Therapists in Hillsborough, NJ

Life can be challenging; getting help doesn't have to be. Balancing family, work/school, and personal relationships can be a daily struggle. Trying to make the time to care for one's self can be difficult. Sometimes we need an objective person to help navigate us through these struggles so that we can see more clearly and reach our true potential. I believe that each one of us holds the answers to our own questions and we just need a quiet, safe environment to access that part of us. I am honored to be that person for my clients.

I have been working with adults, teenagers, young children, and families as a whole for many years, using a positive strengths-based approach. I specialize in a number of evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for adults and teenagers, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, Art Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and general behavioral modification for younger children and adolescents. I am committed to helping people of all ages with a range of challenges such as sells-harm, suicidal ideation, divorce, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, school refusal, trauma, attachment/adjustment difficulties, oppositional behaviors, and general family conflict.

Intergenerational family dysfunction is not inevitable. I work with adults and children to untangle relational and behavioral patterns that are often foundational to the presenting problem. I take an integrative, strength-based approach and help the client identify perceptions and attributions that may be interfering with optimal self development and fulfilling relationships. This therapeutic approach is helpful in changing dysfunctional relational dynamics to those that promote growth and well-being.

I provide therapy that is goal-oriented, compassionate, and collaborative. Whether you're dealing with old hurts that never fully healed, or a current problem or relationship issue that you haven't been able to sort out, I can guide you in gaining insight and clarity to help you move in the right direction. While I use a variety of treatment methods and modalities, the foundation of successful therapy is the therapeutic bond created from trust, caring, and respect. I would love the opportunity to work together to identify your goals and build a treatment plan that works for you.

Welcome! I am a Psychotherapist (in practice since 2010) and owner of Mindful Life Therapy LLC in Somerville, NJ. MLT (est. 2012) is a team of professional, compassionate, and skillful Clinicians. Treating adolescents through adults who struggle with a variety of psychiatric, emotional and behavioral issues in individual and family counseling. Specialties include: Mood Disorders, Addiction Recovery, Anxiety, OCD, Trauma, PTSD, Adjustment concerns, and Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition we work with individuals who are struggling with everyday issues and adjustments.

My ideal clients are facing challenges in relationships, emotional regulation and behavioral addiction. I have 12 years experience in counseling and have been in private practice for 3 years. I offer a warm and supportive (virtual) environment where clients feel heard and understood. Together we explore interactions in relationships, old personal narratives and develop skillful practices and responses. We discover childhood connections, "parts" and faulty feedback loops, all while aimed at the goal of integration into a more accepting state of being. My approach is experiential, DBT supported and IFS/Attachment informed.

Therapy as a collaborative process in which we work together to understand the problems that have brought you in, and work towards mutually established goals. Psychotherapy involves verbalizing your thoughts and feelings, exploring relational and behavioral patterns, and learning how past experiences may impact you now. Through this process we strive to gain greater awareness of how both conscious and unconscious processes play out in your emotional and relational life. Ultimately, therapy can help individuals come to better understand themselves and enjoy greater choice in their lives.

Dr. Dobbs is an accomplished clinical psychologist with over fifteen years of experience between teaching and clinical work. She specializes in working with children, teens, and adults and has worked across various settings, including private practice, school, residential, and community mental health. Her therapeutic approach is rooted in the gold standard of treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which provides faster, more effective results. With children and teens, she goes beyond the traditional confines of therapy by harnessing their natural creativity, integrating art, music, games, journaling, and other creative outlets.

I practice holistic counseling, addressing concerns of mind, body, and spirit to bring about positive change and create balance in life. I use an integrative approach, pulling from a strong background in traditional western medicine, as well as training in expressive therapies, holistic health coaching and mindfulness-based techniques. I provide a personalized and individualized approach, centered on my clients' needs and desires, in a safe, non-judgmental and supportive environment. My clients find me to be compassionate, easy to relate to, highly insightful, and I bring warmth and humor to ease the way.

Individuals, families and couples often reach out to me during moments in their lives in which there is a strong need to feel seen, heard and understood. For individuals across the lifespan and coping with varied life experiences, I offer an authentic and engaged approach to therapy that creates a trusting environment for exploration of issues related to coping with major life transitions and changes (divorce, job changes, loss of a relationship), grief and loss, emotion regulation, coping with traumatic loss and complex trauma, aging, parenting and caregiving, relationship struggles, depression and anxiety.

Are you unhappy, struggling to enjoy anything in your life? Are you waking up feeling exhausted, wondering where to get the energy to make it through your day? Are you worrying about everything, feeling so stressed and overwhelmed that it is hard to stay focused? Do you know what you must do but can’t find the energy or motivation to complete anything? Do you feel that you aren’t good at anything? Does your anxiety and worry affect everything you do? You don’t have to continue feeling this way; you deserve to be happy and feel good about yourself.

Has a cancer diagnosis turned your life upside down? Is cancer all you think about? Hearing those three words “you have cancer” is a gut punch that is difficult to process. Thoughts of scans, testing, treatment, and side effects can become overwhelming. Some people become paralyzed by fear and struggle to experience joy. Even after treatment is over, quality of life can be compromised. Are you living with fear of recurrence? Do you have survivors’ guilt? Do you feel like you should be now living a life filled with gratitude, but instead feel lost? Are you wondering what is that "new normal" they talk about? Do you just feel stuck?

Therapy is a collaborative relationship, so we will work together to understand the unique issues that are important to you. My clients are adults in various stages of life, navigating relationships, work, difficult decisions and life transitions. Talking through these issues with a neutral professional who is able to listen and respond to your individual situation can lead to reduced anxiety, more effective ways to manage emotions and behaviors, and feeling in-control instead of resentful and overwhelmed.

One of the most important aspects in therapy is for a person to feel heard, to be respected, and to be understood. Each individual is unique and therefore no one issue is ever the same among different people. I utilize an integrative approach to meet the needs of the person, not the "problem". Trust is paramount in the therapeutic setting and I strive to create a safe and empathetic environment to facilitate growth.

"Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it"- This is one of my favorite quotes from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day off because it is so true. Things happen to us throughout our lifetime that make us feel stuck, worthless, guilty, shamed, and like we are never enough. These ideas about ourselves dictate the way we learn, how we do in school and work, and how we love and connect to others. When someone has experienced trauma, these thoughts and feelings can be even more extreme which can cause significant distress. Growth and Empowerment is accepting new clients!

Welcome! Making that first move to begin therapy can be a difficult one and I appreciate that you are willing to start this journey, together. My aim is to help you confront self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. Together, we will identify issues that have blocked growth and release the roots of emotional pain. My approach focuses on the fostering of growth, insight and development of self. I aim to provide a deeper meaning to our lives, as we navigate through life’s many challenges. I specialize in working with adults struggling to manage depression, anxiety, panic, trauma, work-stress, and feelings of ambivalence.