Find a Therapist in Highlands, New Jersey.

As experienced, highly-credentialed clinical psychologists and couples counselors, Dr. Joel Stukalin and Dr. Sara Mandelbaum have the necessary background to conduct short-term or psychoanalystic psychotherapy with clients. This means that clients can decide to work on direct symptom-relief or more comprehensive therapy that may lead to a deeper understanding of inner-conflicts, self-aspirations and unconscious processes. In order to do our psychotherapy compassionately and effectively, Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara collaborate closely with clients to understand their initial motives and unfolding goals within the psychotherapy process. Clients often benefit from this higher standard of care.

Psychotherapy provides a unique opportunity to explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the context of a relationship that is safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental. In this space it is possible to gain insight into patterns that might be harmful and/or holding you back from realizing your relationship, career and family goals and potential. I am certified in cognitive processing therapy and EMDR, both evidence based practices for the treatment of traumatic experiences and/or PTSD. Additionally, I am trained in interpersonal psychotherapy, motivational interviewing, and frequently use elements of mindfulness based practices to treat depression and anxiety.

Like most human experiences, I believe that Psychotherapy is a process. It needs a significant investment of time an energy and can be navigated in three stages: 1. Exploration; 2. Identification; 3. Change. My role as a therapist is to create the space for people to explore and identify some areas within themselves that they want to change and take the risk.

Talk is powerful. Through talk we can learn how to listen, how to better understand ourselves and those around us, and begin the process of change. As a therapist, my goal is to listen to you and your needs so that I can give you the tools to move forward in your life and towards the goals you want to accomplish. In my practice I have helped individuals and couples deal with anxiety, depression, infidelity, and many life changes and challenges, and I know that no problem is too great too overcome. When you're ready for a real conversation, let's talk.

We are charting a new path that brings outcomes focused therapy to you. We simplify over 100 years of proven psychology and make it meaningful to your needs, goals, and journey. Our approach is adapted to fit your specific needs. Together, we map your path forward with our LifeMAP — a unique set of tools we have developed to clarify your goals, transparently track your progress, and move you towards your destination, so you can see and feel the progress being made.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) targets maladaptive thoughts and behaviors, promoting change through cognitive restructuring and behavioral techniques. ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) focuses on reducing anxiety by gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli without engaging in compulsive behaviors. EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) aims to strengthen emotional bonds in relationships by fostering empathy and communication skills. Each approach offers unique strategies for addressing psychological issues, empowering clients to overcome challenges and achieve greater well-being through evidence-based interventions.

I look at thoughts and feelings what is important to you to give you a clearer approach to your path in life and what may be getting in the way. You may have an idea of how you want to be helped, and I will formulate a specific idea of how I can best help you. The reason that I like doing this kind of therapy is it is deep work that can be life changing.

For the past 12 years, I have been helping individuals, couples and families heal themselves, their relationships and childhood hurts. I facilitate this by being compassionate, creating a safe environment and caring about my clients. I help my clients build higher self-worth and strengthen their relationships. In a very short time, I can provide you with the tools to communicate effectively, manage difficult feelings and not take others' behavior personally.

I am successful. I have what I thought I wanted I should be happy but I feel like a failure and why don’t people understand what I am going through? Does that sound like you? Then you are in the right place. When you feel this way it time to look at your life, relationships and where you want to be. With a free consultation I can get you started.

My patients benefit from psychotherapy with me because I show them not only how to feel better but get better. Getting better means learning how they make themselves upset and how to stop doing this even when life and people are blocking them. I teach skills for directly changing self-defeating behavior. I give patients tools for self-direction and emotional responsibility. I send my patients emails to prompt them to think differently between sessions. I help them to transfer the skills I teach from my office to their home and work environments. I teach people how to maintain and extend treatment gains so that they do not need to be in psychotherapy forever.

I believe that an attuned and empathic relationship is the basis for effective therapy. Therapy can provide the space to address difficult life issues with support and guidance. I work to create an atmosphere of safety and respect in which issues can emerge, be understood and resolved. Psychotherapy can lead to deep and lasting change, and empower you to live life to the fullest.

Psychotherapy is a safe place in which you learn to tell your truth. Psychotherapy has been called the "talking cure" because it has demonstrated, again and again, that telling your truth, your story, to someone who is empathetic and neutral reliefs symptoms such as depression and anxiety. However, psychotherapy is much more that just telling your truth; as a therapist, I am listening to what you are saying and what you are not saying, and I will make connections between "dots" in your life and share them with you. This process will help you look at your life, your relational patterns and your reactions from a different perspective allowing you make long lasting change.

When clients graduate from treatment, they take with them a box full of "tools", such as effective anger management techniques, avoiding confrontations that lead to negative expressions of anger, resolving conflict peacefully and quietly, making the right decisions in every aspect of life, and perseverance to always build skills against life's problems and apply them consistently.