Empire BlueCross BlueShield Therapists in Princeton, NJ

Hello! My name is Allie, and I am a professional counselor. I decided to become a counselor because I enjoy being a support system. I have worked in partial care transitional housing facilities and have an extensive background in providing outpatient counseling services. I use a trauma-informed, holistic, and strengths-based approach with all my clients. I also commonly use CBT, MI, expressive therapy, and solution-focused strategies in sessions. Most recently, I was trained in TF-CBT by the CARES institute for adolescent survivors of abuse.

Life is often full of external and internal pressures and challenges that can lead one to feel anxious, depressed, and uncertain, among other distressing feelings. Recognizing these feelings and reaching out for therapeutic support during these times is a sign of strength and resiliency that can go a long way towards growth and healing. Whether you are faced with interpersonal challenges, struggle with your mental health, or battling with addiction, I believe that if you have the desire to improve your life, therapy can be a power tool to do so.

I work with adults, older adults, couples, and college students. My areas of expertise include depression, anxiety and relationship issues. I'm also interested in women's issues and assertiveness. I tailor therapy to each individual client, rather than taking a "one size fits all" approach. So, with one person, therapy might focus on solving some current problem or crisis, for another it might be learning stress management techniques, and for another it could be working to resolve issues and trauma from earlier in life. Most often, it's a little, or a lot, of all of these things.

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.

Imagine that you are engaged in a battle of tug-of-war. In between is a dark bottomless pit that you struggle against falling into. Some days it looks like maybe you are winning the battle; other days you are barely avoiding falling in to the pit. Humans are hardwired for pain and suffering. The good news is that rooted deep within us is also the capacity for growth and transcendence. Readiness for therapy involves an opening up to new possibilities and experience and a willingness to learn more supportive ways of relating and responding to life’s challenges, or in other words, learning to drop the rope.

Clients, as well as therapists, come in all shapes and sizes. When it comes to finding a good fit in a therapist, clients should feel safe and comfortable to be able to open up over time. Personality plays a huge role in compatibility. Down to earth, approachable, and relaxed are three qualities that describe my persona. I strive to provide clients with a safe space to feel respected, heard, and understood. I support clients in building effective communication skills, fostering meaningful relationships, practicing appropriate social skills, utilizing healthy coping strategies, and to establish and maintain healthy boundaries.

I am most comfortable working with young adults to middle-aged individuals struggling with transitioning and settling into the world's expectations. These people feel unmotivated and are having a hard time getting simple tasks done. These people get stuck in the cycle of not being able to accomplish a task. They get upset by being unable to do it, worry about why they cannot do it, and then exhaust themselves to the point that they are paralyzed from doing the task. They want help, answers, and guidance. They want a break. If even just for one hour, they want to feel more alive.

My ideal client is facing challenges with past trauma. This client has suppressed their trauma but recently has difficulty sleeping, lacks motivation, is disconnected from friends, and feels empty. They have sought therapy to start addressing the needs mentioned above, but as they begin engaging with me, they realize that they have recollections of trauma endured at an early age. Additionally, this client has been unable to address this trauma with family due to difficulty communicating and impacting the family dynamics. They want to be able to talk to family members without feeling shame and also build coping skills to heal.

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.

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".

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.

My ideal client is someone open to the process of therapy. Someone who is willing to show up for themselves, and “put in the work”. My client may be someone dealing with anxiety, depression, or challenges of ADHD, such as Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria. My client may be feeling in a rut or “stuck” in personal aspects of their life. My client may be challenged by different phases and stages of life, by not feeling capable or feeling easily overwhelmed. They want to engage in therapy and work on achieving their personal goals in a space where they are seen, heard, validated and encouraged.

I am a Licensed Social Worker with a passion for decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting the health and well being of my clients. For my undergraduate degree, I moved from Central Jersey (Yes! It exists!) to South Jersey to attend Stockton University. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work with a Minor in Behavioral Neuroscience from Stockton, and then moved on to attend graduate school in Philadelphia. I received my Master of Social Work Degree with a clinical concentration from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice in May of 2020.

I provide a confidential judgement free zone for people to share their thoughts and feelings. I enjoy working collaboratively with individuals who are looking to make decisions that can improve the quality of their lives. I will utilize questions to obtain your history, identify where you are currently and where you would like to be. I enjoy working with people to promote their inherent ability to be better versions of themselves. I appreciate working diligently with individuals who are looking to address concerns they have about their mental health and overall well being.

My ideal client is prepared to initiate changes in their life to promote wellness. They are prepared to process internal and external contributors to their mood, discuss options for improvement, and practice healthier skills that will assist in achieving their personal goals. My ideal client is internally motivated and desires emotional balance from concerns such as anxiety, depression, impaired self-esteem, trauma, and interpersonal conflict. They arrive to treatment with goals in mind, and will actively work to experience relief of distressing symptoms.

The ideal client to me is anyone who has been suffering from mental health problems on their own and is ready to seek help.

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.

I believe strongly that we all have the capacity for positive change, no matter where we start out. Therapy should provide a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space in which clients can explore new goals, solutions, and ways of being. I seek to empower clients by fostering greater awareness and understanding of their thoughts, behaviors, environments, and interpersonal patterns. My approach is tailored to each person and their needs, but often incorporates concepts from Cognitive-Behavioral, Interpersonal, and Person-Centered therapies, as well as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction techniques.

We all face challenges. The hardest part is getting started. Know that you are worth it and hope can be found, even on the darkest days. If you are willing to seek help to initiate change and want to grow as an individual you are already well on your way to a better tomorrow. My main goal is to support and strengthen those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and a variety of other issues. I believe change happens when you are feeling empowered. I can help you find strength and hope, while working towards achieving personal goals. We will work together to get you through your current struggles and overcome barriers and stressors.

I enjoy working with individuals who want to overcome adverse experiences, who are looking to establish a secure sense of self, and who would like to manage stress caused by challenging thoughts or feelings. I believe that addressing these needs will allow clients to get the most out of life. I believe that as humans, we are created to live in community with one another. Challenging life experiences can leave some feeling disconnected from others and uncertain about their own place in the world.