Find A Practitioner

Vincent has worked with and advocated for individuals with issues ranging from addiction to mental health challenges. For the past 20 years, he has taught people how to use healthy coping skills in order to alleviate intense emotional discomfort. He uses proven treatment techniques that are based in CBT, DBT, Client-Centered, and Family Systems therapies. Besides working with those who are having difficulty navigating life’s many stressors,

Vincent also has extensive experience helping those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered & questioning (dealing with “coming out” issues).

Vincent is available to work individually (15 years and older), as well as couples and families. His priority is helping with the process of Paving Pathways to Peacefulness, to cultivate a more hopeful future.

Carol has worked as a counselor for nearly 20 years. In community mental health settings, she worked with persons with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance abuse. She was the creator and facilitator of the center’s first women’s groups and facilitated specific groups for women who suffered with substance abuse issues. She was also able to establish and run a closed group for survivors of abuse to assist them in processing life’s challenges and move them forward toward the status of thrivers. She has worked as an individual therapist as well as an IOP and OP counselor in private and nonprofit settings. She believes that each person has innate value and purpose and respects that every individual has their own perspective of life’s experiences.

Carol is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. She is also a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She believes in client-centered therapy and uses modalities such as CBT, Schema-Focused Therapy and the 12-Step philosophy while working within the outlines of each client’s specific goals and needs.

Christine Batra is a board certified and licensed professional counselor.  She is also an honors graduate from the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University.

As a therapist, Christine believes that deep within each individual lies the potential to live a fulfilled and engaging life. However, through the unconscious reinforcement of maladaptive beliefs from childhood along with the rigors and challenges of everyday life,these latent qualities lie dormant waiting to manifest. Utilizing an integrative Psycho-therapeutic approach, Christine helps to remove unhealthy emotional barriers to achieve lasting harmony and balance.

This therapeutic approach employs theory and research from Emotion Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychology, Neuropsychology, and Internal Family Systems Therapy and, when integrated, offers tailored treatment for children, adolescents, adults and couples. Her practice can assist clients who experience anxiety, depression, relationship/marital conflict, addiction, personality disorders, and/or existential inquiry and purpose.

Christine offers a supportive environment where empathy and understanding are paramount. She paces treatment on each client’s unique needs to help them discover emotional freedom and authentic self-expression.

Angela K. Baxter BS, CADC has been involved in the addictions field since April of 2011.

Her background is in Behavioral and Addictions Counseling from Drexel University and she is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. Angela utilizes evidenced- based practices to help her patients gain knowledge of the disease of addiction, learn to implement coping strategies, and relapse-prevention skills in their recovery process.

Angela brings positive energy to her patients while being an empathic and compassionate counselor. She is dedicated to help support and guide the patients and loved ones by walking along side of them through the treatment process.

Maria is a Licensed Professional Counselor and health care provider. She has had 20+ years experience in helping people get better at navigating what we all have to contend with. Maria’s overall goal is to help people live more peaceful, joyous, rich, full, and meaningful lives.

Maria works with adults who are experiencing suffering related to Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, and/or a poor sense of self. Some clients are also facing serious health problems. Most have difficulties with family, friends, co-workers, and of course difficulties with themselves.

Respect, kindness, and caring form the foundation of Maria’s therapy. Her practice is based on Cognitive Behavioral and Acceptance and Commitment Therapies.These therapies have demonstrated their effectiveness and are currently “the state of the art.” Additionally, she uses a variety of related interventions, ancient and modern. She incorporates mindfulness, spirituality, music and art, and strongly recommends paying attention to physical and mind-body health: sleep, nutrition, exercise/movement, and spending time with Mother Nature.

We humans need meaningful and supportive connections with others. Maria helps clients develop, strengthen and use their communication, relationship, and social skills, enriching their lives.

Maria’s experiences have taught her over and over again that trying to control what you cannot control results in immediate and long-term misery in countless, vast, and various ways. She helps people figure out how to “do acceptance” and helps them cope with the distresses that inevitably arise. She has found that making room for all of our emotions and responses allows us to develop wisdom, self-acceptance and self-contentment, and more peace.

