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Discover how starting child therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
Life constantly presents challenges and complexities; however, when met with the empathy and support of a therapist, they are neve...
About
Life constantly presents challenges and complexities; however, when met with the empathy and support of a therapist, they are never faced alone.
Lauren Nickerson is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of New Jersey with over 3 years of experience in mental health care. She is passionate about providing therapeutic care for adolescents and adults who are seeking coping skills and support to manage life’s difficulties. Lauren specializes in anxiety, depression, stress management, life transitions, women’s issues, and more. At Rutgers University, Lauren earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) following the completion of her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
Lauren utilizes a variety of evidence-based therapies based on the client’s needs, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic, and internal family systems. Lauren’s approach to treatment is person-centered and culturally sensitive, as her goal is to ensure that each client feels understood, validated, and respected.
Starting therapy is a vulnerable experience, but it does not have to be intimidating. Lauren strives to offer a welcoming, collaborative environment where you begin to realize your strengths, inherent value, and worth as you find your most authentic self. When the time feels right, Lauren is ready and eager to meet you!
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I connect with and understand the emotional, spiritual and mental health strain placed on us by our present-day society....
I connect with and understand the emotional, spiritual and mental health strain placed on us by our present-day society.
Kathryn Ashley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LCSW, LICSW) who has over 35 years of experience providing clinical assessments and therapeutic care for adults with a diverse range of clinical needs, including addiction, depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, and life transitions.
Kathryn completed her Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Niagara University, Niagara Falls NY, and received her Master's degree in Social Work from Yeshiva University-New York. Kathryn utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strengths-based therapy (SBT), solutions-focused therapy (SFT), and mindfulness approaches.
Kathryn's success lies within her ability to put clients at ease, ensuring their well-being is her focus. She has cultivated relationships with her clients empowering them with greater strength, sensitivity, and perseverance in pursuit of their mental health goals. Kathryn hopes to work with you to accomplish whatever you set your mind to—go online or give our office a call today.
Having come from the foster care system, I can relate to and understand the importance of mentorship, resilience, acceptance, and ...
Having come from the foster care system, I can relate to and understand the importance of mentorship, resilience, acceptance, and access to social supports.
Alexander "Alex" Arici is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over 4 years of experience, who specializes in the treatment of individuals experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, depression, personality disorders, and more. He is passionate about serving the needs of youth and young adults, as well as any who are navigating the struggles of managing life transitions throughout middle and late adulthood.
Alex was able to complete a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Montclair State University. He is a former foster care youth with personal experiences of navigating "the system" with all of its ups and downs. His eclectic approach draws from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), person-centered therapy (PCT), mindfulness, and motivational interviewing (MI).
Life is complicated and hard enough as it is with all its joys and hardships. Therapy can be a place for you to be and express yourself without having to worry about what anyone else thinks about you. It's a place for you to safely self-reflect and build the life you desire. Alex cares about your growth and well-being. Go online or give the office a call to start working with him: You'll learn the tools, techniques, and strategies that you'll need to navigate this thing we call life.
I am a male therapist with 10 years of clinical experience. During my career, I have gained extensive training on how to be a mult...
I am a male therapist with 10 years of clinical experience. During my career, I have gained extensive training on how to be a multiculturally competent therapist. This has allowed me to work with people of different races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. I create an atmosphere of trust with my clients while building a therapeutic relationship. By demonstrating empathy, sympathy, and positive regard, I give my clients a space to be themselves while they work on becoming their better selves.
Georges Dubois is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 10 years of experience in the mental health field. He is passionate about working with adults, families, and couples. Georges specializes in depression, drug and alcohol use, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, relationship issues, and major life transitions. During his career, Georges has worked in a variety of mental health settings including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programs. Georges completed his Master of Science in Psychological Counseling at Monmouth University.
Georges has also worked with different populations that include adolescents/young adults, adults, clients in recovery, and couples. Georges utilizes multiple treatment approaches including mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy.
Wherever you are in your mental health journey, Georges would love to play a role in helping you become the best version of yourself. He firmly believes that every therapist needs a therapist, and knows the importance of developing a good therapeutic relationship with one’s therapist. He looks forward to talking to you soon. Be well.
I understand how isolating it can feel to navigate life’s challenges without support, which is why I’m passionate about creating a...
I understand how isolating it can feel to navigate life’s challenges without support, which is why I’m passionate about creating a space where you feel seen, heard and understood.
Hi, I'm Nahshira McKay, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families. I work with clients navigating identity, relationship concerns, emotional regulation, and life transitions, and I strive to create a space where you can show up as your full, authentic self—without fear of judgment. I earned my Master of Social Work from Rutgers University. Working with diverse populations facing anxiety, depression, trauma, and co-occurring challenges has shaped my ability to meet you where you are—whether you're overwhelmed, stuck, or looking for support, clarity, and growth.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and strengths-based. I believe you already have the capacity for change, and my role is to help you tap into those strengths while building practical tools along the way. I incorporate evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), tailored to your unique needs.
