Self Esteem Therapists in Highland Park, NJ

As a Licensed Social Worker and certified Trauma therapist, I aim to support my clients in navigating life's challenges, fostering a transformative experience that promotes inner purpose and resilience. Seeing primarily adults, my focus is on creating a safe and empowering environment through a client-centered and strength-based approach.

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am a licensed associate marriage and family therapist. I have experience with supporting individuals, couples, and families in improving communication, setting boundaries, and managing challenging life transitions. I am passionate about helping clients explore complex family dynamics, as well as the impact those dynamics have on their physical and mental health. I strive to support clients by providing them with the tools needed to create healthy and long-lasting relationships with both themselves and others.

Are you a South/East Asian or BIPOC woman struggling with anxiety, self doubt, a need to be perfect or low self esteem? Are you having trouble keeping up with the demands of work, school, family and social life and it feels like a constant balancing act? Do you have trouble being assertive and confident in your relationships? Are you going through a break up, life transition or just have trouble relating to your parents and family who have different expectations for you? Are you a new mom, expecting or navigating infertility challenges? Being a woman in today’s modern society is hard, but you don't have to be alone.

Hello and welcome to my profile page. I have been working as a NJ licensed psychologist for more than 15 years. I have a diverse practice in that I see people with a wide variety of presenting problems. These range from fairly common relationship/work/self-esteem issues to more complex problems with anxiety and depression.

Life is a lot like the ocean..full of waves. Some waves are fun to ride, but many leave us struggling to keep our heads above water. Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, addictions or other habits that don’t serve you well, poor self esteem, life transitions, challenges with relationships, work-life balance, aging or caregiver burnout, you deserve to have compassionate and competent support along the way. With an approach that is tailored to meet your needs and is grounded in evidence-based practices, our work together will enable you to navigate the ups & downs of life so you can truly thrive!

My desire is to serve client’s who struggle with substance abuse. This is my speciality and there are many issues that surround substance abuse e.g. issues of self esteem, self worth, family of origin issues, traumas physical mental and sexual. There are also issues of neglect, abandonment and disconnection/dissociation from the self and from the inner child. In addition to my expertise in these areas I also counsel client’s for domestic violence, anger management, anxiety, depression and grief and loss. I believe that client’s need to have the ability to talk about these issues in a safe and nurturing environment.

How many times have you said to yourself, "I've got to stop doing this"? And then you do it again. I know because I've worked with hundreds of people, individually and in groups, who have said the same thing. But together we have found a way to get them unstuck and onto a path of increased self-esteem and happiness. Whether the issue is putting unhealthy food in your body or not effectively communicating, I'm here to help you identify the patterns that are keeping you stuck so that you can take charge of your life.

When I think of my work as a therapist, what lifts my spirit is the enormous potential of people for living a full life; a potential they are often unaware of. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Therapy helps to identify them and develop the tools to improve their lives. The goals: enhanced self-esteem, reduced tension, more expressiveness....a fuller life. Whether I work with the child, adolescent, adult, individual, couple or family, I find the work inspiring.

I have a diverse practice in which I work with adults, children, adolescents and couples who are struggling with a variety of different issues. These include depression, anxiety/panic attacks, relationship problems, school and behavioral issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, low self-esteem, stress, sexual orientation and gender identity concerns, struggles with spirituality, self-injurious behavior, adoption, dealing with medical problems, grief and loss, trauma, and coping with divorce and its aftermath. My ideal client is one who wants help and is feeling ready to do the work necessary to improve and enrich his or her life.

I am a firm believer in encouraging positivity, bolstering self-efficacy, and cultivating independence in others. My typical client is a child, adolescent, or young adult (age 3 to 29) who may be struggling academically, socially, or with developing effective emotional coping skills. Often, the individuals I see have difficulty with attention, concentration, organization, and with meeting the daily demands required of them at school. I also offer much support to parents who may be frustrated with their attempts at connecting with their kids and who are in need of guidance relating to discipline techniques and behavior management.

Authenticity, honesty, empathy and creativity is what I have based my practice on. Life can be TOUGH, and it can feel difficult to get out of that loop, or I like to say, crawl out of the mud, it takes time but it's very possible and I hope to help provide you with the tools you will need to do so. I'm eclectic in my practice, using therapeutic evidenced based modalities, such as CBT (cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy) Art therapy/creative therapy, person centered therapy, family therapy etc. with a specialty in eating disorders/body image issues and self-esteem .

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.

Life often presents us with many challenges, most of which are unexpected. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, or sad, because of your life circumstances, you don't have to suffer alone. While reaching out for help can be difficult, you may feel comforted in knowing that most people feel some apprehension in taking this first step.

Have you ever felt your interactions with others do not represent your true self? Do you often feel misunderstood? Do you lack emotional energy or avoid uncomfortable situations? Are you often triggered but lack self-awareness to understand the source of your feelings? Perhaps you are a teen or young adult wondering how your feelings and emotional intelligence will affect your life.

My practice specializes in helping people deal with life's increasingly complex challenges with special focus on the psychological demands of finding joy and happiness in one's life. Treatment includes finding one's inner authentic self which gets lost in the face of life's problems. My focus includes helping people cope with emotional isolation and loneliness as well as developing and maintaining one's personal life to find happiness, fulfillment and intimacy in primary relationships. My practice also includes helping women find pleasure and satisfaction in dealing with the impossible balance of work, home and relationship life.

Psychology is my second career (after working as an author and book editor for several years), and so I am familiar with what it's like to consider major life transitions. I can help if you are feeling stuck or pondering a change in your life. Because I am a writer, I believe in the power of narrative and often incorporate this into therapy, including expressive writing and other creative approaches. I will help you look at your life as your own story and figure out how you can write the next chapter.

To achieve your life goals, you must maintain balance across various areas such as finance, career, health, recreation, family, growth, and relationships. It may seem challenging, but with time and emotional management, it is indeed achievable. Overcoming negative emotions such as anger, stress, anxiety, or depression is a crucial step towards success. Addressing these issues is crucial if you want to regain confidence in your abilities and move closer to your dreams.

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.

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.