Welcome to
Strength for Change
We are a team of compassionate, expertly trained, and highly skilled therapists.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Anxiety, Depression, & Other Mental Health Conditions in Wayne, New Jersey

Strength for Change is a group practice of compassionate, expertly trained, and highly skilled therapists specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the treatment of anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance abuse, and other mental health conditions. We offer a variety of services including individual, couples/marriage, and family counseling. All our therapists have extensive experience working with adults and children ages 11-17 and they are committed to providing their clients with the highest quality of care and service possible.

Strength for Change was established in 2001 with the goal of training therapists in CBT and making this powerful evidence-based counseling more accessible in the communities we serve from our Mt. Arlington and Wayne offices. Our passion for CBT
comes from the abundance of research supporting its effectiveness and witnessing its transformative power in the lives of our clients.

To learn more about CBT and our evidence-based approach to treatment, download our emotional toolkit. It will give you a comprehensive overview of our treatment model and how it can benefit you in your journey towards healing, recovery, and personal empowerment. Click below.

Insurance & the Cost of Treatment:

All Strength for Change therapists are out-of-network providers. If you have out-of-network coverage, your insurance company will reimburse you 50-90% of your out-of-pocket costs for services.

Strength for Change therapists are NOT members of any in-network insurance panels.
If you only have in-network coverage, you will NOT receive any reimbursement from your insurance company and will incur the full cost of services.

While most of our clients are reimbursed 70-80% of their out-of-pocket cost,
reimbursement rates can vary greatly. We encourage you to speak with your insurance
provider to determine the nature of your policy, exact reimbursement rate, and how to submit claims.

Payment is made at the time of each scheduled appointment. Your therapist will provide you with a payment voucher that you submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. The reimbursement is sent directly to you, not your Strength for Change therapist.

Available Counseling Services:

At Strength for Change, we offer a comprehensive range of mental health services for individuals, couples, and families. The service you choose is tailored to your age, personality, diagnosis (if applicable), life circumstances, and goals. Learn more about our services and how they can benefit you or a loved one:

  • Individual Counseling: Individual counseling will support you in understanding, managing and overcoming emotional, behavioral, and relationship difficulties. Our individual counseling will be tailored to your specific needs and goals and will provide you with numerous coping tools for managing and overcoming your life’s difficulties. Your first counseling session will be scheduled within 3-7 days of your initial contact with Strength for Change.
  • Couples/Marriage Counseling: Couples/marriage counseling will support you and your partner in improving your communication skills, rebuilding trust, resolving conflict, and restoring intimacy. Your first couples/marriage counseling session will be scheduled within 3-7 days of your initial contact with Strength for Change.
  • Family Counseling: Family counseling will support you in developing the interpersonal and parenting skills necessary for addressing family issues, restoring peace and order in your home, and cultivating a cooperative family environment. Your first family counseling session will be scheduled within 3-7 days of your initial contact with Strength for Change.
  • Mental Health Screening: Our mental health screening service is intended for students mandated to participate in a “risk assessment” by their school districts due to concerns regarding their mental health and related safety. The benefit of this service is that it provides you (the parent or guardian) with an alternative to taking your child to the hospital ER for the mandated screening, which can take several hours and cause significant emotional distress for you and your child. Your child’s mental health screening will be scheduled within the same day as your initial contact with Strength for Change.
  • Substance Abuse Evaluations: Our substance abuse evaluation service is intended for individuals (children and adults) mandated to participate in a substance abuse evaluation by their school, employer, or the criminal justice system. The benefit of this service is it provides you with an alternative to obtaining your mandated evaluation from a substance abuse treatment facility. Since Strength for Change is not a substance abuse treatment facility, this assures you that there is no conflict of interest with regards to the objectivity of the evaluation, its findings, and related follow up recommendations. Your substance abuse evaluation will be scheduled within 72 hours of your initial contact with Strength for Change.

Whether you are seeking services for yourself or your child, we are confident that one of our dedicated therapists will be able to effectively meet your clinical needs.

