Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center Blog

Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center has opened a new office space located in Wall Township, New Jersey. The new space allows us to streamline our presence in southern New Jersey by combining our Freehold and Brick offices into one larger, newly renovated location, located at 2111 NJ-34.

This new development accommodates the practices’ ongoing growth as we continue to welcome new practitioners to the Embrace PWC team, allowing us to provide our patients with expanded treatment options, including:

• Medication management
• Therapy & counseling
• Advanced treatments, including Spravato and TMS Therapy

Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center is a powerful network of compassionate professionals and innovative mental health treatments that deliver life-changing care to our patients both in person throughout New Jersey and via telehealth.

Whether you are already working with a trusted counselor or just starting your journey towards achieving the happiness you deserve, Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center can be an important part of your goals. Our team of diversified, bilingual providers starts by taking the time to get to know you. Then, we utilize our vast resources to find solutions. Most importantly, compassion guides everything we do in a peaceful, comfortable, and inclusive environment.

We are currently accepting new patients and scheduling follow up appointments for therapy, and medication management at our new office, as well as at our two Westfield, NJ locations.

To learn more about Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center:

• Call 908-923-3483
• Visit us online at www.embracepwc.com/.

Whether you’re at work, the gym, or home, you might sometimes feel too exhausted to do any of your normal daily activities. While this might simply mean you’re tired at the moment, having chronic feelings of low motivation can also be an indication of an underlying mental health issue, such as depression. Keep reading to learn what can potentially cause this and ways that you can handle the situation so you can lead a more fulfilling life.

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Michael’s personal and professional experiences have allowed him to see the transformative effects that therapy can have for many individuals, especially when their struggles are commonly stigmatized.

He has always had a natural strength in understanding people as well as being comfortable with emotionally difficult conversations. In addition, his background has allowed him to develop strong analytical skills which he incorporates into his work. Combining these skills and strengths seemed like a great fit for becoming a psychotherapist.

Michael has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. He graduated with a Specialized Practice Certificate in Health and worked as a research assistant for 5+ years in both clinical and non-clinical groups. The research he was involved in included psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, the psychotherapy process, and the juvenile justice system.

Outside of work, Michael is a big gamer. He loves all kinds from video games and board games to outdoor games. He also enjoys logic puzzles and escape rooms when he gets a chance to do them with his partner and/or friends. In addition, he is naturally very curious and interested in learning about different topics not related to his work, including subjects ranging from history, mathematics, physics, and philosophy to random how-to guides for cooking, DIY gadgets, and so on. His curiosity has led him to collecting more books than his bookshelves can hold!

Mike is currently accepting new patients at our convenient Westfield and Wall, New Jersey locations and via telehealth.

Call 908-923-3483 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Mike or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.

Although mental illnesses are prevalent in many populations throughout the United States, many people tend to avoid seeking psychiatric services. One of the main reasons: fear of the overall price of treatment. Fortunately, you might be able to benefit from insurance to receive the proper care you deserve to improve your mental and emotional well-being. Read on to learn more about health coverage for therapy so you can minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.

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Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Winter Haven, FL, Kristen has been working in Internal Medicine and primary care for over two decades. Having grown up on a dairy farm, she grew a passion for animals and wanted to be a veterinarian at first. She even studied pre-veterinary medicine as an undergraduate at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

However, she realized that she also had an interest in human medicine and began pursuing a career as a physician assistant after having the concept introduced to her by her childhood friend’s sister. Since then, she’s never looked back and can’t see herself doing anything else! After all, she gets to meet incredibly interesting and wonderful people while helping them to improve their overall quality of life.

Kristen began her career by attending the University of South Florida before studying at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL. She later graduated from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant program and has been practicing for over 20 years. For 13 years, she performed all medical clearances for the inpatient psychiatric units at Lakeland Regional Health in Lakeland, FL.

She later furthered her training in psychiatry at Yantra Psychiatric Services and moved on to becoming a board-certified Physician Assistant while also holding an additional board certification in Psychiatry. She became invested in her work and joined with Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center to provide telehealth services as a licensed Physician Assistant in New Jersey. Today, she treats patients both outpatient and in residential rehabilitation settings for general psychiatry and addiction medicine.

She is also a Suboxone, Sublocade, and Vivitrol prescriber trained via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and is also a member of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Outside of psychiatry, Kristen loves being with her tight-knit family who has supported her in every endeavor and is her source of strength. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her Labrador Retriever, Bratwurst, and her parakeet named Jose Luis Gaspar. She also likes baking, admiring abstract art, watching movies, looking at the nighttime space shuttle launches from her backyard, and is a major Saturday Night Live fan.

One fun fact about her: she grew up in a very musical family, as her mother has a master’s in music education. In turn, Kristen can play various instruments, like the ukulele and harp, and has even been a soloist in several past church performances and weddings!

Kristen is currently accepting new patients at one of our convenient New Jersey locations and via telehealth.

Call 908-923-3483 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Kristen or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, warmth, and celebration. However, for some people, it can be a challenging period marked by heightened stress, loneliness, and emotional turmoil. Holiday depression and anxiety are more common than we may realize, and it’s crucial to recognize the signs. In this blog post, you’ll learn which signs might indicate holiday-related mental health challenges.

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We are happy to welcome LSW (Licensed Social Worker) Larry Zimmerman to the Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center team!

After growing up being trained and working as an actor, Larry decided that he wanted to use his life experiences to help others. This eventually saw him graduate from Montclair State University and Rutgers University as well as training at the Identity House Counseling Center in NYC. He also has experience serving in psychiatric units at Trinitas Hospital.

Larry deeply enjoys meeting and working with new people and helping them get the care they need to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives. Not forgetting his past, his main passions beyond his work are music and theater.

