Aetna Therapists in Ewing, NJ

I look forward to helping you to learn about yourself and how you can make effective changes in your own life. We will work collaboratively to meet your goals. This includes building self understanding to increase insight, with the purpose of using that new knowledge to take different actions and respond in new ways. My approach is compassionate, warm, geared towards action, and I’m kind of silly sometimes (when appropriate, of course).

Are you struggling to cope with the stress of the coronavirus pandemic? Are you a frontline worker putting yourself at risk to serve patients and the community you serve? Did you lose a loved one or a colleague to the virus? As a result of the pandemic, did you lose your job or was your business forced to close.

I am an experienced and skilled Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10 years of experience working with individuals and families, helping them to achieve their goals, heal from their past, and grow into the best version of themselves. I strive to create a safe and accepting environment so that my clients can openly express their thoughts and feelings and explore their concerns. In our work together I will help you learn concrete coping skills that are needed in order to build a life that feels worth living. I teach clients how to regulate emotions, learn effective communication to benefit relationships, and increase self worth.

I am not currently accepting new clients; effective 4/5/2022.

Change is hard. Even when it's something that you might really want to change! I believe every person could use a little extra support when trying to make a change or going through a particularly challenging part of their lives. Each person needs to be treated as an individual and I tailor my approach to what each person needs. You know yourself better than anyone else! YOU get to decide what changes you want to make and what that might look like. I would be honored to help you wherever you are at in your life. I truly appreciate the strength that it takes to seek help and welcome the opportunity to join you on your journey.

Works with adolescents and adults. Sex Positive and Queer, Poly, and Kink friendly. Kristine earned her MSW from Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work in 2007 and her post-graduate certification in Sex Therapy from Council for Relationships in 2014. She is intensively trained in DBT and has worked at Princeton House Behavioral Health for over 12 years in their PHP/IOP programs. She has extensive experience in treating mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, trauma/PTSD, and self-harm with adolescents and adults. Her approach is holistic, incorporating mind, body and spirit in her clinical work.

Do you feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, frustrated, confused, misunderstood, hopeless or helpless? No matter what mood you are experiencing, know that these are normal emotions. It's okay to feel what you feel without apology. R.E.A.L. (Restorative. Eclectic. Authentic. Loving.) Therapy has a mission to help you recover from challenges that impact your relationship with your partner, family, friends, coworkers, and yourself. We utilize an eclectic approach, through telehealth, to address your unique needs. This is all done with access at your fingertips and in the comfort of your own home or safe, private space.

My ideal client is an individual who seeks to be genuine, open minded, and has a growth mindset. This individual wants to gain insight into their struggles and symptoms with the intention or forging a new path of awareness and action. This individual is open to learning to manage challenges, grow as a person, and strive towards his/her or their endeavors.

My ideal client would be a person who is having difficulty managing their emotions in daily life. When they are faced with stressful situations they freeze and are not sure how to motivate themselves. Their goal is to learn effective ways of increasing their self confidence and finding ways to relieve their suffering from distressing emotions. When the client is able to effectively manage their distressing emotions they will be able to clearly navigate their world, no matter what they are facing in life.

I enjoy working alongside those who need assistance with anxiety and related disorders. These issues can make you feel like your whole body is affected - it can leave you feeling isolated, scared, angry, or stuck. We all go through challenging times and are faced with difficult uncertainties. If you desire a relief from the often times debilitating "what-ifs", I would like to help. It's my goal to provide a non-judgmental, safe, and supportive space where we can begin to understand the root of what triggers your fears and thoughts. We may explore how the past impacts you today and how you view the world and those around you.

The ideal client would be someone ready to work on what isn’t working in their lives. This client would be able to meet with me consistently in order to establish a therapeutic bond as well as a plan for therapy. Their needs could range but the goal would always be to keep trying regardless of how difficult it may be. Self-reliance and reassurance are ideal outcomes as well.

My ideal client would be someone who is trying to make connections from their past to the present, not to relive their past, but to understand why they may be struggling in the present. Learning to let go of old habits, old ways of thinking that were dysfunctional, is key to living mindfully in the present. Changing the response to the narrative is important to be able to move forward from your past experiences.

I enjoy the challenge of working with a client who has low self-esteem. This client might experience depression, relationship issues, worry about doing things wrong and feel like a failure. The client might not be able to identify specific goals/needs. The client wants higher self-esteem so she can feel better about herself.

The ideal client typically has family or interpersonal relationship conflicts and/or poor boundaries. Also, at times the ideal client has a history of childhood trauma or childhood conflicts that the client has not processed. I would process their family/interpersonal relationship conflicts and trauma/conflicts and create healthy coping skills to cope with these issues. Also, I would want to explore with the client what the client considers healthy and unhealthy boundaries and be able to create healthier boundaries in these relationships.

The ideal client can identify their challenges, goals, and is motivated/ dedicated to accomplishing them. They are open-minded to new ideas and are willing to put them into effect before writing them off as either a success or failure. They are also open and honest in communicating with me regarding both positive and negative statements/preferences/outcomes. They seek counseling for their own benefit and improvement, rather than because others suggested/encouraged/required it. Finally, they understand that the therapeutic process takes time and energy and are dedicated to that commitment; they do not expect a "quick fix."

Richard is licensed by the State of New Jersey as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and is a National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC). Richard has over eight years of experience working with a wide range of adults and families in the mental health field settings at the Outpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Residential, Intensive In-Community Settings. Richard has experience with various issues, including Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, Grief, Stress, Substance Abuse, Peer Relationships, Anger Management, Men’s Issues, and Domestic Violence.

My ideal client has a desire for greater self awareness. If they don't know what they "need help" with, they are at least open minded to exploring. They are honest and truthful, even if it requires seeming lost, "uncool", or broken. Their issue does not matter to me, what does matter is that their goal is to become the version of themselves they desire and choose. Their need for a professional to get them there through sharing, processing, and change. They want a better life and that doesn't need a "why".

My approach begins with the belief that individuals are resilient and may benefit from utilizing their own strengths to increase their resilience. Individuals often ask, “How do I build on my personal strengths?” My philosophy is that it is about identifying several factors; What you are passionate about? What motivates you? What interests allow you to be excited about today and look forward to tomorrow? Identification of these variables assist in attaining lifestyle balance, developing healthy coping skills, recognizing your priorities and problem solving.

My ideal client would present solution-focused with a desire to gain insight and understanding of presenting symptomatically and how those symptoms manifested. Their issues, regardless of being situational or organic, should be addressed directly with kindness and acceptance without judgement. The need should be to not only identify and address their current symptoms but also to work towards a more profound understanding of why such symptoms are present and how to create an opportunity for change. The goal should support a progressive change to improve quality of life.

I am a licensed professional counselor with over 12 years’ experience working in the psychiatric field. I have experience working with adults, children and families in a variety of outpatient and inpatient settings. Although I specialize in CBT and DBT, and other various modalities, it is a priority for me to continue to recognize that each client’s case and background is different from one another. Clients know themselves best and a collaborative approach may be beneficial to discover the best route to progress. A team-like approach is a priority in treatment.