 

Tara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is experienced in assisting clients navigate some of life’s challenges such as anxiety, depression, anger, relationship issues and/or substance abuse. Skilled at providing psych education, she helps clients identify and address self-defeating thoughts, beliefs and behavioral patterns that negatively impact your sense of well-being and health. Whether you have experienced a sudden change or an accumulation of stressors, question your actions or lack of actions that results in self criticism, or ruminate about the past and/or worry about the future Tara can assist you with developing positive self care, increased insight, healthy boundaries, and strategies to function and feel better. She is compassionate, down-to-earth, straightforward, and believes in the benefits of light, purposeful humor. She is also respectful regarding where you are and allows you to move at your own pace. Ultimately Tara hopes to challenge you and encourage you to face your challenges and grow.

Martha has worked as a school counselor since 1994, primarily at the middle school level, along with some high school experience. Prior to that she was an elementary school teacher for five years. Martha has recently retired from public education after serving 33 years. Martha is a licensed professional counselor. She is also the mother of four children.

As a therapist with a school counseling background, Martha’s approach to counseling is client centered and reality based. Focusing on setting achievable goals and initiating common sense strategies serve her clients well. Helping clients make behavioral change and/or becoming more balanced in attitude and emotion is the basis of Martha’s counseling style.

Martha specializes in working with school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults. Areas of expertise include:

• Academic struggles


• Anger Management


• Behavior concerns


• Family conflict


• Family relationships


• Focus/Attention issues (ADHD)


• Organizational skills


• Peer conflict


• Peer relationships


• School & general anxiety


• Social integration


• School refusal/disengagement


• Self-esteem concerns


• Stress (school related stress/time management)  

Martha hopes she can help her clients better manage personal, peer, school and life situations. She wants to help clients make sense out of how they approach and respond to conflict, stress, relationships, and life in general, especially as they navigate their growing years.

Karyn is a Certified Spiritual Life Coach. She is an active and vibrant individual with a charismatic personality that lifts up the energy in a room full of people.  

Karyn’s personal and professional journey has helped her accumulate in-depth experience and expertise as a Spiritual Life Coach specializing in addiction, narcissistic abuse, co-dependency, confidence building,  self-love, self-care, health and wellness.  She helps individuals reprogram their lack and limiting belief mindsets, overcome their struggles, and pursue the life they always dreamt of living. She assists in building confidence, self-esteem, self-assurance, and healthy decision-making skills. She is a positive force who encourages individuals to believe in themselves, tapping into their potential to lead successful, happy, and inspirational lives. She enables individuals to choose life beyond the pain, traumas, suffering, and failures they have encountered in their lives and transform themselves into a magnet of success in all areas of life by becoming the best version of themselves emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  

Karyn has worked diligently through her life lessons and has overcome many obstacles that once held her down. As a professional, her philosophy has always been to embrace adversity, to develop continuously and bring order to chaos. She aspires to devote her time, energy, and talents to educating people about perfectly nurturing self-love and assisting them in healing through in-depth Life Coaching sessions that end with a powerful spiritual mind treatment, also know as an affirmative prayer. She can provide testimonials from her clients if anyone is interested in learning more about the power of transformation when working with a coach.  

Barbara is a Licensed Professional Counselor in NJ and PA, and a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor in NJ.  Barbara earned her bachelor's degree in psychology at Temple University and received her master's degree from Chestnut Hill College in Counseling and Clinical Psychology.  Barbara's approach is warm, encouraging, and collaborative.  She has experience working with adults in early and long-term recovery.  Barbara practices trauma-informed counseling and has experience working with clients who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, mental abuse, and neglect. Barbara believes our upbringing contributes to how we interact with others today and working through past trauma may help improve present relationships.  Barbara's background also includes working with adults experiencing a variety of concerns such as, but not limited to:

•     Adult children of alcoholics/addicts/dysfunctional family systems


•     Co-dependency


•     Communication and intimacy-individual and couples counseling


•     Compassion fatigue (therapists, medical professionals, animal care workers, etc)


•     Depression, anxiety, other mood disorders


•     Grief and loss


•     Issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity


•     Recovery from trauma using both talking therapy and EMDR


•     Relationship and Interpersonal stress/conflict


•     Situational stress and adjustment

Lisa is a licensed psychologist who works with children, adolescents, and adults of all ages.  She recognizes that at times anyone can experience anxiety and/or depression as they navigate through life’s challenges, whether it is struggles with school or career, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, or coping with illness, trauma, loss, and aging. These challenges can sometimes lead to detrimental behavioral changes, especially for children and adolescents. In an atmosphere of collaboration and empathy, Dr. Farkas aims to help clients find joy in their lives, using a variety of empirically based treatment techniques.  She employs psycho-education to help clients identify negative thoughts and beliefs that create barriers to their own happiness and fulfillment. She firmly believes that most issues can be addressed in a short-term therapy model when both the client and therapist are motivated to affect change.

