Therapists in Mountain Lakes, NJ

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Mountain Lakes, NJ. I work primarily with children and families, whose needs include divorce, trauma/loss, misbehaviors, parenting issues, selective mutism, ADHD, non-suicidal self injury, depression, anxieties, or other concerns. Children develop a level of comfort and rapport with me quickly, and I am able to determine the most effective course of treatment for the child and family. I focus on shorter-term treatment; I enable individuals and families to recognize and utilize healthy coping strategies.

If you have ever sought a psychotherapy that was less about symptoms and labels, and more about overcoming, problem-solving, and achieving life satisfaction, welcome. If you've ever felt like an alien on Earth, completely out of context, and that you needed to find your own real self again, we have that in common. I am a trained forensic psychological evaluator who has written many books on arts of healing and psychotherapy. I have been a holistic practitioner, and I guess the headline is I am a musical artist (Shockocracy). I am accepting a small number of artistic psychotherapy patients at this time, and I have staff available.

After obtaining a Ph.D. in School Psychology, I completed a Post-Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology, working with adults. I subsequently entered private practice and worked with a very diverse client population. Issues I have treated include: depression, anxiety, PTSD/pain from accident and injury, ADHD, and relationship issues. After practicing for 15 years, I entered the business world and recently returned to clinical practice supplemented with years of business and life experience.

I am a seasoned psychotherapist who assists patients gain insight into their problems and improve coping skills. The majority of my clients have past or present issues causing anxiety, panic, anger, depression, or relationship conflicts affecting performance and concentration at school,work or athletics. I provide a comprehensive, focused approach for treating individuals who are affected by high levels of stress, or may require treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. I employ a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques including Cognitive-Behavioral therapy, progressive relaxation and self hypnosis. The initial session includes a complete history and formation of prioritized treatment goals.

I specialize in providing individually tailored, evidence-based psychotherapy with a focus on increasing self-understanding - the way one makes sense of their own history, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors - and the examination of how and why individuals often engage in distressing or ineffective behaviors. I assist patients in improving their awareness of these patterns, and in the process make changes to allow for a richer and more meaningful life. I am currently licensed as a psychologist in the states of New York and New Jersey.

Dr. Benanti's background includes two Masters Degrees and a Doctorate from Columbia University where he taught in the graduate division. Our Master Level Life Coaches are all Nationally Certified and each received over 250 hours of advanced training directly from Dr. Benanti. We work with adults and couples who want to experience less everyday stress and far more of the personal fulfillment that is available in each of our own unique lives.

Are you feeling stuck? Stuck in a relationship that is not working; Stuck trying to work things out in the same way and getting nowhere fast; Stuck in a job where you're not appreciated, or without a job and don't know what to do next; Stuck in your inability to express your fears and insecurities because that's not "manly"; Stuck in a negative view of yourself and don't know how to appreciate who you are. Change is difficult, but not impossible! You are not alone; Let me help empower you to make the changes you desire.

Welcome to the Motivational Counseling Center of New Jersey. Our office specializes in working with you to improve your overall mental health and wellbeing. We work closely with our clients to build their motivation, self efficacy and resilience needed to set and work towards goals. Our philosophy is that enhancing meaning and personal empowerment is just as important as treatment of mental illness. It is believed that therapy can be used to not only help reduce your symptoms but grant you improved ability to identify your values, reduce ambivalence towards making needed changes in order to achieve what is most important to you.

I do my best work with male clientele. Most of my clients are comprised of teenagers and college-aged males. My efficacy, particularly with adolescents, has its genesis in my sincerity, non-judgmental manner, knowledge of technology and disarming sense of humor. It is not uncommon to hear from parents, “we have taken our son to three other therapists and you are the only one he will talk to.” I also work well with college-aged males who have difficulty transitioning from high school to young adulthood. I have also worked with veterans and members of law enforcement; trust is paramount in my relationships with all my clients.

Hi and thanks for visiting, and please feel free to reach out for clarity or questions. I don't bite! I'm here for you and ready to help. Whether it's a relationship issue, work-related stress, maybe both, or some rooted trauma in childhood or multiple events. If your needs are outside our scope of practice, I can help connect you to someone who can.