MEET BRENDA

Brenda G. Forte, LCSW, CAS PSYCHOTHERAPY
(973) 538-2818

SERVICES & SPECIALITIES

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I treat both adults and adolescents. I help couples, both married and unmarried, along with single individuals struggling to have healthy relationships.  I also enjoy working with gay and lesbian clients. If a concern is about your child or a family issue, I have a highly experienced associate who works with children, adolescents and families.  

What types of problems can I help you with?

* Some of these services are also areas I specialize in, which you can read more about as you scroll down this page. 

Are you concerned about your own or someone else’s use of alcohol, drugs or prescription medication?  Their/your inability to control sexual behavior or Internet use?  Sometimes pain medication is initially prescribed for a physical ailment or surgery and becomes used for emotional reasons and difficult to discontinue.  Sometimes stressful events can prompt an increase in alcohol or drug use.  If any of these are concerns, I’d advise you to call for a consultation.

For more than 15 years, I have treated people struggling with various forms of substance abuse.  I have worked in an Out-Patient Program in the past and now enjoy helping individuals and their families regain control of their life in my practice. 

Sometimes depression is transient and due to current circumstances (i.e. the death of a loved one or other loss). Other times, it’s a feeling we’ve had for a long time.  If you start to feel stuck in an emotional place that lacks motivation, where you’re sad more times than not, and struggle with sleep or appetite, you might want to seek help. These are just some symptoms of depression. If you're wondering if you are clinically depressed, you can take this DEPRESSION QUIZ.

For more information on depression, click here  (Mental Health Association of New Jersey).

We’ve all had moments of feeling anxious (i.e. before giving a presentation or on an airplane), but for some, the anxiety gets in the way of ever taking a plane flight or attending a social gathering. This is a simple phobia, such as fear of flying or heights.  For some people the anxiety turns to panic (heart palpitations, dizziness, numbness).  Sometimes the panic attack is triggered by a current event; other times it feels totally unrelated to what’s happening in the present but can be connected to a past event. 

Some people walk around with an uncomfortable level of anxiety or fear throughout their day (struggling to assert themselves). Other individuals may find themselves worrying excessively and struggling to fall asleep. If anxiety gets in your way, it may be time to seek help. If you're wondering whether you ought to be treated for anxiety, you can take this ANXIETY QUIZ.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is highly successful in the treatment of anxiety and phobias.  I am trained and Certified in EMDR. (Visit EMDR.com to learn more).

We all want to feel emotionally connected to someone we love, respect, and trust. If these characteristics are present, then it is likely you are in a healthy adult relationship. But long term committed relationships take work to sustain. Over time, or sometimes early on in the relationship, problems can get in the way. Some issues may be arguments that aren’t resolved, leaving hurt and angry feelings to fester. Pressures of work and family sometimes put a relationship on the back burner; characteristics in our partners we didn’t recognize earlier are now glaring; being critical or abusive of your mate; affairs; addiction; getting into a "rut." The list can be endless, but what becomes most important is how to repair your relationship rather than continue in the same frustrating cycle.

If you can relate to any of the scenarios I mentioned, I would encourage you to take a closer look at your relationship. If it hasn’t been what you’ve wanted, maybe it's time to envision the changes you’d like to see in yourself, your partner, and in your relationship. Sometimes it’s easier to "point the finger" at your spouse, rather than share responsibility for the problems that are experienced.  “Be the Change you want to See (in the World),” best said by M. Gandhi. 

Here are some books you may find to be helpful:

The 7 Principals of Making Marriage Work by John Gottman
How Can I Get Through to You by Terrence Real
Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix

Click here to go to a useful page about intimacy and recovering from relationship difficulties.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop in some people after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal.  In the past, PTSD has been associated with combat soldiers or rape victims.  PTSD can occur if you were a witness or survivor of a personal attack, disaster, or accident (i.e. 9/11, incest, auto accident).  Symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma, emotional numbness, nightmares, hypervigilence, and avoidance of people or things connected to the event. 

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is highly successful in the treatment of PTSD.  I am trained and Certified in EMDR. (Visit EMDR.com to learn more).