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Many Approaches to Counseling and Psychotherapy
At NJCHA, we offer a wide range of counseling services to assist in the management of emotional distress, depression and anxiety, serve as a support during times of transition, crisis and important decision making, facilitate resolution of conflict and promote change and transformation. In addition to general psychotherapy, couples, marriage and family therapy, we address multicultural issues, including sexual diversity. Our child and adolescent services division incorporates the use of many modalities, including art, play, and sand tray therapies.
NJCHA was one of the first integrated mental health and wellness centers in the country and has been offering a multidisciplinary approach to healing since 1987. Understanding that each person is a biopsychosocial being, influenced by many factors (including genetics, behavior and the environment), the emphasis at NJCHA is health of body, mind and spirit.
Creative Expressive Therapies and Art Therapy
Creative Expressive Therapies use techniques that help clients explore feelings, dreams, memories and ideas and to provide a means of creative expression for that which has no words. No artistic skill is necessary. The goal is to resolve conflict. Though a non-threatening form of therapy for children, creative expressive techniques are for people of all ages. They are especially effective when dealing with trauma, depression, and loss, recovering from abuse and for management of anger.
Hypnotherapy (or Clinical Hypnosis)
Using hypnosis as a psychological tool enables the recuperative abilities of the psyche to flow more freely. Hypnotherapy can be compared to deep meditation, helping individuals to achieve greater clarity about personal needs and wants, to explore events of life requiring resolution, or to develop a more positive attitude. Hypnosis is especially effective in smoking cessation, weight management, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and recovery from addictions.
Sand Tray Therapy
Sand Tray Therapy is a symbolic process that has the power to reach deep unconscious content without words or analysis. It works on the premise that the human psyche is capable of healing itself when given the opportunity and the right conditions. Using a tray filled with sand, participants are given minimal instructions. They select from numerous objects and then arrange their selections in the tray. The therapist is a witness to the creation of the world in sand as the process unfolds and the story is told.
Mandala Assessment (MARI Cards)
With the use of mandala drawings, symbols, colors and some dialogue, the MARI Card process can assist individuals in understanding their present states of being. An assessment and research instrument developed by Joan Kellogg, MA, ATR, it is grounded in Jungian theory and cross-cultural studies. This process can assist in understanding life issues that are seeking immediate attention. The process begins with a mandala drawing. This is a drawing in a circle, which is a universal symbol of self and wholeness. It represents the totality of the world -- one's individual world. Then, cards with symbols are selected and colors cards are chosen that help to reveal the essence of a story that is primary in the immediate moment to the individual engaged in the process. The MARI CARDS provide an experiential way to access wholeness and give focus so that action can be taken. This self discovery process is not covered by insurance.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a set of protocols used to reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts under certain conditions. Developed in 1987 by Psychologist Francine Shapiro, EMDR is often used to treat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), panic, anxiety, phobias, abuse and combat trauma. Several thousand therapists are currently incorporating EMDR into their work. Although no one knows exactly how EMDR works, it seems to have a direct effect on the way the brain functions. What we know is that traumatic experiences get locked up in the nervous system. It is as though they are "frozen" in place and in time. As a result, traumas can be activated by sounds, smells, images, and feelings. It has been said that EMDR works like a "crowbar" to unlock these experiences through sessions that induce rapid eye movement in the client while the therapist uses finger tapping and specific sounds to assist in "reprocessing" of stored information. It is as though the brain gets an opportunity to complete unfinished business. Current research is demonstrating that there seems to be a biological basis for the efficacy of EMDR.
Anger Management
Anger is a natural emotion. It has a purpose. When used constructively, it can be a motivating force for change. Anger becomes a problem only when it is misunderstood and mismanaged. Mismanagement of anger can become threatening to self, health and to others. Anger management groups and classes are psycheducational and designed to enhance personal accountability, awareness, and coping skills. Some groups and classes may be appropriate for court-mandated clients with a history of substance abuse.
Senior Services
Later life issues require special understanding and care in the counseling process. Some of the creative services for seniors include reminiscence therapy, cultivating the wisdom perspective, the management of change, bereavement and case management of complementary healthcare. Our geriatric specialist is also a certified exercise physiologist who is sensitive to the physical limitations and needs of senior adults.
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