top of page

3 of the Best New Jersey Holistic Therapists

  • Intimate therapy collective delivering tailored, whole-person therapeutic care

  • Full spectrum of services, including one-on-one work, relationship counseling, and group therapy

  • Integrative wellness philosophy blending psychological insight with somatic and mindful practices

  • Flexible telehealth options designed to fit seamlessly into your busy lifestyle

  • Relational focus that prioritizes authentic connection in the therapeutic relationship

  • Simplified billing experience through our Mentaya partnership for insurance reimbursement

"Sapira cares about people in a deep way that is evident from the moment you meet her. It is a quality that allows her to forge connections with her clients."

​

—Professional Colleague

"Jaclyn takes a holistic approach to counseling, treating each client's unique needs with deep respect and genuine care. Warm, open-minded, and committed to her work, she creates a supportive environment where clients feel truly heard.”

​

—Previous Supervisor

"Without any hesitation, I recommend Dr. Shaw to anyone looking for a psychologist who not only cares deeply but also possesses the expertise and skills to make a significant difference."​

​

—A.M., Google Review

AS FEATURED IN

featured in - therapist in new jersey
NYtimes logo
insider - therapist in new york city

About Authentically Living Psychological Services

The human experience is complicated (as you know firsthand!), and traditional talk therapy often doesn’t reach every part of it. At Authentically Living Psychological Services, our mental health professionals specialize in holistic therapy that honors the intricate connection between mind, body, and spirit.

​

Our therapeutic approach integrates evidence-based techniques with mindfulness practices, somatic awareness, and spiritual exploration. We take pride in meeting clients exactly where they are—helping you develop deeper self-awareness, process difficult emotions, interrupt patterns of disconnection, and integrate sustainable wellness practices into your everyday life.

​

Rooted in existential philosophy, our approach invites you to confront life's fundamental questions and create meaning amid uncertainty (and absurdity). With this foundation, we also support you in cultivating mind-body awareness, fostering fulfilling relationships with yourself and others, and exploring a deeper understanding of yourself: emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Yoga Studio with View

Meet our highly recommended NJ holistic therapists

best NJ holistic psychotherapist

1. Jaclyn Paradise, Licensed Associate Counselor

Jaclyn integrates evidence-based therapeutic techniques with holistic practices like mindfulness, breathwork, and internal family systems (IFS). With certifications as a Trauma Professional and Mindfulness Informed Professional, Jaclyn's unique "whole-person" approach helps clients get in touch with their genuine selves, realign with their power, and create lives that feel genuinely their own.​

​

  • Specialties: Complex trauma, low self-esteem, codependency, first responders, military personnel

​

  • Location: New Jersey

holistic therapists

2. Dr. Cynthia Shaw, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Shaw is an existential therapist specializing in supporting clients as they explore life's larger questions. With her unique approach that combines philosophical exploration with warmth and relatability, Dr. Shaw partners with clients as they discover meaning and connection. Her direct, person-centered style creates a space where clients can confront their fears, question deep-seated beliefs that hold them back, and discover a deeper sense of purpose and authenticity.​

​

  • Specialties: Anxiety & depression, relationship challenges, grief & loss, life transitions, professionals & entrepreneurs

​

existential therapist in ny

3. Sapira Cahana, Mental Health Counselor

Sapira brings a unique perspective grounded in her background in philosophy, Hebrew studies, disability community work, and advocacy. She views therapy as a devotional act of self-discovery, creating a sacred space for contemplating Being as a transformative process. Sapira works with clients to explore life's fundamental questions, helping them confront personal struggles and find meaning in their experiences.​

​

  • Specialties: Disability & chronic illness, caregiving, aging, identity exploration, artists, LGBTQ+

​

  • Location: New York + statewide virtual sessions

How to start online holistic therapy in NJ

Step 1: Reach out

Start by filling out our simple contact form. We'll reach back within 24 hours to set up your free phone consultation.

Step 2: Free consultation

We'll chat about what's bringing you to therapy and answer any questions you might have so you can get a sense of whether we're a good fit.