The Benefit of Choosing Strength for Change as Your Treatment Provider:

All Strength for Change therapists are out-of-network providers. As such, we understand the financial investment you are making in your treatment and will always go above and beyond to provide you with the highest quality of care and service you deserve. In choosing one of our therapists as your treatment provider, you are guaranteed to experience many benefits, including the following:

  • Direct Communication: You will be able to communicate directly with your therapist via his or her cell phone, including off hours and weekends for urgent matters. Your calls and other communications will be returned in a timely manner.
  • Minimal Wait Time: You will receive a call back within 24 hours of your initial contact with our office, and you will be scheduled for your first appointment within one week. Your appointments will always start within 10 minutes of your scheduled time. If your therapist is running late, you will be notified via text so that you are not inconvenienced.
  • Flexible Appointment Options: You will have the option of day, evening, or weekend in-person or virtual appointments. In-person appointments will take place in professional offices conveniently located off two major highways, handicapped- accessible, well-furnished, and clean. Virtual sessions will occur on a secure platform meeting all HIPAA privacy standards.
  • Individualized Care: You will participate in a comprehensive mental health assessment and be informed of your diagnosis (if applicable) and related individualized treatment plan. Your treatment plan will consist of evidence-based therapies that are consistent with the American Psychiatric Association’s Best Practices Guidelines.
  • The Highest Standard of Confidentiality: Your information will be held to the highest standard of confidentiality. Since we are an out-of-network provider, not even your insurance company will have access to your treatment information without your written consent.
  • Additional Clinical Support: If you feel your counseling is not progressing satisfactorily or are in any way dissatisfied with the counseling you are receiving, at zero cost, you can consult with our Clinical Director (Bernard Ivin, LCSW) for a second opinion and, if need be, a revised treatment plan.
FAQS

We treat anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance abuse, relationship difficulties, and other life difficulties. Each therapist has different areas of expertise. You can learn about our therapists by clicking the therapist link on the menu bar. This will help you determine which of our therapists best matches your needs. You can also call our office for additional information. We will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Our therapists are independent contractors and not employees of Strength for Change, LLC. Each therapist is independently licensed and insured and takes sole responsibility for their clients and the quality of care they provide.

Children age 5-10

Adolescents age 10-17

Adults age 18-75

YES – If you have out-of-network coverage, your insurance company will most likely reimburse you a percentage of the cost of services. Most of our clients are reimbursed 70%-80% of their out-of-pocket costs. As you pay at the time of each therapy session, you are given an insurance voucher with all the necessary information. You submit the voucher to your insurance provider, who reimburses you directly.

Reimbursement rates can vary greatly. We encourage you to speak with your insurance provider before your first scheduled therapy session to figure out the exact nature of your policy, the proper procedure for submitting claims, and the expected reimbursement rate.

NO – If you only have in-network coverage, your insurance company will NOT reimburse you for the cost of therapy. We are not members of any in-network insurance panels.

Some insurance companies do require pre-authorization for mental health services. If you have any concerns regarding your pre-authorization, we encourage you to speak to your insurance provider before you attend your first scheduled appointment.

Our fees vary among therapists and the services that are provided. Please call our office at (973) 668-9577 (ext. 1), and we will be happy to provide you with all the necessary information regarding our fees.

We accept cash, checks, and credit cards (Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express).

We aim to contact you within 24 hours of your first phone call and schedule your first appointment within 3-7 days.

The initial session is usually an hour; subsequent sessions are 45-60 minutes long.

Most patients attend therapy once a week. However, the frequency of therapy will vary depending on the nature of your difficulties and treatment goals. You and your therapist will decide the best session frequency for you.

The length of treatment varies a great deal depending on many factors. Some life difficulties can be resolved in just a few sessions, while others take longer. You and your therapist will regularly discuss your progress and your readiness to graduate from treatment.

Yes, all our therapists have evening hours, and some are available on the weekend. We always try our best to accommodate your schedule.

We do not prescribe medication. If you need medication, we will help you get those services from a qualified physician, psychiatrist, neurologist, or nurse practitioner.

If you come in for treatment on your own accord, you and your therapist can determine which treatment services best meet your needs. If you are being mandated for services by your school, employer, or the legal system, then treatment will be determined by the nature of the mandate.

Meet Our Team
HealthGraders Reviews

When I think of Bernie I smile! He helped me overcome my anxiety and to live my best life. I learned probably around 15 coping strategies from him. I use many of them almost every day. More importantly, he always made me feel understood and cared about. There is nothing that I couldn't talk to him about. He is the best!

What went well

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Listened & answered questions
  • Explained conditions well
  • Staff friendliness
  • Appointment wasn't rushed
  • Trusted the provider's decisions

What could be improved

N/A

KP - Oct 23, 2019

3 years ago I was looking for a new therapist. I found Bernie online. I liked his website because he gave a lot of information about his treatment. What I experienced with Bernie was very much what he described on his website. He took the time to get to know me, explained what he thought was causing my problems and taught me how to cope. During the time I worked with Bernie I stopped partying, met my girlfriend and found a great job. I don't think any of that would have happened without him.

