Borderline Personality (BPD) Therapists in Highland Park, NJ

Welcome! I am the founder of Meraki Psychology Center (MPC). Whether you’re looking to start therapy for the first time or try something new, I am here to help you rewrite your story and work towards the life you want. At MPC, we strive to embody our name in the services we provide. Everything we do is with 'meraki' or passion. We hope to instill this passion in each of you. We provide individual, parenting & family therapy for adolescents & adults. Each of your identities influence who you are & our treatments are adapted to fit your individualized needs.

I am a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has trained in the United States and abroad. I have worked with individuals who may be coping with depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, complex post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and/or other chronic mental illness. My primary focus in individual sessions is to empower my clients with a mixture of empathy and humor to work together in defining and reaching their goals.

Hello there, I'm glad you found me! Taking steps out of misery and avoidance is difficult and scary. I work from a patient-centered, DBT perspective in partnership with clients struggling within the range of severe and acute eating disorders, persistent emotion dysregulation, chronic suicidality, and trauma/PTSD. Redefining your quality of life and getting out of your personal hell is possible. My clinical work spans New Jersey, New York, and my team based in Ohio, so please do not be surprised by different locations! Please reach out with any questions, and I look forward to working with you in building a life worth living.

I am a licensed psychologist and DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician(tm) at the Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy with expertise in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and trauma. I have extensive experience providing evidence-based treatments to children, adolescents, and adults with trauma, depression, anxiety, and disruptive behavior, as well as complex psychosocial stressors. I am devoted to providing exceptional treatment to children, adolescents, and families, empowering them with tools to enhance their relationships and navigate life’s challenges effectively.

As a psychologist with expertise in CBT and DBT, I care deeply about providing the very best treatment to my clients. My therapy approach utilizes research-supported techniques to treat clients according to their individualized needs, making sure to collaborate with parents, school personnel, and medical providers. I support my clients by providing them with straightforward feedback and a clear plan, and by helping them develop skills to improve their lives.

*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.

You’re aware that time is running out. You think about this more than others, which can get very lonely. You seek that which is meaningful, authentic, sacred. You’ve put time, money and energy into this quest. You’re exhausted. You’ve been disappointed so many times. Don’t settle. This is your life, your therapy. You know you need the courage to live by your convictions, but it’s hard to clarify exactly what you believe in. You know you need partnership and community, but when things go sideways in your relationships, at work, with family and friends, they’re not telling you what you’re doing wrong.

We all want to be genuinely seen, heard and understood. Whether the pain stems from the past, major life changes or simply feeling lost, therapy is a safe place to express your feelings without the fear of judgement. It is an amazing way to partner up and connect with someone who will support you. In these difficult times, it is important to find someone who can hold space for you to help untangle the web of confusion that may exist within. I aim to create a safe, warm and therapeutic atmosphere. You will be met with someone with a genuine desire to understand and who strongly believes that there is always hope.

You may be looking at this profile because you feel you've run out of options. Maybe you've been wrestling with overwhelming anxiety or depression, or you feel trapped in your mind and spiraling in ways you know aren't healthy. Perhaps you feel pressure--from within yourself or from the people around you--to be "put together," but you find yourself hiding the real turmoil going on under the surface. No matter the reason, I have a deep respect for the courage it takes to enter this space and begin this work.

I focus on helping clients of all ages and backgrounds heal their pain, overcome their challenges, develop their strengths, resources and resilience and accomplish their goals. I provide a positive, integrative, comprehensive approach, treating a broad range of mood, behavioral and relationship challenges. I have 30 years experience with children and adults in individual, couples, family and parent/child modalities.

We all want happiness. But at some point in our lives we may feel stuck or face certain challenges and having the support of a caring therapist can help you understand more clearly what is going on and create new ways to think about yourself and your relationship with others. Therapy should be as unique as you are. While struggle is universal, people respond differently to different types of interventions; so I will tailor your treatment to respond to your specific needs, personality, situation, relationship, and comfort level. In addition to therapy I also provide Life Coaching.

My goal: your being the most you can be in a life you can embrace, celebrate and be at peace with. To this process, I bring my knowledge, skill, respect and humanity, offering understanding, validation, support, and therapeutic interventions geared to increasing your self-awareness, and helping you find new and more rewarding ways of meeting the challenges and opportunities of life, as well as recovering from its assaults. Call and let's talk.

The things we experience affect us more than we think. Maybe you felt neglected as a child, are experiencing bullying, lost a family member, or are in an emotionally and/or physically abusive relationship. Maybe you have signs of unhealed trauma (depression, anxiety, low self-worth, relationship trouble, substance abuse, etc.) but don't realize you've experienced trauma. You could feel uncertain about why you feel this way and want to explore that. Trauma is very subjective. Every person is affected by and reacts to adverse events differently. This can lead you to feeling hopeless for the future and can be incredibly isolating.

Are you or your loved one experiencing difficulty managing emotions, chaotic relationships, overwhelming stress, or high risk behaviors? Have other treatments been unsuccessful? We offer evidenced based treatments designed to help you gain control of your life and adopt healthy and balanced thinking/behaviors. Individuals will gain greater awareness of self, ability to manage emotions, improve relationships, and build a life worth living. We offer a safe environment, personalized treatment plans, and are dedicated to helping you reach your personal goals.

Trust is the most important part of any relationship. It's important to be able to trust others but more importantly to trust yourself. “The true key is trust in self, for when I trust myself I fear no one else, I took control of my life, just as anyone can, I want everyone to see it’s in the palm of your hand, the past is gone, the future yet unborn, but right here and now is where it all goes on”-MCA Beastie Boys. With trust you can increase your connection to others as well as increase your ability to tolerate life’s ups and downs and enjoy life in the moment.

I believe in the power of consistent support and structure to guide clients on their journey towards healing and self-discovery. We're plugged into a fast paced world where we are bombarded with issues when we have responsibilities of our own. We go to war with our emotions and thoughts which makes it hard to tend to what excites us. When our minds are constantly running, it can feel impossible to be engaged in the present moment let alone dig deeper. I place a strong emphasis on emotional processing, anxiety management, and the exploration of feelings related to dependency and fear of loneliness.

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.

When you are overwhelmed with emotions like doubt, anxiety or even emptiness, it may feel as though you are drowning in an ocean of despair. You’ve probably told the closest people in your life about what you’re experiencing, but you fear being a burden to someone else and you can’t seem to shut off the negative thoughts that continue to invade your brain. The worry and loss of control you feel may manifest into eating disorders, OCD, and various anxiety disorders in order to temporarily relieve pain. That's when a mental health professional can help!

If painful experiences were met with confusing or anxious responses from others or described in manners that did not respond to emotional needs, then a child or individual would likely cope with difficulties by disconnecting from the threatening emotional meanings. We need another at times, or search for a healing process. If you have been struggling with strong feelings or a particular situation, it is time to get help. You can find the way through fears, loss or other struggles. I am here to support you through your struggles, through personal hardships, finding truths or make sense of confusion in your mind or life.