Geoff is a Certified Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapist (CHT), life & relationship coach who helps people who are feeling stuck, struggling with relationship issues or just want more out of life.

He specializes in assisting people to free themselves of unresolved emotions and limiting beliefs so they are free to make new choices for a happier and more fulfilling life and create vibrant, loving relationships that last. He specializes in codependency and ACOA issues. Geoff draws from his studies of mindfulness, psychology, compassionate communication, addictions, spirituality and life coaching. He provides coaching in person at his office in Haddon Township, New Jersey or by telephone or Skype call. Geoff offers a wide range of programs and services from individual and couples coaching to webinars and workshops.

Susan is a seasoned, licensed clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist who has worked for over three decades with a wide range of clients, including young adults, couples, families and children. Her modalities of practice include both traditional and alternative therapies, including (but not limited to) Behavioral Cognitive Therapy, relaxation therapies, talk therapy, family therapy and developmental psychology.

She has worked with child protective services (and other related services) in both agencies and in private practice. Notably, she spent 15 years working on child study teams in both public and private school systems.

Susan works with most of the regional insurance providers, including Aetna, Magellan, Tricare, Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Medicare and many local unions Health and Welfare plans (to name but a few.)

Erik received his graduate degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of New Jersey. He studied and is interested in working with vulnerable populations. He initially served as an intern at The Starting Point and chose to remain after his graduation to start his own practice.

Erik works with children, adolescents, and adults who are seeking help with issues such as self-esteem/worth, anxiety, sexuality, recovery from trauma, feeling stuck in life, codependency, and relationship issues. He offers his services in individual and family sessions, implementing various therapeutic approaches catered to the client’s needs. He is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for his clients.

Erik’s philosophy is that the role of the counselor is to take the journey of healing with the client, not lead the client.

Theresa is a licensed clinical social worker who began her career in 1992 working with caregivers of elderly and disabled people.

She has since counseled elderly people in their homes and worked with the severe and persistent mentally ill in a partial care setting.  She earned her clinical license in drug and alcohol counseling while working with individuals with co-occurring disorders.

She has built a reputation in the community as a client-centered therapist who focuses on “unconditional positive regard and the client’s unique world view.”  She has experience with various populations and mental health disorders.  Her social work background has taught her that people are predisposed to illnesses and that one’s environment plays a critical role in how these illnesses impact an individual’s life.

Theresa works with individuals, couples and families suffering from trauma, self-esteem, family crisis, and anxiety and mood disorders.  She accepts private insurance and private payment.

 

Tye is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, bipolar illness, chronic pain, and addiction. She works collaboratively with individuals, families, and other mental health and medical providers. Her goal is to help you customize a plan that enables you to find lasting change.

Tye’s mission is to support the patient reaching their optimal physical and mental health.  She believes in working one-on-one with each patient to provide expert medical treatment, guidance, and care tailored specifically for their health concerns.  Tye is devoted to providing quality comprehensive psychiatric services.

Tye prides herself in the expertise she brings to both the diagnosis and treatment of the occurrence of mental illness, and believes that the relationship between a health care provider and their patient is of the utmost importance.  As a rule, Tye seeks to offer her patients a practice model that provides them with a balanced approach to treatment.

 

 

 

Frankie welcomes clients from all walks of life. Her particular areas of expertise are depression, addiction, and codependency, couples counseling, gay and lesbian concerns, and adolescents.

She has been in private practice for over 20 years at The Starting Point. In using various forms of therapy she establishes a rapport with clients so they can move forward in their lives.

Frankie is also a professor and field consultant for Rutgers University in the School of Social Work.

Kevin is a licensed clinical social worker who provides individual, couples, family, and group counseling.

He has counseled and advocated for people with substance abuse related concerns and those who suffer from various mental health diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety, and Bipolar Disorder, etc., for more than 25 years.

