Find a Therapist in Prospect Park, New Jersey.

One of the most life altering actions when seeking to gain traction in the struggle to live a satisfying life is the choice to work with a therapist. It signals a ground-breaking change in our approach to meeting the challenges we face; demonstrating a shift that embraces the possibility of tapping into knowledge and support outside our own skull. Most of us have a better ability to see and understand the actions and motivation of others than our own. We all have personal blind spots. This is evident early in therapy, when one experiences striking progress as a result of new insights gained in therapy.

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.

Individuals at Emerge- The Counseling and Coaching Center find greatest success through the Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) approach. This approach helps you connect your thoughts and behaviors to your actions. Not only will you gain and understanding of your past situations and relationships, but you will develop the skills to effectively change the course of your future.

My practice is based on an Integrative approach to psychotherapy and health and lifestyle. Expanded creativity and general ability for one to make positive changes is the goal. Neuro scientific research has shown that psychoanalysis evokes lasting change. Psychoanalysis makes use of metaphor, dreams, art, writing, and poetry for individual expression.

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.

Psychotherapy is something that can help you understand yourself better, and how you function in the world. It can help you understand patterns in your life that may be troubling for you and help to create positive change. I work with people to help them understand their belief systems, the meanings they make of experiences, as well as understanding messages they received from their families. People need a safe place to open up and explore these issues with confidentiality, which is something I provide for my clients.

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.

When I work with clients in psychotherapy my focus is on careful listening to their emotional experience and responses. I am especially attuned to listening and learning about the quality of their closest connections. Oftentimes when an individual, couple or family is in pain it is nearly always an indication that their most important relationships are suffering in some way. My listening and responses are focused on the clients experiences with those that matter most to them and to help them find ways to express what they truly need and want from those that they are most emotionally dependent upon. I help them connect with that vulnerable place within them.

Psychotherapy is the path to self knowledge, to help you find cliarity in not only what you want, but why you feel a certain way that you do. Over the years we endure traumas and life events that impact how we feel about ourselves and how we interact with the world around us. Through psychotherapy we can explore what it is that you want and who it is that you are.

I recognize that no two people are alike and there is no one size fits all for treatment. I work collaboratively with clients to identify the specific needs and challenges that they would like to address. Together, we then determine which interventions will likely be most helpful for achieving one’s goals. I have extensive experience helping clients with a variety of challenges, including managing acute and chronic stressors, overcoming mood and anxiety symptoms, managing relational stress, gaining control of self-defeating habits and behaviors, and coping with sudden and expected losses.

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.

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.

Psychotherapy is at the core of everything I do. It's a space to slow down, look honestly at what's been driving your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and start making sense of patterns you may not have even noticed before. I draw from a range of evidence-based modalities, including EMDR, Brainspotting, CBT, DBT, and somatic work, tailoring the approach to what you actually need rather than fitting you into a predetermined framework. Over time, clients develop deeper self-awareness, healthier coping skills, and a stronger sense of who they are and what they want. Real, lasting change is possible. Sometimes you just need the right space to do the work.