Marion Bergman
With over 40 years' simultaneous experience as a therapist and social worker, I offer practice knowledge combined with working-class life experience. Your change goals will guide our work together. My job is to suggest different choices in the way you think and act in the areas of your life where you are experiencing discomfort. My style is a very warm yet direct one: Once you are comfortable with me, I won't hesitate to point-out ways in which you might unknowingly self sabotage or contribute to your stated problems. There will be alternatives suggested, and you are free to try-on new behavior patterns that align with your values and lifestyle. Change can be scary; it can also greatly improve your life's quality. For most of my career, I've offered counseling in-person while simultaneously working in social work, where I provided more concrete services. Now that I've made the decision to work from home and only part-time, I'm excited to solely focus on offering therapy services fully online.
With over 40 years' simultaneous experience as a therapist and social worker, I offer practice knowledge combined with working-class life experience.
First session
Our first session will be an opportunity for you, the client, to evaluate your ability to "open up" to me. As therapist, I will find out what issue(s) brought you to counseling; and what your behavior change goals might be at this starting point. And there needs to be some history-taking, so that I can begin to understand some of the challenges that define your life.
Strengths
My guiding framework is the individual within the context of every type of relationship they have, including intimate, professional and social. I strive to help you fully examine what's not working well for you; then, your change goals will guide our work together. I have been "in the trenches" myself, dealing with the behavioral health system as a consumer; and I appreciate the difficulties both an individual and their families face dealing with these challenges, and finding good, responsive care. As a therapist, I've been blessed that so many women who have had extensive trauma have opened up to me rather quickly. Finally, I have been told that I come across as "maternal" in a good, warm and nurturing way-- that makes me smile!
Ideal clients
My vast experience includes work with cis-gendered females and males, members of the LGTQA community, couples who may not have the same vision for their relationship, situations of pending or actual family/parent estrangement. As a single mother of a child, now adult, who has ADD and mild autism, I'd love to share my practical insights on parent coping strategies. I'm also newly trained in recognizing what is a gambling addiction, now that online betting is everywhere; and how to address this in a family systems manner.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I strive to help you fully examine what's not working well for you: Then, your change goals will guide our work together. My job is to suggest different choices for the way you think about, and act, in areas of your life where you are experiencing discomfort. My guiding framework is the individual within the context of every type of relationship you have, including intimate, professional and social. My style is a very warm yet direct one.
Couples Counseling
Couples experiencing communications challenges, differences in methods of discipline of children or handling of finances, etc, find that I provide concrete steps to partnering and parenting more effectively. Additionally, I have helped couples who are separating negotiate the intricacies of co-parenting while separated/divorced.
Psychoeducation
Parent education helps bring fresh approaches to parenting challenges and may help prevent constant discipline problems and family chaos. I can help you with some behavior management strategies you may not have thought of yourself! I also educate extensively on communication methodology to improve couples' problematic communication styles. Referrals for evaluations for ADHD, autism, TMS, medication management, where desired, are area where I typically can be of help to my clients.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- New JerseyLicense 44SC01364100