Our counselors offer counseling for teens in Edison, NJ

Jacquelyn Farasat is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She holds National Counselor Certification and is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has 8 years of experience supporting the emotional, social, and personal growth and well-being of children, adolescents, and adults in both individual and group formats.

Jacquelyn has a Master’s degree in Counseling and a Master’s degree in Education. She strives to develop a caring relationship with the client that is built on trust, respect, and collaboration. Jacquelyn integrates mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing with a strengths-based, person-centered approach to support the client in becoming his/her best self. When working with children and families, she often uses play therapy to foster relational skills, develop emotional awareness and self-regulation skills, and promote positive problem-solving. 

Jacquelyn recognizes that each client has a unique set of strengths, desires, and needs. Thus, she continually maintains flexibility and tailors strategies in response to the client’s needs and personal goals. Her goal is to encourage and empower you throughout your journey to becoming.

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 7 years of experience supporting clients through life transitions, emotional challenges, and personal growth. I specialize in helping individuals manage anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, self-doubt, and issues related to confidence, boundaries, and communication. My work is centered on creating a warm, collaborative, and grounded space where you can explore your experiences at a pace that feels right for you.

I earned my master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. My approach integrates cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused strategies, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness-based techniques. I tailor treatment to each person’s needs, focusing on building insight, developing practical coping skills, and strengthening emotional resilience.

My commitment is to help you feel supported, empowered, and understood as you navigate healing and growth. You deserve a space where you can be yourself without fear of judgment. Whether you want to process difficult emotions, gain clarity, or work through barriers affecting your well-being, I am here. I would be honored to support you on your journey.

Patricia Ruggiero is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals with anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. She has managed community programs, led clinical teams, and provided psychotherapy in agency and private settings. She works best with individuals seeking guidance, structure, and a supportive space to grow. Her ideal client is someone ready to explore meaningful change, improve emotional resilience, build greater independence in their life, and thrive.

Pat earned a Master’s in Social Work from Kean University. She uses a solution-focused, person-centered approach rooted in cognitive behavior therapy to help clients identify strengths and set goals with clarity. Her crisis intervention and advocacy experience allow her to support complex needs with compassion and structure for real-life progress.

Pat understands how overwhelming life can feel when you’re trying to navigate challenges alone. Therapy is a space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. She offers a calm, supportive environment where you will work at your pace. She would be honored to walk with you toward greater peace and confidence.

Agnes Kontoh is a Licensed Social Worker with 2 years of experience providing therapeutic services to children, adolescents, adults, and families in various mental health settings. Agnes integrates a trauma-informed and social justice-oriented perspective into her practice, ensuring that each client feels seen, heard, and supported in the context of their lived experience. Agnes has worked with clients navigating depression, trauma, anxiety, substance misuse, and ADHD.

Agnes earned a Master’s in Social Work from Montclair State University. She draws on evidence-based modalities tailored to each client’s unique needs, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, trauma-informed care, Christian counselling, strengths-based therapy, solution-focused therapy, and family systems theory.

Agnes believes that healing begins with connection and empowerment. If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply need someone to talk to, she welcomes you to reach out. Agnes is ready to meet you where you are and walk alongside you on your journey toward healing and personal growth.

Abe Clabby is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who specializes in treating relationship issues, workaholism, trauma, codependency, depression, anxiety, autism, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Abe spent the last 6 years at the Love Is Respect hotline and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, where he has seen the best and the worst that family and relationships have to offer. He is the author of "Cool Off the Burnout: Feel Better at High-Pressure Jobs".

Abe completed his master's degree in Counseling at St. Edward's University, where he earned a 3.7 GPA and spent an extra semester taking courses in marriage and family therapy. In postgraduate training like the Gottman method, Abe found what some couples do that makes them thrive. There are things that help with a partner, but they also help with our parents, our jobs, and our friends. Abe uses motivational interviewing in a client-centered way, empowering people to change the narrative and find an existential purpose for what they do and using the tools of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to get around the obstacles where people feel stuck.