Step 3: Intake session

In this initial meeting, we'll dive deeper into your background and start discussing your goals for our work together.

Step 4: Regular sessions

Through our ongoing work, you'll receive personalized care with evidence-based techniques and mind-body practices to support your well-being.

Why choose our holistic counseling services in New Jersey?

Our holistic therapy approaches

Mindfulness meditation

Our mindfulness practices guide you toward greater present-moment awareness and self-compassion. This approach teaches you how to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment, learning how to be with your experience rather than fighting against it.

Yoga

We incorporate elements of yoga philosophy and gentle movement into our therapeutic work. This body-centered practice supports you in connecting with physical sensations, regulating your nervous system, and developing greater embodied awareness. We also offer a 7-week trauma-informed yoga program that is separate from therapy. 

Internal family systems (IFS) & somatic therapy

This approach involves turning inward to identify and befriend different “parts” of yourself that may be in conflict, distress, or repressed. By recognizing these “parts” with compassion and curiosity, you can shift old protective patterns that keep you feeling stuck and disconnected. 

Brainspotting

This innovative technique uses eye positions to access and process difficult emotions and experiences. Drawing on the principles of EMDR therapy, brainspotting uses neurobiology to identify and release sources of emotional (and even physical) pain.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

DBT offers practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and creating a life worth living. This approach focuses on four key areas–mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness–to effectively address multiple dimensions of your well-being.

Integrated energy therapy (IET) & energy work

This approach facilitates the release of blocked energy and emotional patterns held in the body. We work with your body’s energy system so you can feel more balanced and have a greater sense of clarity.

Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)

ACT encourages you to embrace your thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or avoiding them. Together, we’ll get clear on your values and explore ways that you can align your actions with them, even when it’s challenging.. 

Psychodrama

This experiential approach brings your internal world into the therapy space through action methods and role-play. By externally representing life experiences, relationships, and inner conflicts, psychodrama creates unique opportunities for new insights and emotional release.

Relational phenomenology

This philosophical approach focuses on the therapeutic encounter to assist in understanding your unique lived experience. Through this process, we honor your subjective reality while also examining how you relate to yourself, others, and the world,  uncovering patterns, values, and desires in the process.

