Profession: Clinical Social Worker; Psychotherapist; Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist; Psychoanalyst; Marital and Family Therapist

Services:

Psychotherapy/Counseling; Court Ordered Evaluations; Forensic Evaluations; Psychological Evaluations; Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy; Psychoanalysis.

Depressed, anxious, problems in a relationship. These are some of the issues that people bring into therapy. As I see it, therapy needs to provide a non-judgmental, accepting and supportive space to work on the problems one faces. I strive to treat each person as a unique individual, helping them to direct the treatment that will move them beyond the problems that they are now facing to a life that is hopefully more fulfilling and less painful. It is my aim to help each individual to deal with the issues that are affecting them and causing them the emotional pain that has lead them to seek psychotherapy. I seek to truly listen to each person, to deal with them with respect and work with them as the unique individual that they are. No two people are the same and I do not provide a cookie cutter approach to the work that I do. Each person has his or her own needs, pains, strengths and issues that need addressing.

Patients have described me as 'caring, nurturing, gentle, and direct' as a therapist. Through psychotherapy, we can help make sense of what is feeling wrong, relieve your anxiety and depression, heal wounds, sadness and anger from relationships, grieve losses, and help you improve your self-esteem and regain your ability for closeness and intimacy.

I specialize in working with adults with depression or anxiety and difficulties in relationships and with children and adolescents with depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD and behavioral difficulties. Too often the focus is exclusively on the symptoms and the underlying problems are ignored. In that situation, problems will resurface in a short time, as the causes for the difficulties have not been dealt with. While the symptoms obviously have to be addressed, I believe that all too often the causes for the difficulties are not addressed in short-term highly structured therapy. Psychotherapy needs to look at causes and not simply the overt symptoms.

During the 30 years that I have been in practice I have worked with individuals with a wide variety of difficulties. The issues have ranged from depression and anxiety to difficulties in relationships with spouses, friends, and children/parents. I have worked with suicidal individuals and with those facing crises in their home or work situations. I work with children and adolescents with a wide variety of difficulties from ADD/ADHD to oppositional behavior, depression and drug problems. As well I have specialized in treating individuals who suffer from PTSD, and histories of sexual and/or physical abuse. In other words, I work with the variety of problems that people develop as they live, work, grow and develop in our society.

I have a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Michigan. Subsequently to this I studied for 8 years at the British Psychoanalytic Society/Institute of Psychoanalysis in London to become an Adult Psychoanalyst. I also spent 4 years studying at The Anna Freud Centre In London in their Training program in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis. I am Board Certified and a Fellow of the International Psychoanalytic Association.

I provide Individual Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis with children, adolescents and adults. I also treat couples in Marital Therapy and work with families in Family Therapy.

Office Hours

Monday 7:00 am - 10:30 pm, Tuesday 7:00 am -10:30 pm, Wednesday 7:00 am -10:30 pm, Thursday 7:00 am -10:30 pm, Friday 7:00 am -10:30 pm, Sunday 11:00 am -3:30 pm.

Practice Specialties:

Depression; Self-esteem; Anxiety Disorders/Phobias; ADD/ADHD; Adjustment Disorders; Adoption Issues; Bipolar Disorder; Child Abuse; Conduct Disorder; Dissociative Disorders; Gender Identity Disorder; Grief/Loss; Impulse Control Disorders; Oppositional Defiant Disorder; Parenting Issues; PTSD; Relationship Issues; Schizophrenia and/or Other Psychoses; Sexual Abuse; Women's Issues

Age Specialties:

Children, Adolescents and Adults

Session Formats:

Individual, Couples and Family

Treatment Approaches:

Cognitive/Cognitive-Behavioral; Developmental; Interpersonal; Object Relations; Play Therapy; Psychoanalytic Psychodynamic; Psychoanalysis

Demographic Specialties: Jewish

Education:

