Therapists in Pennington, NJ

What is Art Therapy? This is the number one question asked of me. Briefly, as defined by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), "Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client's functioning and his/her sense of personal well-being." The creative process lends itself readily to meeting the individual where they are at in the present moment. My personal style mirrors this. I utilize both the non-verbal and verbal processes to facilitate understanding, awareness and growth. My particular areas of expertise are grief/loss, attachment issues (i.e.foster care/adoption), trauma, mood instability, and disordered personality.

Counseling is available for individuals faced with the challenges of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, dual diagnosis, trauma and relationship challenges. Counseling is provided within the warm and professional space at South Main Street Counseling Center in a therapeutic environment which allows individuals to maximize their abilities to create meaningful changes and enhance their independence and peace. Clients are encouraged and supported to explore those issues which are impacting relationships and well being.

Greetings ! If you would like to learn about my background and services, I encourage you to read on. Possessing over 20 years of clinical experience in the prevention, diagnosing, and treatment of behavioral health conditions for a broad range of presenting issues, I now focus care on two specific client populations: 1. high achieving and motivated late adolescents/young adults (age 16 through 25); and, 2. business professionals.

I am firm believer in the philosophy that the only constant in life is change. I work together with my patient to allow them to recognize that accepting change is an important quality for a successful and happy life. I value specifically tailoring a treatment plan to the individual to ensure we have a compassionate and understanding relationship on the road towards personal betterment/growth. I treat children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. I also provide counseling to couples and families.

My clients learn to skillfully and creatively solve their relational problems of loveless ness, toxicity, and co-dependency to gain the peace and love they need in their lives. I teach clients to be resourceful and open their perspective about the difficulties in their lives to acceptance. This opens our work to the possibility of new channels of personal empathy and self-compassion. Clients learn to deal with challenging, ingrained anxieties and stubborn habitual patterns of behavior, emotion, and beliefs about themselves and others. We build new maps of meaning that enable clients to experience confidence and freedom.

My treatment approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Therapy for individuals suffering from various disorders and psychological distress including but not limited to eating disorders, depression, anxiety, LGBTQ, suicidal ideation, and family issues. In addition to psychotherapy, I conduct psychological evaluations/testing, psychoeducational testing, and biopsychosocial evaluations. I conduct testing for ADHD, gifted/talented, and special education services. I provide a compassionate, holistic, and caring atmosphere in order to provide my clients a trusting and supportive therapeutic experience.

Look for the strength. In you. In your child. I can help. I am a Clinical and School Psychologist with extensive experience evaluating, diagnosing, and working with children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of issues, including: ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, complex learning difficulties, social-emotional & behavioral difficulties, mood and anxiety disorders, and medical/neurological conditions. My strength-based approach to therapy and evaluations combines comprehensive assessment with evidenced-based interventions, and actionable recommendations. I offer individual and group therapy for children and adolescents, and individual therapy for adults.

Worried moms & frazzled dads, look no further! Maybe your child is anxious, sad, angry, or acting out. You've tried empathy, rewards, punishments, extra attention, special privileges. You've read books, consulted parenting blogs, & asked other parents for advice. Whatever you try, it may even work for a few days but then all the old problems come right back. Maybe your boy wants to dress like a girl and it's freaking you out. Maybe your teen declares "I'm queer"--what does that even mean? Let's add the stress of the pandemic and you're exhausted, frustrated, and worried about your child's future.

Finally deciding to seek out therapy can sometimes feel overwhelming and even increase uncomfortable feelings. Finding the "right fit" with a therapist means taking emotional risks to get the support you deserve. For many years I have worked to help individuals regain or perhaps even discover for the first time, a sense of inner peace. My practice incorporates holistic, somatic & integrative approaches to treat a wide range of mental health challenges. I believe "theory" is invaluable, however, experience and research shows that successful therapy is closely connected to the relationship that develops between therapist and client.

We often move through life carrying wounds that prevent us from living life fully. I value providing you with a safe, judgment free zone, where you can embark on a personal journey to deeply explore and heal from the issues that have fueled your life struggles. I take special interest in treating trauma stemming from either childhood or adulthood as well as relationship difficulties including attachment patterns and relationship compatibility. I am also well versed in a wide array of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, sleep, and body image issues.

Are you feeling stuck in a difficult circumstance or a relational conflict? Do you find yourself limited by fear, anxiety, lack of motivation or clarity? Are you discerning whether or not to stay in a current relationship? This can be a painful space. I believe we all have access to deep, still waters within us that can guide and direct us to deeper peace and clarity. Sometimes, we struggle to access that "knowing part" of us. I have 20 years of helping guide men, women, couples, adolescents and families gain skills and find deeper, more peaceful waters in seasons of grief, anxiety, depression, divorce & couple's conflict.

I am a client-centered therapist who strives towards helping each individual find their strengths and develop compassion and kindness towards self. I am a therapist who believes in the importance of the therapeutic relationship and uses a compassionate, empathetic, and non-judgmental approach with each of my clients.