Common reasons why people seek holistic therapy

  • What type of counseling is best for grief?
    There are many different types of counseling practices for addressing grief. The choice of modality is specific to the provider, as well as the assessment of client needs, preferences, and the nature of grief. Below are common counseling services typically provided for grief: Existential & Humanistic Therapy: Existential and humanistic therapy are interconnected therapies that focus on self-understanding while confronting limitations to being human, such as death, illness, and demise, responsibilities and freedom to make choices, and what it means to be authentic. The therapies highlight the integration of exploring meaning, purpose, and personal fulfillment while recognizing and challenging the irony of pointlessness and the inevitability of loss. Positive Psychology: Positive psychology has similarities to existential and humanistic therapy, as it focuses on promoting wellness and self-growth despite loss. Positive psychology is more strength-based and relies on personal resiliency, meaningful goals, and gratitude to navigate grief. Art & Expressive Therapy: Expressive therapies include the use of creative art interventions such as drawing, writing, painting, singing, dancing, and acting to process grief and loss. The use of mainstream talk therapy can sometimes be challenging for those who are grieving, and thus resorting to nonverbal forms of expression can be cathartic and supportive. Narrative Therapy: Similar to Expressive therapies and Positive Psychology, Narrative therapy focuses on allowing a person to story and describe their experience of loss. Identifying personal resiliency and noted strengths, narrative therapy further focuses on the re-narrating or re-storying of the loss; It provides an opportunity to notice new perspectives as we move through loss. Mindfulness-Based Therapy: Helpful as an additive to all modalities, especially for those grieving, Mindfulness-Based Therapy focuses on incorporating stress reduction tools, meditation practices, and mindfulness exercises to aid in down-regulating one's heightened nervous system, self-soothe, and ground an individual. Logotherapy: A branch of Existential therapy, Logotherapy is also an additive therapy that focuses specifically on creating meaning. Even in the face of suffering, Logotherapy highlight how we can still choose to create meaning. For unchanging situations, such as after loss, incorporating attitudinal shifts is a primary focus of logotherapy. Transpersonal Psychology & Grief Therapy: Known as a spiritual and holistic form of therapy, Transpersonal psychology focuses on experiences of interconnectedness such as during states of flow, sereneness, and meditation, and while using certain therapeutic substances, such as psychedelics. In the context of grief, this modality can help a person striving for connection with nature, and greater self alignment, and those interested in exploring their spiritual and religious beliefs and connections. Group & Family Therapy: As highlighted above, Group and Family therapy are effective modalities for those looking for greater communal support, collective processing, and learning how to better communicate and connect. Our practice offers a variety of the modalities presented above. If you have questions about a modality that you do not see listed, please contact us and a member of our staff will return your inquiry in 24-48 hours.
  • Is group therapy good for grief?
    Group therapy is a supportive modality for addressing grief, as it provides a space for peer support, communal validation, decreased isolation and loneliness, normalization of certain experiences, and an opportunity to share without fear of judgment. Group therapy encourages the expression of difficult emotions that may be more challenging to have with friends and colleagues, and is a platform for practicing how to advocate for your needs. Our grief therapy group offers a unique opportunity to utilize creative practices to express and address grief, that doesn't solely rely on the use of verbal processing. We have found that grief is often difficult to talk about and that words do not always express our experiences justly. In addition to creative interventions, such as writing, drawing, and painting, our incorporation of mindfulness exercises aids in down-regulating your nervous system at the end of group, and are additional tools for you to practice at your leisure when overwhelmed with the distress of grief. If you are interested in learning more about our grief group and whether this might be a good fit for you, reach out by clicking here. A member of our staff will return your inquiry in 24-48 hours.
  • How soon should you have bereavement counseling?
    The timing for starting bereavement therapy is different from person to person. Taking into account the nature of a loss, a person's readiness and interest in therapy, availability of supportive factors and coping skills, and cultural factors can influence when and if a person will seek bereavement counseling. It's important to remember that the healing process is unique for everyone and so there is no right or wrong time to seek therapy and that regardless of when your loss occurred, it is never too late to start grief therapy.

Is our practice right for you?

There may be some times when we recommend connecting with other resources or providers. Here are a few examples.

​

  • Seeking medication management only. While our therapists can collaborate with psychiatrists and other medical providers, we don't provide medication services directly. Our approach focuses on integrative mental healthcare.

  • Need crisis intervention. Our practice is designed for ongoing therapeutic work rather than emergency mental health services. In the case of a mental health crisis, we urge you to contact the 988 Lifeline, which is available 24/7. In a medical emergency, please call 911 or visit the emergency room.

  • Prefer a strictly cognitive approach. Our holistic methodology integrates cognitive work with emotional, somatic, and sometimes spiritual dimensions. If you prefer therapy that focuses exclusively on thought patterns without addressing other aspects of your experience, a CBT specialist might be more aligned with your goals.

  • Looking for Christian counseling. While our holistic counseling services are designed to support your spiritual wellness, we're not a Christian counseling practice. Of course, people of all religious and faith backgrounds are welcome here, you may be served better by another provider if you're looking strictly for Christian counseling.

 

If you're unsure whether we're the right fit, contact us for a free consultation.