B.A, Oakland University, 1971; M.S.W., University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1979; Qualified Psychoanalyst (MBPAS) British Psychoanalytic Institute, 1996

License #:44SC05161300 LCSW in New Jersey

Additional Licenses/ Certifications:

Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work; Fellow, International Psychoanalytic Association

Professional Affiliations:

* International Psychoanalytic Association * New York Freudian Society * American Psychoanalytic Association * New Jersey Institute for Training in Psychoanalysis * Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy of New Jersey * Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers * National Organization of Forensic Social Workers * International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy

I have practiced as a Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychotherapist, serving the people of Bergen County for years. I have experience with the differing and diverse population in this area and would like to be able to help you in your time of need.

In my work as a Marital Therapist I find that most couples are attempting to save their relationship and make it work. Try to imagine how your relationship was in the beginning. I will help you build on those feelings, so that you can find the love that you have lost.

I work with traditional and non traditional couples who are: dating, in long term relationships, living together, engaged, newly weds or couples who have been married for years.

Some people say to me "Are you in favor of saving the marriage?" My answer to them is:" Yes, as long as it is not physically and/or emotionally destructive to either of you." Relationships are one of the most important things in our lives and it's not always easy to get along with so many difficult situations that arise.

During my 30 years of being a marital therapist, I have learned that there are many things we can do to help couples with problems. I can teach you how to: improve communications; deal with emotional pain, and anger.

Together we can figure what has gone wrong and what it takes to rebuild your relationship. Not attempting to hide the problems, but instead facing them and working them through. I will help you to find answers to difficult problems in your relationship. If we look at what makes a "Good Marriage" we can see what some of the tasks are in Marital Therapy and also see why sometimes Individual therapy is needed as well as Marital.

Nine Psychological Tasks for a Good Marriage

Research on what makes a marriage work shows that people in a good marriage have completed these psychological "tasks":

- Separate emotionally from the family you grew up in; not to the point of estrangement, but enough so that your identity is separate from that of your parents and siblings. - Build togetherness based on a shared intimacy and identity, while at the same time set boundaries to protect each partner's autonomy. - Establish a rich and pleasurable sexual relationship and protect it from the intrusions of the workplace and family obligations. - For couples with children, embrace the daunting roles of parenthood and absorb the impact of a baby's entrance into the marriage. Learn to continue the work of protecting the privacy of you and your spouse as a couple. - Confront and master the inevitable crises of life - Maintain the strength of the marital bond in the face of adversity. The marriage should be a safe haven in which partners are able to express their differences, anger and conflict. - Use humor and laughter to keep things in perspective and to avoid boredom and isolation. - Nurture and comfort each other, satisfying each partner ís needs for dependency and offering continuing encouragement and support. - Keep alive the early romantic, idealized images of falling in love, while facing the sober realities of the changes wrought by time.

Practical Issues:

Fee Schedule:

My standard fee is $175 per session. I have a limited sliding scale dependent upon the individuals financial situation

Accepted Insurance: Any PPO which has out of network benefits; Any Out of Network Plan

Insurance and Billing Instructions:

I accept cash or check in payment. I accept most PPO and Traditional Master Medical insurance and also provide sliding scale rates for individuals who are uninsured, if there are financial issues. However, due to the intrusion of managed behavioral health companies in the delivery of appropriate treatment, I am no longer accepting insurance contracts which restrict the quality of care I can provide.

As an LCSW in New Jersey, all insurances that have out of network benefits must reimburse for my services.

Office Hours: 8:00 am-10:00 pm Monday-Friday and 10:00 am- 6:00 pm Sunday.

Driving Directions: Nearest Major cross streets are Kinderkamack and Midland Ave.. From Route 17 take Midland Ave. Towards River Edge. Turn Left on Bogert Rd. go 2 blocks, road turns into Elizabeth St. I am second House on Left. My office is at the back of my house. Drive to the end of the driveway and go to the back door. If you hit Kinderkamack on Midland Ave. you have gone two blocks too far.