Faq

Therapy is a process that happens through a relationship with an outside, objective observer.

After treatment, you will have the fantastic, powerful feeling that “you can handle it.”

Therapy allows you to have someone in your life who listens to you in a caring and empathic way—helping you to gain insight into current struggles, to identify unhealthy patterns, and to teach you new techniques to achieve an inner sense of safety, self-control, and calm.

Therapy for children is similar but also provides a consistent, nurturing, safe space for them to learn how to express and handle their emotions successfully.

Everyone! Everyone at some point in their life can benefit from therapy.

The truth is that most people who use therapy are ordinary, functioning individuals who are struggling with some transition or obstacle in their life that just isn’t working, and they need a little help getting past it.

Some of the people I see use therapy to overcome an episode of depression or anxiety…

Some use it to learn new communication or parenting techniques or to strengthen relationships in their lives…

And some choose therapy to help them make an adjustment to a life transition like marriage, motherhood, or a new career.

Children benefit from therapy, too, for most of the same reasons.

It builds their self-esteem, which is very important for healthy growth and development.

With a solid sense of self, your child will be better able to manage their feelings, contain their behaviors, experience a sense of confidence, and engage in healthy relationships throughout their life.

Your child will gain confidence and skills on how to handle future problems more efficiently.

I do! I offer a free initial 50-minute session face-to-face in my office.

Therapy is a process that happens through a relationship, so it is essential that we are a good fit for one another.

Therapy is transformative when you feel comfortable and at ease in the relationship. I have found that if the parent feels at ease with me, your child will be as well.

While most people connect with my approach to therapy, I may not be your cup of tea. I want to make sure you and your family are getting the help you need—even if it’s not with me.

It’s going to feel a lot more comfortable and relaxed than you would have imagined.

You may even be surprised about how many details of your life you are sharing. You may also think, “I don’t normally tell people that.”

We’ll talk about what brought you into therapy, what you hope to get out of the experience, and how you’ll know if it’s working or if you’re making any progress.

We’ll talk about your likes, dislikes, hopes, past experiences, fears or concerns about therapy—or anything else that might be on your mind.

You’ll also be able to ask any questions you might have about me as a therapist, my experience, or the process as a whole.

Call me for a free, no obligation, 20-minute phone consultation.

On our call, we will discuss what’s going on and any questions you have.

If we are a good fit to work together, we can review pricing options and availability to schedule the initial session.

I currently do not deal with any insurance directly. I am considered an “out-of-network” provider.

I am happy to provide you with what’s called a “superbill” so that you can submit it to your insurance.

Food for thought is that many individuals are choosing not to use their mental health insurance benefits.

They value choosing the specialist they want and having more personal privacy.

In addition, insurance demands diagnosis, and many parents do not want to worry about that for their child.

They also value not being told what kind of treatment they’ll have, where it will be, and how it will be done.

You can call me or fill out the contact form below.

I am trained in a variety of ways (modalities), and I use what makes the most sense for each situation.

I believe that therapy is a living, breathing process, so flexibility is integral.

Each family, child, and situation is unique and presents itself in different ways. Because of that, there are many different possibilities for how therapy can look.

I can see children individually, with their parents, or even in their homes. I can use play therapy with young children and can also incorporate this into treatment with older children. I can also see parents alone or as a couple.

How we work together is something we will determine collaboratively… based on what makes the most sense for the situation, the child’s personality and needs, and the parents’ concerns.

I earned my Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Fordham University and my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fairfield University. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I am continually reading, attending professional development, and consuming whatever research I can find especially on parenting, child development, anxiety, and depression.

When talking to children, I always like to be honest, open, and empathic.

You can say something like, “I know we’ve been having a hard time lately with these big feelings of sadness, anger, worry, or fear. I also know it’s hard to know what to do when we feel these feelings, and sometimes it can be confusing. So, we get to meet with a very nice lady who helps boys, girls, and even Mommies and Daddies, too, to help us understand those feelings and what we can do to help us handle those big feelings.”

Becoming a parent to a newborn or infant is one of the most beautiful experiences, but it is also one of the most difficult and scary at the same time.

There is a very steep learning curve, and you’re tired, cranky, and overwhelmed. Parents can feel like they are drowning—so much so that they struggle to feel a connection with their new baby.

Sometimes babies are fussy, and their behaviors are difficult to understand, which makes meeting their needs that much more challenging.

Infant/parent therapy can help parents understand their unique child, learn ways to connect with the child, and promote positive and healthy attachment. With my help, parents have a chance to closely watch and listen to their baby as well as reflect on their feelings about their baby and parenting.

I can help the parents uncover what stresses them out about their baby and parenting. They will then learn how to understand and manage those feelings, so those feelings don’t result in an insecure attachment, or future child behavior problems.

Find me on Facebook.

There is no one-size-fits-all, silver-bullet technique for parenting.

I often tell parents to listen to their instincts. You are the expert on your child. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right for your family, regardless of what you may have read.

For example, parents often ask if they should let their babies cry it out, if co-sleeping is a dirty word, if rewards, charts, and time-outs are THE answer to good behavior, and so on.

NO.

You’ve probably heard that these things are the right thing to do… but you know that it just doesn’t feel right for you and your family.

I can help you find the best ways for YOU to support your child’s healthy social, emotional growth and development and feel confident at the end of each day how you handled each parenting situation.

Yes! I think therapy is a process that happens through a relationship. It is difficult to form a relationship when you know nothing about the other person.

While I believe in modeling good boundaries, I also believe in using my personality, worldview, relationship skills and life experiences to help you in any way it may apply.

Dogs. I just love their playful, affectionate, and loyal natures. They let you know that no matter what, they love you and always will.

Yes, please! (I take mine with milk and love chocolate chip cookies, ha!) Really, I want you to feel as comfortable as possible, and whatever you need to feel that way, you do you!