Family Therapy in New Brunswick, NJ

With 30+ years as a helping professional, I offer extensive experience in assisting children and families to meet the challenges they face in today's world. The therapeutic relationship provides an opportunity for safe and confidential exploration of issues and difficulties. We identify ways to manage the stressors in peer and family relationships, in school/work. I collaborate with clients to utilize their unique strengths. I help to develop new skills and strategies to increase self awareness and empower clients to get unstuck and find success. I offer a compassionate presence, and use humor, creativity and playfulness in the process.

I’ve spent my whole life in search of an understanding of myself, other people, and the systems around me. I have studied biology, religion, psychology, energy medicine, shamanic healing, holistic healing, and natural health. Healing comes by creating connections across all these systems in all time and space. While studying family systems theory, I’ve found explanations for the unhealthy patterns in my own family. I’ve often felt alone, misunderstood, and stuck in life. When I connected feelings in my body to past trauma, my past, and the past of my culture and its systems, I could make life-changing shifts.

Yanela G. Stephenson, MSW, LCSW is a NJ Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board Certified, with over 27 years of experience in the field of Psychotherapy. She received her M.S.W. from the Graduate School of Social Work, Rutgers University. Ms. Stephenson is a Systems Therapist who has received training in Bowen Family Therapy, from the Family Training Institute of New Jersey. Structural therapy training was attained at the Child Guidance Clinic in Children's Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. She has also acquired substantial training in Strategic Family Therapies, Hypnosis, EMDR, DBT and other creative models of Psychotherapy.

We are wired for connection, but we experience challenges when we struggle to keep our relationships stable. Managing life can be overwhelming if we do not have the right supports in place and fail to equip ourselves with the needed tools. My goal as a therapist is to aid my clients in maintaining wellness in all areas of their life. How we think and how we feel are the greatest contributors to the reality we live. I will help you to embrace what is helping and release what no longer serves you.

Are you struggling with emotional issues? Are life's stresses becoming overwhelming for you to handle on your own? You should not suffer alone. In my practice of individual, couple and family therapy, I use psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral and family systems approaches to empower you so that you make better choices in order to solve life's problems. Considering the diversity of people and problems, I use multiple strategies in order to tailor my treatment approach to your specific issues. If you reside/work in Central New Jersey, I am conveniently located off Rt 18, Rt 1 and the NJ Turnpike.

I strive to help people become better versions of themelves. I specialize in working with individuals (adolescents and adults), couples and families struggling with trauma and stress, mood symptoms including depression and anxiety, grief and loss, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. I offer support, empathy, guidance and psychoeducation in a safe and non-judgmental therapeutic environment.

I believe in building a trusting relationship that leads to the empowerment of my clients. In our work together, my priority is for you to feel safe in being yourself and expressing your experiences. I have experience providing bilingual (English and Spanish) individual therapy and use a person-centered approach when working with clients. I am passionate about normalizing mental health treatment and I believe that access to mental health care is a right and not a privilege.

I firmly believe that all people can make great changes in their lives by developing inner strength and learning to listen to answers that come from within. Inner transformation can profoundly impact a person’s process of developing joy and tapping into limitless potential. I have been a therapist and life coach for almost 20 years. I have been trained in many modalities such as EFT (tapping), Family Constellations, Transpersonal Psychology, Exposure and Response Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Inner Family Systems, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness Approaches.

My counseling style is client-centered and collaborative. I believe that therapy is a partnership, and an important aspect of that partnership is feeling a supportive, trusting rapport with your clinician. I like to apply different techniques and aspects into therapy based on what each specific client presents with and would be helped by.

Professional - Doctoral Level - Theologically Sensitive - TeleHealth Friendly - Diagnostician & Therapist: Dr. Maddux offers tools for escaping bothersome thoughts, behaviors & reactions so you can reclaim self-control, fresh perspectives, stable relationships, energy & hope. I also understand that faith is important. I completed postdoctoral Theology & Ministry education at Princeton Theological Seminary to ethically combine faith-based tools & evidence-based psychotherapies, such as CBT & ERP. My style is time-limited & practical. Get a "Game Plan" for reaching your social, emotional & relationship goals.

Weekend Appointments Available! CLICK on link to schedule your appointment. Find Joy and Acceptance! At times, we can be challenged by phase of life adjustments and may need help in managing our life adjustments. Dr. Wickliffe treats a wide variety of challenges that individuals may be facing. She has a passion for helping people with phases of life adjustments, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, women’s issues, and challenging family dynamics.

Deciding to come for counseling can be a difficult decision. A supportive and nurturing environment is waiting when you come into the office. Together, we will create an atmosphere of trust and comfort that will allow you to explore your needs while I support you in finding solutions. My 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults dealing with issues of anxiety, depression and grief, to name a few, will help me to tailor treatment to what works best for each individual or family. My knowledge also expands to working with children, adolescents and families going through chronic and terminal medical illness.

Our lives are complex and stressful in today's world.The way we react to these stressors determines how we think about ourselves and the world. It's important to examine the origin of these thoughts and behaviors. In therapy, we explore your family of origin intergenerationally and develop connections from the past to the present. These include addictions, faulty thinking, and family roles. By exploring patterns that no longer work, we can collaborate and find better solutions.I provide a warm and safe space and treat you non-judgmentally and with respect and dignity.

I have over 15 years of counseling experience working with a wide variety of personal problems including marital and family, anxiety and depression, chronic illnesses, grief and loss, workplace adjustment, and others too numerous to list. I have specialized training and experience in stress reduction, mindfulness, Enneagram, and family problems. I have a graduate decree in Christian counseling and work closely with people of faith.

I focus on helping clients of all ages and backgrounds heal their pain, overcome their challenges, develop their strengths, resources and resilience and accomplish their goals. I provide a positive, integrative, comprehensive approach, treating a broad range of mood, behavioral and relationship challenges. I have 30 years experience with children and adults in individual, couples, family and parent/child modalities.

An important, positive, life event occurs when you decide to seek therapy. It is not an easy decision. Should you decide to call me, you can anticipate that it will be a gentle, informative and positive experience. Clients describe me as being upbeat, easygoing and knowledgable. While I generally use Cognitive, Behavioral Treatment, I am trained in a variety of treatment modalities which can be tailored to your needs. What will always happen is hope as we work together to repair what I often describe as "broken dreams."

I have always believed my purpose in life has been to be an advocate and voice for others who would otherwise remain silent and unheard. Counseling has allowed me to fulfill that purpose for my clients and throughout my professional career, I have provided compassionate counseling services in varied social service settings. I am an experienced, dedicated and insightful mental healthcare professional with over 25 years experience in both individual, family and group counseling. My experiences are broad and cover academic and career counseling which evolved into job coaching for young to older adults from many walks of life.

Has life become overwhelming and left you feeling stuck? Are you struggling with improving your personal wellness and meeting life goals? Have you been reluctant to try therapy or have other therapeutic treatments failed? Together we can develop a treatment plan that is designed specifically for you. My focus is on helping individuals, couples and families understand emotions and learn how to communicate more effectively, thus creating an atmosphere of peace, harmony and growth.

It has been my professional privilege over the last 25 years to provide counseling to married couples, families and individuals who were struggling with various relationship challenges, personal crisis and family conflicts. I have also had to opportunity to provide extensive one on one personal counseling to many individuals who were struggling with depression, general anxiety, grief, anger issues, abusive relationships, sexual assault, and personal trauma. Many of these clients were wonderfully helped, healed, given new hope and were taught new relationship survival and coping skills that they are now able to use to enhance their relationships and personal lives.