What went well

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Listened & answered questions
  • Explained conditions well
  • Staff friendliness
  • Appointment wasn't rushed
  • Trusted the provider's decisions
  • Wait times

What could be improved

N/A

KP - Oct 23, 2019

I've worked with Bernie for many years and can confidently say that therapy with Bernie has had an immeasurably positive impact on my life. Bernie has helped me work through anxiety, depression, relationship issues, organizational/motivational issues related to ADHD, and general life/change adjustments, and with his guidance I've learned to apply the techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy and intervention to everyday challenges. I highly recommend working with Bernie and Strength for Change.

What went well

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Listened & answered questions
  • Explained conditions well
  • Staff friendliness
  • Appointment wasn't rushed
  • Trusted the provider's decisions
  • Wait times

What could be improved

N/A

Jordan in New York, NY - Aug 01, 2017

What Distinguishes Us From Other Providers
Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is extensively researched and evidence-based, making it highly effective in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. To delve deeper into CBT and its significance in evidence-based mental health treatments, please explore the National Institute of Mental Health website (www.nimh.com).

Dr. Aaron T. Beck, from the University of Pennsylvania, pioneered CBT in the 1960s. This therapeutic approach is founded on the principle that our thoughts significantly influence our emotional and behavioral responses. By mastering thought control, individuals can enhance their well-being and work towards achieving life goals.

CBT empowers clients to become their own therapists, equipping them with diverse coping strategies to manage emotional and behavioral reactions effectively. Clients acquire valuable skills for restructuring negative thought patterns, fostering self-motivation, altering unhealthy behaviors, and nurturing a “solution-focused” lifestyle. For those seeking CBT in Wayne, New Jersey, we are here to assist you on your journey to improved mental health.

Motivation
Focused Strategies

For therapy to yield positive results, active participation from the individual receiving it is crucial. In essence, the effectiveness of a treatment plan hinges on the client’s motivation to put it into practice.

Regrettably, many mental health conditions erode an individual’s motivation across various aspects of life, including school, work, social interactions, and self-care. Often, attempts by family and friends to intervene are met with frustration, as the individual’s lack of responsiveness is misinterpreted as deliberate resistance. This frustration within the support system can escalate conflicts and exacerbate the individual’s mental health challenges.

At Strength for Change, we operate on a treatment model that recognizes and addresses the individual’s compromised motivation. Our core principle revolves around our responsibility to help clients nurture the motivation necessary for successful treatment. With this commitment in mind, we have devised a multitude of motivational strategies seamlessly integrated into the treatment process. For those in Wayne, New Jersey seeking assistance, our approach aims to bolster motivation and pave the way for treatment success.

Individualized &
Evidence-Based Care

In our practice, we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); however, we firmly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Instead, we tailor our therapeutic methods to align with various factors, including the client’s symptoms, diagnosis, age, personality, and level of motivation.

This individualized approach is rooted in the American Psychiatric Association’s Best Practices Guidelines, which emphasize the utilization of evidence-based therapies. For instance, when addressing anxiety disorders, we employ individual CBT, whereas for conditions like ADHD, we opt for a combination of academic coaching and family therapy. Our approach ensures that the therapy chosen has a proven track record of effectiveness in treating the specific condition.

Beyond enhancing the overall efficacy of therapy, our personalized approach fosters a deeper sense of understanding and value for the client. These sentiments contribute to building trust and collaboration between the client and therapist, ultimately creating a more gratifying and enjoyable treatment experience. For those in Wayne, New Jersey, seeking therapy tailored to their unique needs, we are dedicated to delivering an exceptional and personalized therapeutic journey.

Resources For Students & Parents
The Essential Guide To
Mental Health Services

A Parent’s Guide To Understanding A Child’s Mental Health Difficulties & Obtaining Needed Services.

Relationship
Centered Parenting

A Parenting Model for Effectively Managing a Child’s Difficult Behavior &  Creating a Cooperative Family Environment.

The 1-2-3
Succeed Program

A Student Program For Learning The Organization, Homework, & Study Skills Necessary For School Success.

Contact Us

You can use the form on this page to send us a message. Please also feel free to call or email us anytime.

    We are an out-of-network provider.