Starting Therapy in New Jersey: Meet Our Mental Health Services
Updated: Oct 10
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel difficult, especially when you are already managing a lot. At Friendly Connections, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions about our mental health services. Whether you are looking for support for yourself or your child, you can reach out to our team to discuss your needs and the next steps.
Our mental health services in New Jersey
We offer outpatient individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to care and supports people facing concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. We know that each person brings their own experiences, priorities, and goals to therapy.
Our mental health division is separate from our developmental disability services. You do not need to be enrolled in the NJ DDD program to ask us about psychotherapy. Contact us directly with your questions about mental health care.
Let’s talk about what you need
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. You might want to talk about a concern that has been building for a while, a recent change, or something that is affecting your day-to-day life. Tell us what kind of support you are looking for, and ask about our current clinician availability and appointment arrangements.
Before scheduling, we also encourage you to ask whether we accept your specific insurance plan and what costs you may be responsible for. Our team can discuss these practical questions with you so you can understand the next step.
Questions you can bring to therapy
Feeling comfortable with your therapist matters. We welcome questions about a clinician’s experience, their approach to therapy, how goals are discussed, and how progress is reviewed. You can also ask about privacy and confidentiality.
If you are unsure how to begin, try: “This is the part of my life I would like help with.” Or ask: “How will we decide what to work on together?” Your first conversation does not have to be a perfectly organized explanation of everything you are feeling.
Support for children and families
If you are contacting us about therapy for your child, let us know whom the appointment is for and what questions you have. Ask how parents or caregivers can participate and how your child’s privacy will be handled. Tell us about communication needs or practical accommodations that may help your child take part.
We also welcome questions from support coordinators helping someone find mental health services. Ask us about our referral process and current availability. The person seeking care should have a voice in the conversation, and clinical details should be shared through our appropriate intake process.
Reach out to our mental health team
You can learn more about our services or contact us to discuss therapy, appointments, and insurance. We are here to answer your questions about getting started. Your treatment goals and decisions will be discussed with your clinician.
A helpful resource
For another starting point, the National Institute of Mental Health provides information about psychotherapy and questions to consider when choosing a therapist. We are sharing this resource to help you prepare for a conversation about care.
Comments