Abe works with a lot of good-hearted people. They're compassionate and want to do good in the world and to help people they love. Caring people can be taken for granted, taken advantage of, and even hurt and used. They can be left feeling empty, unfulfilled, and unloved. But with the right mindset, boundaries, and self-care, they can be respected, appreciated, and live a life that they're proud of. Abe helps people care for others and in turn, care for themselves. With therapy, people can troubleshoot their troubles in jobs and relationships. Everyone has more options than they realize.

I am a Licensed Social Worker with 4 years of experience helping clients navigate life transitions, identity exploration, and the challenges of balancing relationships, work, and personal well-being. My approach is warm, collaborative, and relational, creating a space for growth and trust. I specialize in supporting individuals managing anxiety, depression, or trauma, and I have a passion for empowering young adults to build self-awareness, resilience, and meaningful connections.

I earned my Master’s in Social Work from Smith College School of Social Work. My style is trauma-informed and client-centered, integrating cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and strengths-based approaches to help clients explore emotions, build insight, and develop healthy coping skills.

Therapy with me is a collaborative process rooted in trust and empathy. I aim to help clients reconnect with their inner strengths, find balance, and create lasting change. Whether you’re processing past experiences, improving relationships, or seeking greater emotional clarity, I would be honored to support your path toward healing and growth.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of experience assisting adolescents, adults, and seniors to better manage the effects of anger, depression, anxiety, poor communication, or underdeveloped coping skills. I earned my Master's degree in Social Work from Rutgers University. I identify as a therapist, mother, wife, daughter, aunt, niece, cousin, friend, and co-worker. Wearing all of these hats has taught me to value relationships. As a therapist, I’m also a firm believer that all relationships begin with the individual. Self-awareness is the first step to a better understanding of oneself.

I value self-awareness as the cornerstone of personal growth. I believe that understanding oneself is the first step toward improving relationships with others and navigating the world more effectively. I’m dedicated to helping clients unpack past experiences, resolve internal or external conflicts, and break free from patterns.

My approach is compassionate, supportive, and non-judgmental, and I use humor to help clients feel at ease in the therapeutic space. My goal is to empower you to develop the skills and strategies necessary to live a positive, productive, and purposeful life. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, I’m here to guide you on your journey.

Hi, I’m Tara! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania with over 10 years of experience providing therapy. Through this time, I have gained a lot of experience supporting individuals on their mental health journeys. I am passionate about working with adults who are dealing with anxiety, depression, stress and grief among other things. I am also a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider and love supporting parents throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

I pride myself on providing individualized treatment. My belief is that therapy is a collaborative process that the client and therapist navigate together as a team. While my approach is eclectic, I most often utilize techniques based within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person Centered Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

Sometimes seeking help can be difficult. Whether you are fully ready to start or even just considering giving therapy a try, I invite you to schedule an appointment. I would be happy to speak with you about therapy, my approach and potential goals we can work towards together!

Marya Slater is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Professional Registered Nurse who is experienced working with individuals and couples. Her specialties include infertility issues, LGBTQ+ issues, depression, anxiety, stress management, grief, relationship issues, and chronic illness. Subscribing to the philosophy that all people bring unique perspectives and strengths to the therapeutic process, Marya strives to help clients recognize their own strengths and build on those assets within the framework of a supportive and nurturing therapeutic relationship.

Marya obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University and her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Her diverse educational background has enabled Marya to explore therapeutic issues through a broad lens. She maintained a private therapy practice in Manhattan for over 10 years. 

Marya works from a psychodynamic perspective believing that underlying patterns of behavior can be addressed by utilizing the therapeutic relationship as a vehicle for change. Rather than endorsing a singular methodology, Marya also utilizes techniques from other therapeutic perspectives such as cognitive behavioral therapy and solution-­focused approaches to help clients achieve short-­term goals while working to address deeper issues in order to live more satisfying, fulfilling lives.