How do you determine therapy goals with clients? What does that process look like?
Therapy goals are individual, client specific and a collaborative process. Therapy begins with your story, you identifying the difficulties you have experienced, and also how you would like your life to look? As well as what does feeling better look like to you? I can help with this question, because at times it can be difficult for some to look ahead to what kinds of changes are possible with therapy. Once goals are established, we will begin moving forward with them utilizing small steps. Each session will allow you the opportunity to speak about where you are at, what you are feeling, and to we will figure out the next steps toward your goals. As part of the process I may ask you to follow up on tasks at home, in between sessions. This provides you an opportunity to try out and practice the skills we have discussed and found useful in therapy., and then during the follow up session, we can discuss what worked and where you encountered difficulties. We can then use that information to establish the next steps, progress toward positive, productive, healthy growth.
What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
Initial my career goal was to be a physician, but i realized that I was better at helping people with life problems. I began my journey at Stony Brook University, School of Social Work. I was placed in an internship at a runaway home which housed 6 girls and 4 boys. I encountered individuals seeking to discover who they were and how to best navigate through their life and overcome the damage caused by others. I knew there and then that I wanted to help individuals with their life journey. My true inspiration came from the tragic reality i faced when my older sister, who was my role model had mental breakdown related to childhood trauma. I felt helpless and hopeless watching her lose herself, spiraling down into a void. She was treated with multiple medications group work and even shock therapy but with no success. At that point in time it hit me, she needed to face the trauma, process the experience and work through the pain, in a confidential, nonjudgmental, safe, supportive environment tailored to her, or it would forever define her. It was difficult to find someone that understood our culture, our background and that she connected with, Someone she could trust enough to allow them to travel with her through the darkness and show her the light. I could not help her, but i can help others resolve inner conflicts, process their experiences, release their anger and move forward to live productive, health, happy lives
Specialties
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Loss/Grief
Grief is a reaction to an emotionally significant loss and often comes with symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can remain intense and last for a long time after a loss, making it difficult to move forward with a healthy lifestyle.
Stress
Distress stems from a subjective perception of something being unwanted, undesirable, or detrimental to your wellbeing. Excessive stress significantly impairs mental and physical health and is associated with many diseases and conditions.
General Expertise
Work Stress
Workplace issues are a common source of stress and can include interpersonal conflict, communication problems, gossip, harassment, discrimination, low motivation and job satisfaction, performance issues, and poor job fit.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Adoption & foster care
Adoption and foster care considerations include education on the process, integrating the new family, establishing household rules and boundaries, processing past trauma on behalf of the child, emotional health, and other adjustment procedures.
Caregiver stress & support
Caring for a friend or family member (paid or unpaid) includes emotional support, housework, help with finances, medication management, and shopping. Can be stressful, making caregivers more vulnerable to things like anxiety, isolation, and fatigue.
Fees
$100
First Session
$100
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Individual Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness Practices
Coaching
Eclectic Therapy
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Training / Certifications
Adult Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy, Metropolitan Institute for Training in Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy
Licensure
NJ, LCSW, 44SC05896100
NY, LCSW, 086879-1
Education
Master's in Clinical Social Work, Fordham University, New York, NY
Work History
I have been a Clinician for 10 years, but a Social Work for over 35 years and I must say it has been a wonderful journey. In my professional career I have encountered people from all walks of life, of various ages, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Some of which experienced various social, personal and familial dilemmas seeking resolution for themselves, their families, and/or their lives. I experienced families and children within the Child Welfare system with issues of abuse, neglect, abandonment, and loss, in an attempt to provide stability and permanency. In my career I've also assisted those with issues of Domestic Violence, Homelessness, Alcohol and Drug use, Depression, and Anxiety. More recently I've been given the opportunity to guide seniors as they transition into the next stages of there lives. In retrospect, although some began their journey because of an outside source, then willingly continued, others of their own accord, none the less each of them has allowed me to take part in their process of growth and fulfillment in this journey we call life.
Location
1117 Eva Street, Piscataway, 08854, NJ