Additionally, Kevin has worked with both adolescents and adults, addressed men’s and women’s issues, and works within a holistic approach. He uses an empathetic client-centered model that “meets the person where they are”. Kevin believes in providing a safe and nonjudgmental atmosphere for people to mend, increase their strengths, and evolve to be the person they choose.

He has been in private practice at The Starting Point, Inc. for more than 10 years and accepts a variety of insurances.

Kathy is a marriage and family therapist with many years of experience counseling individuals, couples, and families. She is a genuine, compassionate, and non-judgmental therapist who offers a safe and supportive space for clients to be authentic and work towards their personal goals. She strives to help clients increase emotional security and strengthen connections within the family unit and intimate relationships.

Kathy has a Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychology from Temple University and recently completed the Post Graduate Certificate Program in Marriage and Family Therapy at Council for Relationships. She is currently pursuing her LMFT. Her areas of expertise include building healthy relationships, developing effective communication skills, addiction and recovery, codependency, anxiety and depression, grief and loss, and healing from trauma. To increase self awareness and emotional connection to self and others, she uses an integrative approach, which typically includes interventions from the Emotionally Focused, Bowen Family Systems, Internal Family Systems, Structural, Attachment, and Mindfulness models.

Dr. Kathleen MacFarlane is a NJ licensed psychologist who specializes in health, psychology, and aging. Kathleen has worked at Lourdes rehabilitation in Camden for the past 19 years.

Kathleen assists individuals who are confronting both acute and chronic illness. She treats adults,  primarily those 60 and older. Her areas of interest include anxiety,  care-giving support, grief/bereavement, mood disorders, adjustment to retirement and, cognitive deficits. She provides individual, couple and family counseling.

Dr. MacFarlane is primarily a cognitive-behavioral practitioner. In her therapy practice, she emphasizes on the need of clients to tell their story and she believes that clients have the ability to find within themselves ways to cope with life’s challenges.

Dr. MacFarlane accepts both Medicare, Medicaid, and most managed Medicare plans.

Anita is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Mentor/Life Coach with a Master’s in Education. She is comfortable working with Individuals, couples (married and/or partnered) and groups.

Philosophy:  The way to inner peace, balance, wholeness, and healing is to embrace thought patterns and a belief system that lead to an empowered lifestyle.

Specialization:  Helping to re-frame thought patterns so that clients may create a map of their world that moves from a stuck and painful place to a path of action; action that leads to wholeness and the realization of personal, professional, and /or relationship goals achieved.

Healing Approach:  Anita provides a safe and comfortable environment that offers acceptance and support to all who come.  She looks at the whole person with the intention of enhancing and restoring well-being by using a combination of the following Cognitive

Therapies: Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Therapy (REBT)  and Neuro-Linguistic-Programming (NLP). The focus of each session is to empower clients so that they are not victims to whatever past, present, and/or future circumstance encountered.

Anita works with:  Individuals, Couples (married and/or partnered), and Groups

Issues to Resolve:  Codependency, ACOA Issues, Depression, Relationship Issues (self-esteem, marriage, partner, professional, etc.), Loss (of a loved one, pet, divorce, separation, health, job, etc.), Life Transitions, Stress/Anxiety Management, Communication Skills Enhanced.

 

Pat has been working with helping families to lead healthier lives by offering programs such as:

• Active Parenting,


• Active Parenting for Teens, and


• Cooperative Parenting and Divorce.

She also helps partners and families heal from the effects of Trauma and Sexual Addiction. Pat believes that, hope can be regained, lives can be rebuilt, and meaningful change can be created within a caring environment.

Marie is a clinically certified Individual, Marriage and Family Therapist, Reiki Master and Emotion Code Practitioner which is a simple but powerful method of finding and releasing negative trapped emotions stored in the subconscious. She believes in a holistic approach to life and preventative health care as a basis for dealing with daily stress. She has an extensive background in energy work and offers workshops and retreat experiences focusing on spiritual growth and development.

 

Donna believes that one’s past informs, but does not define who a person truly is. A lyric Donna cites which succinctly underlines this idea was penned by singer\songwriter Holly Near; “The past has brought me brilliantly to here.” 

Drawing on over 25 years of experience in the field of addictions and mental health, Donna is a multi-faceted practitioner who meets each client in the present moment, creating a working partnership to address each individual’s specific needs and concerns. Using a client-centered approach which respects an individual’s personal perspective, beliefs and preferences, she assists clients in understanding how one’s beliefs influence one’s behavior.

