are the expert of your own life and I am here to support you in welcoming meaningful change.

Welcome to a journey towards a happier, more fulfilling life. I specialize in empowering couples to overcome life's challenges. Whether you're grappling with jealousy, seeking deeper connection, struggling with intimacy, or ready to take the next steps in your relationship. I'm here to guide you towards a brighter future. I've honed my skills to help you navigate complex emotions, build trust and confidence.

Is your marriage stuck in “replay mode”? Do you and your partner keep repeating the same argument, despite your best intentions? Have you ever been plagued with doubts about whether you and your partner are truly meant for each other? What if you didn't have to figure it all out alone? Over the past 20+ years we’ve had the honor of successfully helping countless couples gain clarity into the powerful forces driving their biggest long-standing conflicts. Our mission is to help you transform painful patterns in love, often inherited from previous generations - so you can bring more playfulness and aliveness into your relationship.

People come to therapy for all kinds of reasons—feelings of anxiety and depression, conflict in significant relationships, work stress, or problems adjusting to changing circumstances. What all these have in common is an internal sense that something is not right, and trying to figure things out on your own hasn’t worked. If you’re ready to try something different, therapy can help you slow down, take a breath, and get some perspective.

You never need to traverse this path alone. I want to acknowledge your courage in embarking on this transformative journey. I often liken my role in this therapeutic voyage to that of a co-pilot or co-author of your life story. My core mission is to empower individuals to unlock their fullest potential by navigating unresolved issues, healing from trauma, and breaking free from maladaptive patterns that have held them back from happiness.

I am a licensed psychologist (Ph.D.), also with an academic & medical background, working as a therapist since 1991. I have mostly worked around the issues of depression, anxiety, panic, stress, phobias, dissociation; trauma, violence, abuse; personality-related difficulties; relational difficulties; difficulties around identity, meaning, and self-esteem; & personal development. I have experience in individual, couple, group, short- & long-term therapies, psych counseling, clinical supervision, and psych evaluation. (Please refer to my web site for more information about my clinical/academic experience & my books/articles)....

I help people develop an authentic, integrated, and joyful sense of self. I specialize in trauma recovery, identity issues, gender & sexuality, and spirituality. I have worked extensively with survivors of childhood abuse and neglect, and know that people with these experiences can heal and grow, creating healthy meaningful lives that feel good. As a bicultural person of color, I am also well-versed in helping people navigate the complexities (and richness) of identity, culture, family, race, and belonging. In all my work, my goal is to help people feel grounded, self-accepting and free.

You're in the right place if you've experienced trauma earlier in your life AND you're now going through a big change. After trying regular talk therapy and doing it yourself, you still feel stuck in the same old patterns. Your body has reactions that you can't seem to control. You can't stop thinking about the past. Regular talk therapy and/or doing it on your own (DIY) may have made you feel more hopeless, helpless, stuck and lonely. It’s not your fault, though. The traditional methods are not designed to help you fully heal.

If you are looking at this statement then you are already taking the positive steps you need to achieve the life you want. Everyone struggles at times with overwhelming emotions and difficult choices and I believe that you do not have to struggle alone. Whether it is relationships, career stress, family dynamics, issues of gender/ sexual identity issues, or life stage changes I am here to help you find your own path.

Times of crisis are not only occasions that require mindful problem-solving, but can also be opportunities for personal growth. Psychotherapy should provide a calm and supportive setting to reduce anxiety and stress, increase a sense of confidence and competence, and promote the establishment of more satisfying connections to others. My training encompasses psychodynamic, experiential, cognitive-behavioral, and family systems therapy. I work actively and collaboratively with individuals (from 8 to 85), couples, and families. I also provide neuropsychological evaluations for children and adults experiencing difficulties in personal, academic, or occupational functioning.