Postpartum and Trauma Therapy in Montclair, NJ
Finding Balance in the Midst of Life's Challenges
In-Person + Virtual Therapy for Adults | New York and New Jersey
Are you feeling stuck in old patterns from your past? Perhaps the ways you once adapted for survival are now holding you back from living the life you want. You might be dealing with a harsh inner critic, a nervous system that never seems to settle, or trouble knowing what you need and how you feel.
Maybe you're navigating a major life transition—like becoming a parent, starting a new job, or entering a new relationship—and it's bringing up a mix of fear, insecurity, and self-doubt.
Even if you’ve gained insight from your own reflections or previous therapy, sometimes understanding your challenges isn’t enough to create real change.
The good news is you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. As your therapist, I’m here to support you in breaking free from these limiting patterns.
In therapy, we do more than just about talking through your issues. Instead, we’ll use experiential methods to help you regulate your body and emotions and address the root causes of your struggles.
Hi, I’m Saskia, a therapist for adults in New Jersey + New York. I’m so glad you’re here.
I recognize the boldness that it takes to seek out help. As someone who understands the human experience, I know that unhealed parts of your past can show up in your life, causing pain and problems. I’m here to walk alongside you toward healing, freedom from your past, and healthier relationships.
I specialize in experiential models of therapy like EMDR, IFS, somatic experiencing, and coherence therapy, as well as using methods from CBT, ACT, DBT, and attachment theory. I am also a Licensed Postpartum Support International Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C). My goal is to offer you the best chance at creating the changes you’re looking for.
I work with adults who:
Experienced developmental trauma in childhood
Have complex PTSD
Struggle with self-confidence
Are facing challenges related to pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood, and parenting
Feel anxious, sad, or overwhelmed
Experience difficulties in relationships
Therapy Services
Transforming Old Patterns
The patterns you developed in your past may have been necessary for your survival, but they might not serve you well today. These patterns can lead to a negative view of yourself and a constant struggle with self-criticism.
In order to experience life transformation, it’s not just about understanding and gaining insight into these patterns – you have to get to the root.
Healing Beyond Insight
Even with deep insight into your issues, you may find that it’s not enough to make lasting changes. This is because your rational mind and emotional experiences don’t speak the same language.
We’ll work together to bridge this gap, helping you process and integrate your past experiences in a healthy way.
Connecting & Integrating
We’ll focus on connecting with the memories of the past that are affecting you today. By allowing these memories to move to a different part of your brain, you can process them more effectively.
This approach helps you move away from maladaptive responses and start living more fully in the present.
Building Confidence & Healthy Relationships
Through our work, you’ll begin to feel less shame and more confidence. You’ll learn to trust yourself and engage more fully in your relationships. Our goal is to help you integrate your past and present, so you can live without being dragged back into old patterns. Let’s start this journey together and work towards a future where you feel confident, connected, and free from the burdens of your past.
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I use a combination of somatic experiencing, EMDR, cognitive-behavioral techniques, DBT, ACT, IFS, coherence therapy, and mindfulness to address both the mind and body’s responses to trauma and life challenges.
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While I specialize in trauma, I also work extensively with parenting challenges, perinatal and postpartum issues, relationship difficulties, and life transitions.
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EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy that helps you heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. It works by helping your brain process and reframe traumatic memories. During EMDR sessions, you'll focus on a specific memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as following a moving light with your eyes. This process helps to reduce the emotional impact of the memory, making it less triggering. EMDR is especially effective for those who feel stuck in their trauma responses and have difficulty moving past their past experiences.
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IFS, or Internal Family Systems, is a therapeutic style that explores the different parts of yourself—like the inner critic, the wounded child, or the protector. It views the mind as made up of these distinct "parts" that all have their own thoughts, feelings, and roles.
IFS helps you understand and heal these parts so they can work together harmoniously, rather than being in conflict. By connecting with your core Self—the calm, compassionate, and centered part of you—IFS supports you in handling life's challenges with greater ease and balance.
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Coherence Therapy is another experiential approach designed to help you uncover and change deeply held beliefs in your “implicit memory network” and emotional patterns that are driving your current issues. Unlike traditional talk therapy, Coherence Therapy focuses on identifying the underlying emotional learnings that keep you stuck in unwanted behaviors or feelings. Through guided exploration, you’ll uncover these hidden beliefs and bring them into awareness, allowing for new, healthier patterns to emerge.
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Our sessions will be collaborative and designed to meet your needs. We’ll focus on creating a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences at your own pace.
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Sessions are $225 for 50 minutes. I am an out of network provider which means that you will pay in full for each session, and I will provide a monthly superbill for you to submit to your insurance carrier. Most plans will reimburse 60-80% after meeting an out of network deductible. I also offer a limited amount of sliding scale spots, please inquire for more information.
You may want to ask your insurer the following questions:
Do I have out of network mental health benefits?
Does my policy cover 50 minute sessions? (CPT code 90834-95)
If yes, what is the reimbursement percentage, and does this percentage apply to a maximum amount?
Are there any deductibles or co-pays for which I am responsible?
What is the process for submitting claims?
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Choosing to work with me as a private pay therapist offers several benefits:
Increased flexibility: Insurance companies impose limitations and rigid guidelines around what therapeutic modalities and techniques can be utilized in a session. As a private pay therapist, I have the choice and freedom around how I conduct and structure sessions, which allows me to tailor your therapy into a customized approach that best meets your specific needs. Insurance companies also limit coverage to services deemed “medically necessary” which can restrict the scope of your care and impede my ability to make choices that are in your best interest.
Enhanced privacy and confidentiality: Practicing outside of insurance panels allows me to ensure that your personal information remains securely within our therapeutic relationship. Additionally, insurance companies always require a mental health diagnosis to be documented in your permanent health record. As a private pay therapist, I am not forced to diagnose, and I am also not forced to disclose that diagnosis or any personal health information to a third party insurance panel.
Expedited access to care: Receiving services without worrying about a time-consuming approval process and administrative red tape imposed by insurance companies.
Seamless payment process: Working with a private pay therapist means you will have a streamlined and stress free payment process. You will not need to worry about submitting claims or receiving rejected claims. Payments are automatically processed, which allows you to focus solely on your therapeutic journey.
Frequently Asked Questions | NY and NJ Therapy
I have partnered with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy. Use this tool to see if you qualify for reimbursement for my services.