Donna offers her unique skills and perspective to all those navigating the journey of healing, recovery and life.

Joanne has an eclectic background beginning with her first degree in Laboratory Medicine. After many years of experience in a variety of clinical laboratories (hospital, oncology, reference labs), she returned to college to achieve her bachelor's and master’s degrees in Social Work from Rutgers University, from where she graduated with honors. She has also drawn on her determination and abilities to survive as a single parent of 2, even managing her own home-based childcare business, coupled with a weekend lab job to make ends meet. Tenacity is her middle name; resourcefulness her forté.

Joanne’s passion for helping people is fueled by her ability to truly empathize with you, regardless of your situation. Her sincerity and compassion are palpable; she draws from her life experiences, her open-mindedness, her insight, and her innate ability to listen with an open mind, heart, and spirit.

Believing in a “team approach”, Joanne will help you to prioritize your own needs, with the goal of leading you to view your options from different perspectives, thus enabling you to make decisions that are otherwise difficult or that seem insurmountable.

She is strongly supportive of the under-served needs of those who are stressed by their role as caregivers for those with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia. She is also well-versed in helping those with depression, anxieties, grief in its many forms, relationship difficulties, and mindfulness (including self-care).

Currently, Joanne does not accept insurance (that option is in process). Fee will be decided at your first session, based on what is amenable to both parties.

 

 

As a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and certified Mind Body Practitioner, Lori is trained in Internal Family Systems, Attachment Theory, Inner Relationship Focusing and Polyvagal Theory.

Lori provides a safe, connected, non-judgmental space, collaborating with her clients to achieve relief from anxiety, panic, depression, post-traumatic stress and/or general stress reactivity. The goal of this work is to allow clients to experience greater ease, contentment, and well-being in their daily lives.

Through the 3-year Somatic Experiencing® training and subsequent courses of study, she has acquired the tools needed to address trauma in the brain regions where nervous system dysregulation resides, offering an approach different from traditional talk therapy.

Decades of mindfulness and yoga practice, teaching and study informs her work and enables Lori to be fully present and compassionate with clients.

If you are interested in learning more about what Lori offers, please arrange a no-fee consultation.

James has specialized in the mental health and substance abuse treatment field for over eighteen years. He has seen first-hand how establishing a good therapeutic relationship throughout the counseling process makes treatment a successful experience. Through various strategies and techniques that are evidenced based, patients have been able to raise their own insights and gain a healthier sense of self.  As a result, patients have been able to develop and establish positive coping skills to assist with combating their own self-defeating behaviors associated with anxiety, depression and addiction.

In addition, James is an approved provider able to conduct assessments for individuals who have been found guilty of driving under the Influence (DUI) in New Jersey and surrounding states. If you have completed your required 12 or 48 hour classes or have been identified as a Multiple Offender, he is authorized to complete your evaluation and provide the mandatory treatment needed to comply with your IDRC requirements.

Of particular interest to Camden County Probationers, James is a preferred provider for drug and alcohol assessment and anger management classes. He understands how important it is to have your evaluations completed and forwarded to your Probation Officer especially when this is the last task a client needs done before completing probation. All reports are completed and faxed within 24 hours from the clients initial meeting.

Types of Therapy: 

Gestalt, Mindfulness-Based (MBCT), Person-Centered and Family Systems

Modalities:

Individuals, Couples and Groups


Specialties:      

Substance Use, Dual Diagnosis, Mood Disorders, Early Intervention (EI), Solution Focused Brief (SFBT), Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), Strength-Based and Rational Emotive Behavior (REBT)

 

 

                                                                                  

 

 

 

                                                                                                                          

 

 

 

Melissa is a licensed professional counselor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania who works with adolescents and adults who struggle in a number of areas. These include depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, personality disorders, recovery from physical/emotional abuse and the processing of grief. Importantly, Melissa is accessible to those who simply need someone to talk to during a difficult time.

Melissa uses a number of approaches when providing counseling services, but her primary approach is that of client-centered therapy. This allows her clients the room to “open up” and share at their own pace. Melissa helps to provide an empathetic and compassionate environment which aids her clients in their healing. In this way, she endeavors to help others work through current and/or future challenging situations and to achieve goals which they create for themselves through the counseling relationship.

Melissa is an honors graduate of Rider University with her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.