Larry is currently accepting new patients at our Westfield offices and via telehealth appointments.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we are committed to providing our patients with a peaceful, comfortable, and inclusive environment. We are:

• Currently accepting new clients for therapy
• Offering both in person and telehealth sessions
• In network with many prominent insurance plans

Call 908-233-8065 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Larry or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners. 

If you’re experiencing some stress or working through depression, then you might feel anxious about the holiday season. While the festivities can be exciting, they can also leave you nerve-wracking about various things, such as shopping for gifts and traveling, especially if you’re already feeling emotionally drained or dealing with loss. To help you cope with the tensions you may feel this time of year, here are five tips for managing stress and depression during the holidays.

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This year, the ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Awareness Month Coalition is partnering with Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, along with other mental health organizations worldwide, to achieve the common goal of: “Moving Forward with ADHD” by sharing reliable information about ADHD and its treatments.

Suffering from a lack of focus is a common issue faced by many people in the fast-paced world we currently live in. But for those living with the challenges of ADHD – if not diagnosed and treated by medical professionals – ongoing hyperactivity, impulsivity and/or inattention can have crippling effects on their quality of life. 

What is ADHD?

ADHD – also sometimes called ADD – is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with this condition generally have trouble staying focused or paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, or might seem overly active in general. In adults, it may manifest differently. For example, hyperactivity might present as extreme restlessness.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with ADHD suffer from severe and reoccurring instances of:

• Hyperactivity: Constant movement often at inappropriate times including excessive fidgeting and talking
• Impulsivity: Acting without thinking or having a lack of self-control
• Inattention: Difficulty staying focused on the task at hand or being organized

Diagnosing ADHD

Because many common symptoms of ADHD can also be caused by other issues, it can be challenging to diagnose. These symptoms can include:

• Squirming
• Forgetfulness
• Taking risks
• Making careless mistakes
• Inability to resist temptation
• Difficulty getting along with others

ADHD is often diagnosed during childhood, but since the symptoms are often confused with disciplinary issues or bad behavior, they can be overlooked and therefore continue into adulthood.

Causes of ADHD

Scientists are still studying the possible causes for ADHD in an effort to find better ways of managing it. Current research indicates that the following risk factors may play an important role:

• Genetics
• Brain Injury
• Exposure to Environmental Risks
• Nutrition
• Alcohol/Tobacco Usage During Pregnancy

Treatment Options for ADHD

A primary care physician or mental health professional will make the diagnosis of ADHD based on ongoing behavioral patterns.

Once accurately diagnosed, someone with ADHD will benefit from working with a psychiatrist and/or clinical psychologist to create a treatment plan that will most likely include a combination of medications along with behavioral therapies and stress management techniques. A good treatment plan always includes close monitoring, follow-ups, and adaptations if necessary.

Here’s a closer look at some of the available ADHD treatment options we offer at Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center:

1. Behavior & Cognitive Therapy: Working with one of our patient and compassionate therapists can help a person suffering from ADHD to change their action patterns through monitoring, as well as receiving feedback from those around them, and offering self-praise and/or reward for a job well done. Therapy can also:
   • Help to improve focus and concentration
   • Help ease the needed life changes to accommodate for ADHD treatment
   • Promote being more self-aware and accepting of the realities of living with the condition

• TMS Therapy: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is an innovative, non-invasive approach that utilizes gentle magnetic waves to stimulate brain activity. This can have pronounced effects on brain function and behavior, and for many people with ADHD, the treatment works absolute wonders. This procedure can be carried out within a single visit, and following the treatment, patients experience no fatigue or interruption to their day.

• Spravato: Spravato is a nasal spray medication that contains a safe, FDA-approved derivative of ketamine called esketamine. It’s been found to be effective in managing ADHD symptoms as it can impart benefits such as improved focus and attention, reduced impulsivity, and better emotional processing. During the appointment, the spray is administered, and the patient is closely monitored. Some grogginess and other mild side effects are possible; however, compared to other treatments which can sometimes take time to kick in, the spray begins working within a few hours.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we understand the challenges you might face if you or someone close to you is living with ADHD. We’re determined to work with you to find the perfect treatment plan that allows you to stay focused, productive, and positive moving forward so that you can achieve more than you’ve ever dreamed of!

Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation:

• Call: (908) 923-3483

• Visit: embracepwc.com

Author: Sara Magnola Taner is an online marketing and communications specialist and co-founder of Pearl St Services. She has over 20 years of experience creating and editing clear, compelling content on diverse topics across a wide range of mediums.

“Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center has been fantastic, understanding, compassionate and supportive. Their staff is always friendly and go out of their way to help. Joanne P. is who I see every month. She has been a guardian angel to me. She has helped tremendously with my mental illness and is always available in a pinch. She takes her time with you and listens. Overall I can’t say enough about this facility and the employees! I highly recommend this practice to everyone! Thanks for everything!!” – Patient, Danielle

JoAnne has been a part of the healthcare field for multiple decades, starting out as an operating room nurse in 1989, which was a position she held for 20 years. However, a family tragedy changed the trajectory of her work. She decided to undergo the post master’s Certificate for Advanced Practice Nursing program at Monmouth College, graduating in May of 2019 – and the rest is history!

Today, JoAnne loves being able to provide essential mental healthcare to people all over New Jersey, changing lives for the better. She takes the time to understand her patients and truly get to the bottom of what is going on mentally. Her compassion for her work is what makes her an outstanding APN. 

Outside of working hours, she enjoys reading, putting together puzzles, learning how to crochet, and spending LOTS of quality time with Natasha, her fur baby! 

JoAnne is currently accepting new patients for medication management at our convenient Brick, NJ location.

Call 908-923-3483 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with JoAnne or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.