I'm especially passionate about working with individuals exploring their identity, as well as couples and families who want to improve communication, rebuild trust, and strengthen their connections. My goal is to help you feel heard, supported, and empowered to create meaningful, lasting change in your life.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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Child therapy, also known as counseling for kids, helps young individuals better understand and manage the challenges that affect their mental health. Common challenges amongst kids include behavioral issues, trauma, bullying, depression, and anxiety. All ages of children can attend and benefit from child therapy at Thriveworks .
Child therapy works by using multiple techniques tailored to fit the child’s needs based on their age group, their challenges, and the severity of their challenges. It might involve play therapy for younger kids or cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, art therapy, and others for varying ages. In any case, Thriveworks child therapists in , NJ have the expertise and experience to help kids at their level.
Child therapy is a type of therapy meant for clients within a specific age group, while play therapy is an approach to therapy that helps children with self-expression and stress relief, among others. Play therapy is a technique that is often used in child therapy to help children express what’s running through their minds when they do not have the words to express their thoughts and emotions. It can get children to express what’s wrong, what might be causing unwanted behaviors, or what they might need in a way that is accessible to them so that therapists can then work to treat the issue.
It’s not always obvious when a child should see a therapist for their behavior, though in the midst of challenges like divorce, loss, bullying, and other mental health conditions, it’s often a good idea to seek it out. Common behaviors that can indicate a need for child therapy include separation anxiety, bedwetting (at inappropriate ages), and agitation/excessive irritability — especially if it reaches a point of physical violence.
Cognitive behavioral therapy at Thriveworks in , NJ is one of the best types of therapy for children. However, it can be administered in child therapy sessions in a variety of ways that are more accessible to young minds, such as play therapy.
Child therapy at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
The length of child therapy depends on your child’s needs as well as the goals that you and their therapist might have for them. Generally, child therapy sessions will last for several months.
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
Being a child should mean playing with your friends until the daylight starts to disappear. Whispering during sleepovers when you hear your parents walk down the hallway. Making up silly dances to your favorite songs while you sing at the top of your lungs. When kids transition into teens, they start going to football games together, grab milkshakes after a movie, and swap their favorite playlists. Now, if only every child and teenager only had these types of memories. Unfortunately, things happen in life that cause them emotional and mental stress. As a parent, this can be hard to watch, and you would do everything in your power to take away their burden and make everything better.
I think as you’re growing up, your emotions are just as deep as they are when you’re an adult. Your ability to feel lonely, longing, confused, or angry are just as deep. We don’t feel things more as we get older.” – Spike Jonze
Like in the above quote mentions, children and teens experience heartaches, turmoil, and challenges just as adults do. Because they are still growing and learning, coping with these things can be much harder for them to process than adults. That’s why when your child or teen is experiencing something tough, it’s important to reach out for help. At Thriveworks New Jersey, we have child therapists who dedicate themselves to understanding and helping these young minds through the difficulties of life. If your little one or teen could use some extra guidance from a trusted outsider, consider reaching out to us today.
Everyone can benefit from talking to a third-party voice about our challenges and troubles, especially young minds who don’t have fully developed communication skills. If your child seems unhappy, or something is just slightly off even if everything appears to be okay, a licensed therapist can help them navigate their challenges and equip them with skills to move forward happier and healthier.
There are many reasons why parents may seek out the help of a child therapist. Common issues we see kids facing include:
Our goal is to help your child work through whatever challenge they are facing. If you don’t see their specific situation on the list, don’t worry. Our counselors are trained in helping work through a myriad of issues that children face. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to ask for help. With your continued undeniable love and our therapeutic techniques, we can get your son or daughter back to being a kid again.
Child therapy has the same principles as regular adult therapy – we want to help them tackle the obstacles in their way and learn how to maneuver future conflicts with ease. At Thriveworks New Jersey Counseling, our child psychologists have been trained to meet children where they are at mentally and on a level they can understand. To achieve these, they will assess your child to pinpoint where the root cause of their turmoil is. Then with their findings, the counselor will create a treatment plan based on the child’s specific needs and goals. To do so, they may use a variety of different methods including:
These are just a few of the methods used for child therapy. Online child therapy also offers additional benefits to our clients such as ease, comfort, and effectiveness. You don’t have to worry about your son or daughter receiving less quality of care when done virtually. In some cases, kids may even make more meaningful progress virtually than in person. You and your little one can choose between telephone counseling or video chat counseling. We recommend trying out both options if you’re unsure of which direction to take.
When you’re ready to get started and help your child move on from the things holding them back, consider working with one of our compassionate counselors at Thriveworks New Jersey Counseling. We do not operate on a waitlist and can get your child into their first appointment within 24 hours of your initial call. We are client-focused and believe you should get the help you need, when you need it.
To get started, visit our online booking system or give us a call to be connected with a scheduling specialist. We have flexible scheduling options that surely will fit your schedule. We can’t wait to hear from you.
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