Optum Therapists in Ambler, PA

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” -Carl Rodgers. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor focused on creating a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment in which I collaborate with clients to pursue their goals of change, self-discovery, acceptance or understanding. I believe that everyone can benefit from a relationship that is authentic, curious, non-judgmental, honest, and provides a space supportive of growth and self-discovery. This is the environment I seek to cultivate with clients in my practice.

My goal as a professional counselor is to provide genuine support and assistance to people looking to heal, make meaningful improvements, and solve problems in their lives. My approach is client-centered, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I believe that the most significant and lasting changes come from within. My role in the therapeutic relationship is to help facilitate self-discovery in my clients. This process helps bring to the surface the strengths they possess which will assist them in functioning in the most productive and emotionally balanced manner possible.

In the last ten years I have worked with clients in a variety of settings; outpatient, in-home, intensive outpatient, legal systems, clinic, and emergency room. I have also worked with a variety of needs; anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, attachment disorder, other trauma related disorders, suicidal and self-injury thoughts/behaviors. In working with clients, I have seen so much resiliency. I have witnessed so much strength that often goes unnoticed by the individual them self. I find that once a client is able to identify their strength, they are able to identify their solution.

Hello. I'm James and I appreciate that you are considering me to be your therapist. The decision to begin therapy for the first time or with a new treatment professional requires strength, courage and commitment. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship issues, financial pressures, addiction or any other obstacle that prevents you from living the life that you want, finding the right therapist for you is an important part of getting yourself back to where you would like to be.

I have diverse experience across populations for the last 9 years. I started out working as both an inpatient therapist as well as Therapeutic Staff Support in a school setting while studying for my graduate degree. I then moved on to work as a mobile therapist and school based therapist for years before working in a private practice environment. The primary populations I work with include children, adolescents, as well as young adults.

I have assisted clients with family, parenting, emotional and behavioral issues since 1997 by focusing on increasing coping skill, communication skills, social skills and promoting a healthy secure family unit where the risks of drug and alcohol abuse is decreased. I have provided individual and family counseling to military members and their families, children and parents in the foster care system, families in the community setting.

Making the decision to begin or restart therapy is tough. We get messages from all around us that we should be independent or strong, so asking for support can feel like somehow, we've failed. Maybe it gives you anxiety just imagining how you would squeeze one more appointment into your already packed schedule. Less than optimal experiences in therapy might have you tired of searching and worried about who you'll be able to trust. Or maybe you're waiting for the 'right time' to begin. Whatever has brought you to this point right now though, has taken a lot of strength.

Practice limited to people in their 20s and 30s. Risa Mandell is a licensed clinical social work psychotherapist in Pennsylvania. Risa listens to you to facilitate the evolution of your relationship to your thoughts, feelings, body and to the people in your life. The psychotherapeutic journey loosens unwanted, ossified internal and interpersonal patterns, resulting in a strengthened capacity for psychological and behavioral choice as well as and the transformation of recalcitrant wounds into compassion for one's self and for all beings. Are you in your 20s or 30s and trying to figure out your life course? Let's talk -

I love being a therapist, and I have several beliefs about therapy that embody my therapeutic philosophy. First, I believe that the therapist-client relationship is sacred, and that only meaningful therapeutic work can occur through a strong alliance built on trust and free of shame and judgment. Secondly, I believe that therapy is a portal to healing wounds that loneliness and isolation worsen. Thirdly, I believe it is important to support and guide clients in living lives that are true to their own values and reflective of their authentic selves.

Frank is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with many years’ experience working with adolescents, adults, couples, and family dynamics in inpatient, outpatient, and chemical depended facilities. Frank specializes in treating ADHD, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, multi-level trauma, grief and loss, substance use, mood disorders, communication and intimacy challenges, anger management, problems related to internal and external stressors, career paths, life transitions: large and small, and increasing one’s self-worth: value and esteem.

I earned a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Immaculata University. I have worked in outpatient settings utilizing individual and group therapy, as well as couples and family therapy. I have experience working with individuals who struggle with interpersonal and self-esteem issues, substance use and co-occurring disorders, depression, anxiety, and trauma. I believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship to help you to achieve your goals, as trust, acceptance, humor and authenticity are central to my practice.

Elizabeth Ventre is a licensed professional counselor and board-certified music therapist, who believes in developing a therapeutic alliance by providing a safe space where clients feel comfortable exploring the thoughts, feelings, and issues that led them to seek out therapy. Through a supportive, encouraging, and dynamic therapeutic relationship, she endeavors to help individuals discover and strengthen inner resources as well as learn new tools to overcome challenges, achieve goals, and empower themselves with knowledge.

You have exhausted your resources trying to solve your current challenges and are seeking outside counsel, maybe for the first time. It feels daunting, seeking out a stranger to share what has been going on and wondering where to start. You come with strengths like perseverance - it has gotten you this far and you continue to seek answers. You are curious and willing to ask questions. You have courage, to share what is happening, to come as you are. You are someone who appreciates learning and is open to new perspectives because as Einstein said - “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

I’ve worked with ages 4-18, as well as adults. I have experience providing therapy to children, adolescents, parents, and families dealing with a wide range of challenges including the impacts of generational trauma, parent-child relational challenges, and relational difficulties. I’ve also worked with a wide range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety, autism, adjustment disorders, PTSD, personality disorders and mood disorders.

J Snyder Therapeutic Services LLC is a multidisciplinary practice specializing in the integrated delivery of Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Psychiatrically overseen Medication Management, via three brick and mortar locations in Ambler, North Wales, and Blue Bell, Pa, in addition to Telehealth. JSTS treats a spectrum of patients with ages ranging from five throughout the lifespan, struggling with symptoms or diagnoses of myriad afflictions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, and ADHD.

I have a foundation in humanistic and cognitive behavioral therapies, I am trained in motivational interviewing, and have a specialty in dialectical behavior therapy. I treat mood and anxiety disorders, the impact of trauma, and co-occurring addictive problems. I also help with problems in self-perception, identity, and esteem. Specialty populations include essential workers, professionals maintaining wellness, balance, and recovery, perfectionism, and persons facing difficulties resulting from the impact of chronic bullying, feelings of emptiness, and/or feelings of purposelessness.

The first time that I sat with a prisoner who shared with me his troubled story, I knew that as an undergraduate psychology major this would be my life’s call. I continued my education, obtaining a Master in Social Work with the clinical licensure, and on to a doctorate in clinical social work. All the while, I engaged in work in a residential treatment center, in high schools, in a university, and in outpatient and inpatient behavioral health programs. My internships and volunteer positions have ranged from probation/parole work, counseling for first responders, work with gang members and a private practice.

Burdened with an unforeseen change in your life that’s left you reeling? Whether navigating the pain of a loss, the complicated nuances of a new or altered relationship, or a new diagnosis- this can feel lonely and daunting. Maybe the transition of life you are in is expected- entering parenthood, changing careers, or a readiness to address a painful experience from your past. Whatever the circumstances, change can feel debilitating.