Therapists in Highland Park, NJ

The Institute for Personal Growth (IPG) has been a kink-friendly psychotherapy provider, and we have worked with consensually nonmonogamous relationships, since our inception in 1983. Our team of around 30 psychotherapists across three NJ locations (Highland Park, Jersey City, and Freehold) has personal and professional experience with alternative sexual orientations and lifestyles. You may not even want to talk about your kink or CNM lifestyle, but you definitely want someone who is knowledgeable and affirming of who you are. And if your issues are in fact related to kink or CNM, we understand and can provide support and guidance.

For someone with anxiety, it can feel like the worries will never end. You might feel like you want to turn your brain off, or shake it out, but feel stuck with uncontrollable thoughts. You might feel your anxiety physically, like in your shoulders or in your belly. Children, teens, and young adults are struggling with mental health now more than ever. Mental health issues can make it challenging to go to school, spend time with friends, and participate in activities you once enjoyed.

It is my passion to empower parents to be the parents they aspire to be and to transform family dynamic challenges into opportunities for joyous communication and connection. I can help you: -Improve communication between you and your children, -Increase consistency in co-parenting, -Reduce your parental stress and anxiety, -Raise independent and confident kids, -Improve the dynamics of the family, -Foster a genuine connection with your children, -Learn alternative disciplinary techniques and reduce the use of punishments, -Gain a peaceful home, -Develop your child's social emotional skills.

If you're reading this, I invite you to take a moment and breathe. May you receive this affirmation: "I am glad that you are here." It may have been a long journey: painful and lonely, confusing and frustating, and maybe even scary and hopeless. That you have made it here, is something to uplift. It is not easy to be known by those around you, and sometimes most of all, to be known to yourself.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship problems or issues related to substance use? Maybe you have suffered a loss or been through a traumatic experience and are feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, stuck, or just numb? You are not alone. Everybody needs help sometimes to cope in a healthy and skillful way with life’s challenges and changes. If you want to feel better, learn more about yourself, and identify patterns of behavior & thinking that no longer serve you well, therapy may help. Tap into your innate strengths, find new meaning from your experiences, or simply get some extra support and perspective.

Experienced Clinician Supporting Those Struggling with Grief and Trauma: Grief, loss and feeling lost is something everyone experiences. The pain of loss shows us our love for those we miss. Yet we may struggle with emotions we don’t understand, blame, guilt, anger among many others, but you're not alone. You may be looking to reimagine the relationship with your person, understand the “why”, or overcome guilt of moving forward and feel joy again. Your grief is your own and no one can tell you how to grieve, but finding support to cope, heal and grow in your journey can help integrate your loss story into your life story.

Hi there! My name is Nathalie. At a young age I knew I wanted to pursue a career in helping others, specifically in a therapeutic setting. So, let me tell you a little bit of my background. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kean university and a master’s degree in clinical social work from Rutgers university.

C.G. Jung stated, "In many cases in therapy the patient who has come to us has a story that is not told, and which as a rule no one knows of. To my mind, therapy only really begins after the investigation of that wholly personal story. It is the patient's secret, the rock against which s/he is shattered." My practice involves creating a client/therapist relationship and environment where this wholly personal story can be explored and brought to consciousness. I work to create a safe, accepting, nonjudgmental, and collaborative space that will bring wholeness and meaning to the suffering that every human experiences.

Many of my clients come in to address anxiety, depression and life transitions. I am particularly passionate about helping women in different phases of their lives (adolescence, womanhood, motherhood, menopause). I also have experience in the treatment of Anxiety, Depression and Adjustment Disorders. I am trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy and mindfulness. I use the therapeutic relationship to look at how patterns of interaction have developed and can be used to strengthen connections outside of our sessions.

Have you ever felt your interactions with others do not represent your true self? Do you often feel misunderstood? Do you lack emotional energy or avoid uncomfortable situations? Are you often triggered but lack self-awareness to understand the source of your feelings? Perhaps you are a teen or young adult wondering how your feelings and emotional intelligence will affect your life.

Here are some thoughts about two of my specialties, individual therapy and couple therapy: Individual Therapy: In the therapeutic relationship, you feel free to begin to discuss your hopes and fears in a safe environment. As the process develops, you and the therapist discover themes in your life. This leads to an exploration of repetitive patterns of behavior as well as of their associated thoughts and feelings. The goal of this journey is to gain a sense of mastery and self-esteem.

Bringing a careful, curious & compassionate attention to ourselves and our present situation is often the first step in any journey of healing or self-discovery. In our work together, I will encourage you to join me in a non-judging, non-blaming attitude of curiosity towards yourself, your past and current experiences and relationships, and whatever comes forward during our meetings together. For me, this curiosity includes elements of deep respect for what is known and not known about what shapes our sense of who we are and what drives our moods and behaviors.

Welcome! My belief in the healing potential of psychotherapy is grounded in the decades of research on attachment, trauma and the body, and relational neuroscience. Our early relationships and experiences, including trauma, form the lens through which we experience our day-to-day lives. By understanding distressing patterns in our here-and-now functioning as remnants of protective and adaptive functioning in early life, we can move towards change from a place of self-compassion and deep understanding.

IPG PAVED THE WAY for other gay affirmative therapists - we started in 1983 specifically to provide therapy to the gay and lesbian community, back when most practitioners thought it was a mental illness. We're still trailblazers: we work with transgender people, bisexuals/pansexuals, kinky people, couples who practice consensual nonmonogamy, and others who make up the "Q" in LGBTQ. You may not want therapy BECAUSE you are gay, but you definitely want a therapist who is not only affirming but knowledgeable. We understand the special issues of LGBTQ individuals, couples, and families, and we provide sex therapy as well.

Do you long for a deeper sense of connection with others yet something seems to get in the way? When you wake up in the morning, do you wish you felt more of a sense of joy and peace and less anxiety or dread? Are you struggling at work or at home? You are not alone! I work with individuals and couples who are ready to take a brave step toward a healthier life and join me in a collaborative, safe, and supportive alliance.

*If you are looking for my family business consulting practice, go to: www.blumandsavlov.com.* I have many years of experience helping people to find relief from anxiety, depression and relationship problems. Also, I find it very rewarding to guide people in creating the best life possible by helping them to develop greater confidence, improve friendships and intimate relationships (dating, marriage, long-term life partnerships), get more satisfaction out of work and have more fun and meaningful lives. My style is interactive and conversational and an in-person meeting is the best way to find out if we are a good match to work together.

There is no aspect of life more important to happiness and life satisfaction than the state of our intimate relationships. We offer workshops for couples who want a roadmap to enhance their relationship, or to find their way toward healing a troubled relationship. These workshops are for ALL couples. You don't have to be married, you don't have to be troubled, but you do have to want to work to strengthen your bonds, to feel safer and more securely connected to your partner.