Searching for the right counselor can be extremely hard! Often, people find themselves looking through the multitude of therapist directories online only to walk away feeling more confused. I wanted to write a blog so that you could know some of the most common reasons I receive referrals. My goal is to help lessen some of this confusion, provide you with some direction and get you into services faster!

Here are some common reasons clients see me for therapy:

Adolescent Trauma: often families find the long-term impact of teen trauma to be jarring. They want to protect their teen and ensure their safety and happiness, but don’t understand the symptoms or ways to provide support to heal as a family. Sometimes this can come across as “bad behavior” or “acting out” and adolescents are further punished for being in pain. I utilize best practices including creative therapies including music to fully engage teens to help improve their coping, communication and promote healing in the immediate aftermath of a loss. I also fully support the inclusion of family, friends and recovery supports in treatment.

LGBT* Identity: there is an increased risk of LGBT* clients facing health disparities due to stigma, discrimination and denial of their civil/human rights. This is associated with high rates of co-occurring disorders as well as suicidal behavior. At times, LGBT* identity can be a part of what someone wants to explore in therapy but it’s not always the case! Many clients have said that it’s just been helpful having someone that has knowledge and experience of LGBT* identity – someone that does not automatically blame your gender or sexual identity and/or gender dysphoria as the cause of your problems. If you are coming to therapy for this reason, know that I am here to help you try to understand it, without judgement.

Co-occurring Disorders: it used to be believed that in therapy you would first have to work with someone to get sober from substances and then they could engage in mental health therapy…and then there were other people who thought that it was the other way around. Now, it’s widely recognized that mental health and substance use disorders have a tendency to be active at the same time…that there is some sort of relationship between the two. Some of the most common co-occurring disorders are mood- and anxiety-related, but substance use can co-occur with a wide range of problems. I support my clients by using an integrated approach to treat both disorders at the same time, in the same place, at a pace that you’re comfortable with.

While these are three common reasons that I receive referrals, I have experience counseling individuals 14+ with many different problems. Please feel free to check out the services page to learn more about my other areas of expertise. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to reach out to me at any time! I believe that everyone can benefit from therapy…but therapy cannot just happen with anyone.

What if I Want Help?

I am a counselor based in New Jersey that specializes in treating youth (14+) and adults following a trauma to learn how to begin the healing process and effectively cope by working toward their personal wellness goals. I also specialize in counseling those living with sexual issues and those in the LGBT* community. If you would like a partner in your recovery, book a complimentary 15-minute consultation or appointment through the client portal or contact me at [email protected] or (908) 248-2762.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” -Albert Einstein