We all struggle to improve our lives - to change and grow in ways that make us feel more fulfilled. As a psychotherapist for over 20 years, I often see people who are stuck, in unsatisfying relationships or jobs, alcohol/drug dependence or struggling with anxiety, depression or fears that hold them back from living more fully. My background in fine arts and personal experience as a painter has made me especially attuned to issues of artists who feel blocked in their creativity. Helping people with inhibitions in expressing feelings and asserting themselves is another area of interest.

Taking this step is likely a daunting and courageous one for you. I offer a safe, supportive environment in which to help you deal with difficult problems. Whether you are unhappy, overwhelmed, struggling with your relationships or are feeling stuck regarding your personal goals, I will actively listen and help problem solve around how to make changes so you can live more freely and feel more empowered. I will help you build more awareness and self care so that you will feel better.

Feeling anxious, depressed, stressed out, stuck? It takes courage and strength to recognize that sometimes life becomes too difficult to bear alone but realizing you need help is the right step towards change. I can provide a safe, nonjudgmental and respectful environment where you can understand and work through your difficulties and develop to reach your fullest potential. I will help you to explore the roots of your problems and rethink the issues that are holding you back so you can understand yourself and your behavior. I have over 17 years of clinical experience, having practiced in Detroit, London (UK) and New York.

I have been working with families, individuals and couples for 35 years to identify and explore recurring patterns that prevent a person from living a rich, fulfilling and meaningful life. I collaborate with clients, using a Family Systems framework, to explore those issues that are contributing to relationship conflict, work difficulties and low self-esteem that often result in anxiety, depression and addiction. Our work together will explore roles, patterns, and conflicts in one's family of origin as well as how they continue to impede one's life in the present.

Therapy should be a collaboration to help you meet your personal goals and cope with whatever challenges you are facing. Everyone has innate strengths and talents that he or she can use (and has used in the past, whether or not he or she is aware of it) to manage and resolve problems. In hearing clients' stories, I am always listening for these natural strengths in order to explore how they can be used to cope with current stressors.

Welcome and congratulations on taking the first step to make positive changes in your life. Let me help you navigate your next steps. Your truth is that your big picture and outlook is good, but it's the small details in your life that has caused your current setback. Maybe your values and goals are not aligning with your current direction and status, and it's time for a tune up to get your life going again. Life is good, but you know, it can be so much more fulfilling! Successful therapy is built upon a comfortable, trusting, and working relationship.

Welcome to my practice. I'm a licensed clinical psychologist and help adults struggling with a variety of issues including anxiety, stress and life transitions, as well as those who are simply interested in self-exploration. No matter what brings you to pursue support at this time, I prioritize establishing a trusting, safe and respectful space in session and strive to help you get out of therapy whatever it is you are seeking from the experience. I also work with children of all ages and offer both play and talk therapy, as well as parent coaching to assist with behavior management.

It takes courage to reach out for help and step into a therapist's office; I am happy that you have taken the first step. I am committed to creating an environment that is down-to-earth, safe, and focused on what is important to you. I see therapy as a unique process rather than some kind of formula; there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to therapy. ​ I believe I was born to help people heal from the unpleasant experiences life sometimes has to offer. I feel you are the expert of your own life, and with some support and guidance, you can heal from these challenging experiences.

Take some time for self care. Therapy helps in stress reduction, changing maladaptive behaviors and improving the quality of relationships. Through deeper emotional understanding, we can become the best versions of ourselves. There is no better time to start growing than now!

Everyone can use help on their journey toward healing and happiness. Despite how you may feel right now, there is a way to create the lasting healing and change you want in your life. These are especially challenging times for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new normal often full of new and compounding stressors. Many of us are undergoing life transitions or have relationship, work & career, or other stressors which can lead to debilitating anxiety and/or depression. I am currently offering teletherapy sessions to assist those living in the great NYC area to make treatment safe and convenient during the pandemic.