FAQs about holistic mental health treatment

  • What type of counseling is best for grief?
    There are many different types of counseling practices for addressing grief. The choice of modality is specific to the provider, as well as the assessment of client needs, preferences, and the nature of grief. Below are common counseling services typically provided for grief: Existential & Humanistic Therapy: Existential and humanistic therapy are interconnected therapies that focus on self-understanding while confronting limitations to being human, such as death, illness, and demise, responsibilities and freedom to make choices, and what it means to be authentic. The therapies highlight the integration of exploring meaning, purpose, and personal fulfillment while recognizing and challenging the irony of pointlessness and the inevitability of loss. Positive Psychology: Positive psychology has similarities to existential and humanistic therapy, as it focuses on promoting wellness and self-growth despite loss. Positive psychology is more strength-based and relies on personal resiliency, meaningful goals, and gratitude to navigate grief. Art & Expressive Therapy: Expressive therapies include the use of creative art interventions such as drawing, writing, painting, singing, dancing, and acting to process grief and loss. The use of mainstream talk therapy can sometimes be challenging for those who are grieving, and thus resorting to nonverbal forms of expression can be cathartic and supportive. Narrative Therapy: Similar to Expressive therapies and Positive Psychology, Narrative therapy focuses on allowing a person to story and describe their experience of loss. Identifying personal resiliency and noted strengths, narrative therapy further focuses on the re-narrating or re-storying of the loss; It provides an opportunity to notice new perspectives as we move through loss. Mindfulness-Based Therapy: Helpful as an additive to all modalities, especially for those grieving, Mindfulness-Based Therapy focuses on incorporating stress reduction tools, meditation practices, and mindfulness exercises to aid in down-regulating one's heightened nervous system, self-soothe, and ground an individual. Logotherapy: A branch of Existential therapy, Logotherapy is also an additive therapy that focuses specifically on creating meaning. Even in the face of suffering, Logotherapy highlight how we can still choose to create meaning. For unchanging situations, such as after loss, incorporating attitudinal shifts is a primary focus of logotherapy. Transpersonal Psychology & Grief Therapy: Known as a spiritual and holistic form of therapy, Transpersonal psychology focuses on experiences of interconnectedness such as during states of flow, sereneness, and meditation, and while using certain therapeutic substances, such as psychedelics. In the context of grief, this modality can help a person striving for connection with nature, and greater self alignment, and those interested in exploring their spiritual and religious beliefs and connections. Group & Family Therapy: As highlighted above, Group and Family therapy are effective modalities for those looking for greater communal support, collective processing, and learning how to better communicate and connect. Our practice offers a variety of the modalities presented above. If you have questions about a modality that you do not see listed, please contact us and a member of our staff will return your inquiry in 24-48 hours.
  • Is group therapy good for grief?
    Group therapy is a supportive modality for addressing grief, as it provides a space for peer support, communal validation, decreased isolation and loneliness, normalization of certain experiences, and an opportunity to share without fear of judgment. Group therapy encourages the expression of difficult emotions that may be more challenging to have with friends and colleagues, and is a platform for practicing how to advocate for your needs. Our grief therapy group offers a unique opportunity to utilize creative practices to express and address grief, that doesn't solely rely on the use of verbal processing. We have found that grief is often difficult to talk about and that words do not always express our experiences justly. In addition to creative interventions, such as writing, drawing, and painting, our incorporation of mindfulness exercises aids in down-regulating your nervous system at the end of group, and are additional tools for you to practice at your leisure when overwhelmed with the distress of grief. If you are interested in learning more about our grief group and whether this might be a good fit for you, reach out by clicking here. A member of our staff will return your inquiry in 24-48 hours.
  • How soon should you have bereavement counseling?
    The timing for starting bereavement therapy is different from person to person. Taking into account the nature of a loss, a person's readiness and interest in therapy, availability of supportive factors and coping skills, and cultural factors can influence when and if a person will seek bereavement counseling. It's important to remember that the healing process is unique for everyone and so there is no right or wrong time to seek therapy and that regardless of when your loss occurred, it is never too late to start grief therapy.

Get matched with one of our NJ holistic therapists today

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed from past trauma, struggling with self-love, or just want to feel supported in your journey toward greater well-being, we're here for you. While holistic counseling isn't a quick fix that will magically grant you inner peace, it is a safe haven where you can explore life's big questions and not feel so alone.

​

Ready to get started? Reach out today to set up your free, no-obligation consultation.

bottom of page