Emotionally Focused Therapists in Somerset County, NJ

Life, work, relationships and family issues can create challenges that sometimes feel overwhelming. I can help! My approach is to offer empathy, insight and new strategies, in a warm, supportive setting. The clinical practices I use are grounded in Positive Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. My goal is to help you cultivate strengths, improve functioning, enhance satisfaction in your relationships and increase your overall sense of happiness and well being. I teach strategies that make things more manageable and help you feel like you're in charge of your life again!

My ideal client is someone who understands the areas of their life that need improvement. They have an idea of potential treatment goals for therapy and is open to the process. Additionally, they believe there are many ways to address previous traumas and can identify preferences for treatment. For example, a client who is open to incorporating journaling, meditation, or other holistic practices in addition to traditional talk therapy. My ideal client intentionally commits to the therapeutic process and is open to collaboration in the therapeutic space.

I have experience working in Community-Based, Outpatient, and hospital mental health settings as a licensed professional counselor. I am currently at Eastern University for a Doctor of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy studies for a further degree. I have a passion for working with teens, adults, and older adults to assist them in developing and finding healthy coping skills when dealing with stressors, including life transitions. My areas of expertise and special interest include depression, anxiety, coping skills, interpersonal conflict, racial identity, and stress management.

My ideal client is someone motivated to improve their life & well-being. They would be open to exploring various therapeutic techniques and strategies to better help them understand their issues, whether it be communication, relationships, anxiety, or depression. My clients will want to cultivate skills to help them navigate their challenges and take more control over their lives. Additionally, my clients will value a therapist who provides support and a nonjudgmental environment but also challenges them.

My ideal client is someone who understands the areas of their life that need improvement. They have an idea of potential treatment goals for therapy and is open to the process. Additionally, they believe there are many ways to address previous traumas and can identify preferences for treatment. For example, a client who is open to incorporating journaling, meditation, or other holistic practices in addition to traditional talk therapy. My ideal client intentionally commits to the therapeutic process and is open to collaboration in the therapeutic space.

Thinking of therapy? Ask us for the first session free, for a limited time. IPG has roughly 30 therapists over three NJ offices: Highland Park, Freehold, and Jersey City. Since 1983 we've combined compassionate care with high-level expertise. We provide individual, family, child, and relationship counseling for concerns ranging from depression to life transitions to marital strife. We have a special focus on the LGBTQ community, including transgender/GNC youth, but we see clients from all walks of life. We also have many other niche specialties such as sex therapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and eating disorders.

I believe that we all need an opportunity to understand ourselves, our experiences and our relationships with greater clarity. It is my professional goal to create a supportive and safe environment for individuals and couples to explore how they want to live, love and overcome challenges. My role is to provide tools and insights to help my clients enhance resiliency, inspire change, live more genuinely and understand themselves more completely. Choosing the right counselor for you can be a very important part of the journey. I hope to be a non-judgmental and compassionate resource along your journey.

I offer appointments (8am - 8pm) in my new office space (and online)! Creating and clearing space to change unfamiliar and familiar stress is a really big part of therapeutic healing. These struggles often cause avoidance, overthinking, big emotions, or unhelpful habits and attitudes, which tend to cycle and leave you to feel unresolved. Becoming clear about struggles, then learning new ways to cope creates room for amazing change in your today; unraveling confusion, gaining clarity and moving toward to a more, meaningful, congruent and focused life. Individuals (child-adults), couples, and families are welcome!

We are all on our unique individual life journeys, full of transitions, complex relationships with the world around us, all while navigating our identities and struggles in that process. I am here to validate that journey, all of its ups and downs as they inspire your forward-moving momentum towards becoming mindful, motivated, and fueled by self-love.

Whether you’re struggling with managing daily life, overcoming trauma, or simply feeling overwhelmed, it is my number one goal to create a safe space that will help you feel comfortable and ready to address whatever has been causing you emotional distress. I will assist you learning healthy and positive skills to help you achieve your goals both in your mental health journey, and in life! I have a strengths-based approach that focuses on my client’ strength and resilience in the face of adversity. I also uses CBT, DBT skills, trauma informed care, is solution focused, and person centered.

Kayla's specialties include working with older adults, as well as with individuals who are dealing with anxiety, chronic illness/chronic pain, grief, end of life issues, and challenges related to life transitions. Kayla also has experience providing care for individuals facing depression, body image issues, substance abuse/co-occurring disorders, and LGBTQ+ related challenges.

There’s no better time than now to live the life you want to live. It’s time to let go of what’s holding you back, so you can finally move forward. Have you always dreamed of a life where you finally feel: Comfortable in your own skin? In control of your inner-critic and anxiety? Confident in navigating challenging interactions with significant others and family members? Like the relationships in your life fill you up instead of draining all of your energy? Are you ready to make a change but not sure where to start? You’ve come to the right place.

Are you struggling in your relationship? Do you feel alone? Unappreciated? Have you tried everything to make things better, to get that spark back? It is time to get some relief. Asking for help takes courage, and you are in the right place. I want to hear your story. I work with couples to improve the strength of their relationship. Whether it is premarital/preventative help or help in dealing with longstanding issues, infidelity, or disconnection. Please do not wait another minute. See my website for more information about me, my practice, and how I can help.

What would it look like to move on from what's heavy on your heart and mind? What if you could be yourself and share whatever you want? You deserve a voice and to get "unstuck". I can help you figure out why you are having difficulty with letting go of some things and why you repeat patterns that are not working for you. I can help you move towards what you think or know you want/need. Your views will be respected and heard. I believe in offering HOPE: Honesty, Openness, Peace, & Empathy in therapy. Know that you choices and views are welcomed without judgment or criticism. So how can I make your journey better today?

Life is a journey that can sometimes seem overwhelming with no supports. You feel stuck in patterns or behaviors, wanting new ways to meet life's difficulties. Feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability understandably lead to distress, impacting relationships you have with your partner, children, friends or coworkers. I believe we live in, and are a product of our relationships - not only with others, but with our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is my belief that to operate authentically in connection to those around us, we must work to strengthen the most integral relationship we hold; the one we have with ourselves.

I imagine you're here because you're feeling fed up. You have the vision to see you need help but need the insight to spark change. I work with women to find greater balance & fulfillment in their personal & professional lives. I specialize in supporting clients navigating: motherhood; school/work; major life transitions; new personal identities. My clients are typically managing with stress, burnout, or a sense of feeling overwhelmed by expectations and pressure. If this resonates, I will meet with you, understand you as a individual, and guide you towards a plan that will specifically meet your needs.

Anxiety and depression can stop you from living life to the fullest. You just don't feel like yourself. You suffer and your relationships suffer. Often you feel stuck and hopeless but aren't clear on the cause. Conflicts that are lodged in your unconscious don't become clear until you start to talk. Talking to an experienced therapist offers you a safe place to say everything. If talking is hard and you don't know where to begin, it is my job to help you.

As we work together, my goal is to help you strengthen your self-awareness and self-esteem so that you can feel confident discerning the type of person you want to evolve into and make decisions that align with who you are at your core.

I envision an adolescent or young adult who is navigating the complexities of their teenage and adult years and seeking support to address various issues and challenges. They may be experiencing difficulties such as academic stress, low self-esteem, peer pressure, anxiety, depression, identity exploration, family conflicts, or difficulties in relationships. Teens and young adults' desire a safe and non-judgmental space where they can express their thoughts, emotions, and concerns freely.