“At Emerge our team strives to provide clients with the utmost quality services that are individualized to address and meet all their needs. Our approach allows clients to feel safe and comfortable as they discover the root cause of barriers in their path while simultaneously being able to make long term effective changes to prevent cycles from re-occurring. ”
MEET OUR THERAPISTS
I’ve devoted myself to mental health for 16 years now. During this time, I’ve become a wife, a mother, a therapist and life coach. My perspective is, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, healthy relationships and to truly be content in life, individuals must have the ability to acknowledge how experiences shape them. We have to be willing to learn, process and communicate to break down barriers and overcome obstacles that may be hindering us from progressing in our lives.
I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from Kean University. During my undergraduate practicum I had the opportunity to work with adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. I absolutely fell in love with the field at that point. I continued on to graduate school and received my Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from (the former) University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. During this time, I transitioned to working with adolescents and families and gained my background experience in trauma.
I have a passion to work with teens, adults and families through individual and family therapy as well as public speaking events and workshops. My goal for my clients is to help them live their best life. There is great capability for people to make changes, however, this often requires guidance, support and nurturing to get on the right path. People need to develop the right skills and tools to foster important relationships in their lives. It’s not always an easy task, but it can be done successfully when things are put in the right perspective.
I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in New Jersey.
I have passionately worked in the field of mental health for the past six years, focusing on working with families and children experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. People face so many obstacles, yet they continue to be successful despite the twists and turns that come with life. Their resilience motivates me to continue my work.
I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Child Studies at Montclair State University and my Master’s of Social Work at New York University. Through my professional work and my own personal development I found that the use of mindfulness and movement plays a significant role in maintaining healthy mental functioning and promoting self-care.
Since discovering and learning more about the benefits of movement and in my own life, I began to incorporate it in my work with children and families. Many times, children and individuals who have experienced significant trauma have difficulty finding the words to express and process through their emotions. Movement can serve as an alternative to or be a useful tool in addition to traditional talk therapy. The use of mindfulness and movement provides individuals a sense of accomplishment, work through challenges through movement, and learn more about discipline, patience, and develop physical and emotional strength.
Over the past several years, I have seen children and families empower themselves and develop new strategies to reintegrate back into their environments and interact with each other in healthier, more positive .
I don’t believe in one size fits all when it comes to our mental health. I’ve been in the field for seven years and have extensive experience working with adolescents and their families. My background consists of working with adolescents who have been diagnosed with mood disorders, eating disorder, anxiety, ADHD, suicidal ideations, and self-harming behaviors. My goal is to provide individualized treatment and help youth communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively to move towards their chosen goals as well as help families build stronger, healthier relationships with one another.
As an immigrant, I understand the importance of holding onto one’s own culture while adapting to a new culture. I am mindful of approaches that need to be used when working with adolescents and their families especially working with families or people from another culture. Sometimes, parents feel they are not able to connect with their children anymore which creates a rift in their relationship as well as their mental health. In working with families, my goal is for both children and their parents to listen and understand what exactly they are communicating with each other.
As a result of utilizing effective coping skills and having positive communication, children feel more comfortable with their natural support system to communicate the emotions they are experiencing. Also, parents are more aware of what is going in their children’s lives and have a healthier relationship with each other.