Stephanie Willoughby LCSW

Clients can expect to get as much out of therapy as they are willing to put into it. And to laugh. A lot (and possibly cry, since I do have a track record of clients becoming emotional during sessions). Different clients have different needs or goals for therapy & in turn, I feel like I am somewhat of a different therapist to different clients. Some are very focused on learning coping strategies while others are looking for someone to talk to who is objective, non-judgmental, & has a fresh perspective. Some are living with chronic physical, mental or other conditions & are grieving the loss of their independence or former life. But the most important thing I want my clients to take away from our sessions is the feeling of being truly seen & heard, without judgment or reservation.

While I am not faithful to just one of the many approaches to therapy, I do pull from various sources to use what I think will be effective for each client. Some of the most common methods utilized include Socratic questioning, CBT (reframing/cognitive distortions), ACT (defusion), trauma-informed care, mindfulness exercises, and coping/grounding strategies, among others.

• New Jersey, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 44SC06149200