Counseling & Therapy Centers

We are a team of compassionate and knowledgeable therapists specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). We help clients overcome depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other life difficulties in their pursuit of living more successful and happy lives.

Strength for Change (SFC) was founded by Bernard Ivin, LCSW in 2001. His mission was to train and support other therapists in the practice of CBT and make the therapy more readily available within the Mount Arlington & Wayne, NJ communities.  His passion for CBT comes from his own application of this therapy in overcoming personal difficulties and witnessing the transformative power in the lives of his clients.

If you are a parent seeking services for your child, please download our free parent handbook.  Whether you bring your child to SFC or another treatment provider, our handbook will assist you in obtaining the most appropriate care for your child.

A Parent’s Handbook: The Essential Guide To Obtaining Counseling Services For Your Child

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT has been researched perhaps more than any other psychological therapy.  It is an evidence-based therapy proven highly effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and many other mental health conditions.  Please visit the National Institute of Mental Health website (www.nimh.com) to learn more about CBT and the importance of evidence-based mental health treatments.

CBT was developed in the 1960’s by Dr. Aaron T. Beck out of the University of Pennsylvania. It is based on the idea that our thoughts determine our emotional and behavioral reactions, and that by learning to control our thoughts we are able to feel and do what’s best in order to face life’s challenges, achieve goals, and live a successful and happy life.

The goal of CBT is to teach clients how to become their own therapist using a variety of coping strategies to effectively manage their emotional and behavioral reactions. Clients learn numerous skills and strategies for restructuring negative thought patterns, generating self-motivation, changing unhealthy behaviors, and cultivating a “solution-focused” lifestyle. To see if this type of therapy is right for you, call us to get started with a therapy session or mental health screening at our Mount Arlington or Wayne, NJ locations.

Motivation-Focused Therapy for Anxiety, Depression & More

The field of psychology has made many advances over the past two decades. From talk therapy to medications and holistic treatments, doctors and therapists now have a much better understanding of how to effectively treat mental health conditions. Despite these advances, many people still struggle.

For treatment to be effective, the individual receiving treatment must be a willing participant in the process. Simply put, the best treatment plan means nothing without the client’s motivation for implementing it.

Unfortunately, most mental health conditions impair an individual’s motivation for school, work, social life, and self-care. When family and friends try to intervene, they are frustrated by the individual’s lack of responsiveness and view it as a willful act of resistance. Once the individual’s support system is frustrated in this way conflicts arise, and the individual’s mental health gets worse.

At Strength for Change (SFC), we have a treatment model that accounts for the individual’s impaired motivation. Our guiding principle is that we are responsible for helping clients cultivate the motivation that is needed for treatment success. With this in mind, we have developed numerous motivational strategies that are implemented throughout the treatment process.

Individualized & Evidence-Based Treatment

While we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we do not have a one size fits all approach to therapy. Instead, we match our therapeutic approach to the client’s symptoms, diagnosis, age, personality, and level of motivation.

This Individualized approach is based on the American Psychiatric Associations Best Practices Guidelines which advocates the use of evidence-based therapies. For example, anxiety disorders are treated with individual CBT, while ADHD is treated with a combination of academic coaching and family therapy. The condition is matched to the therapy that is proven most effective in its treatment.

In addition to raising the effective of therapy, our individualized approach also helps the client feel more deeply understood and valued. These feelings enhance the trust and collaboration between the client and therapist, and make for a more worthwhile therapy experience.

Committed to Providing Exceptional Care

We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality of care and service possible. This is not just a slogan that appears on our letterhead, but rather a self-imposed expectation that we strive to achieve with every client interaction. This is evident in many ways including our commitment to specialized training, ongoing peer supervision, and the use of client feedback forms. Read our reviews to get a sense of how clients feel about their experience at Strength for Change!