I work with clients who would like to become their best selves. Clients who are dedicated towards their own personal growth by being genuine and honest, acknowledging their struggles as well as their passions and what makes them feel enlivened. My clients are open and willing to engage in the therapeutic process, showing courage and trust when confronting change. My clients know that they are not alone in their journey--that they are supported, guided, and shown genuine compassion. They are resilient, and understand that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

Life can be stressful, overwhelming and exhausting at times. We might see it in our kids, who struggle adjusting to a new change, or overcoming a situation. They throw tantrums, hit, or become overly shy and anxious. As we grow and experience life ourselves, things get more and more complicated. Family relationships, romantic life, career choices and work/life balance, are only a few examples. When changes, transitions, and bonds are overwhelming, therapy is an opportunity to gain insight about ourselves, let go, and welcome new possibilities.

I view health as a state that is achieved through active involvement on the part of each individual in acknowledging,accepting and taking responsibility for their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. My style is compassionate, collaborative, creative, practical, and empowering. The goal is a greater ability to navigate life's difficulties (including fear, anxiety, depression, and trauma), a deeper more enlivened life, the capacity for richer more meaningful relationships with self and others, and the ability to access and to trust the flow of one's own life journey. A nonjudgmental, accepting, mindful attitude is key to this process.

Seeking therapy to make important life changes deserves tremendous respect. I have witnessed the inner power of the individual for transformation when offered individualized treatment in a collaborative therapeutic partnership. Extensive training in a variety of techniques and a flexible approach enables me to help clients take on areas of their life where they feel stuck. I believe a therapeutic relationship in which you feel heard, safe, and truly understood is the key to unlocking the hold of symptoms, relationship impasses, or bogged-down transitions.

I've been working with women and men to improve their lives for over twenty years. I began working with adolescents and young adults in an inpatient psychiatric environment and have expanded to include work in outpatient psychiatry and counseling, research, training and professional development. I received my MS in Social Work from Columbia University and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in both New Jersey and New York. I have completed over ten years of supervised psychotherapy experience at Beth Israel Medical Center and Washington Square Institute. In my Hoboken Psychotherapy practice, I specialize in working with adults to maximize their potential.

Live life on your terms! Whether you're a Millennial, facing early life transitions or you're older and questioning your next act, step away from the expected to design your own unique life. Let's define your values and beliefs to create an authentic life that is worth living. I've had the privilege of helping smart, successful clients explore and discover their life purpose. Together, we redefined and strengthened personal boundaries, set aside lackluster careers and relationships, and made some life affirming changes!

In the therapy room, I aim to create a safe & confidential space for self-exploration, emotional healing, personal transformation, & self-discovery. My counseling style is collaborative, empathetic, non-judgemental, warm & extremely supportive. I use an eclectic approach, blending evidence-based interventions. I am a results-driven, trauma-informed, solution-focused clinician that stays abreast the most current research. My primary goal is to help you find peace & to help you thrive & solve the problems that brought you to therapy in the first place! Please book initial appointments via my website at sarapasternaklcsw.com.

If you and/or your love ones are struggling with life, work, family or school, I can help with getting "unstuck." With 15 years counseling experience and training from Columbia University, I utilize specialized skills in CBT/DBT to support professionals, young adults, youths and families living and working in greater New Jersey. I will identify the triggers that you need help with, and create an action plan to help you move forward. IMPORTANT: CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS FOR Telehealth/Telemedicine sessions, private pay and out-of-network insured ONLY. Please check back for updates to insurance.

“Confronting our feelings and giving them appropriate expression always takes strength, not weakness. It takes strength to acknowledge our anger. It takes strength to face our sadness, and to grieve, and to let our grief and our anger flow in tears when they need to. It takes strength to talk about our feelings, and to reach out for help and comfort when we need it.” ― Fred Rogers - I believe we all have the ability to overcome life's many challenges. But sometimes we can get stuck. Stuck in unhealthy patterns of thoughts and behaviors that prevent us from leading fulfilling lives. We are not alone in this.