Heart-centered counseling grounded in cutting-edge science

Guidance from an experienced psychologist

Potentiality Psychotherapy & Counseling combines the best of person-centered, non-judgment therapy with contemporary science to help improve your life.  The counseling process is tailored to your specific needs and concerns. Become the person you intend to be. Become the best version of yourself. Work with an experienced psychologist in a non-threatening, life-affirming environment.  Health professionals, executives, business owners of all types, educators, military officers, law enforcement, attorneys and all other working professionals are encouraged to reach out. We can help you deal more effectively with stress, anxiety, impatience, sadness, anger issues, burn out, relationship issues, and compassion fatigue. Take the next step toward improving your life and contact us. We are looking forward to working with you.

Individual Psychotherapy

"Skills not pills." Get the counseling help you need and deserve.

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Teletherapy

Face-to-face video conferencing from the comfort of your home or office through a HIPPA secured video conferencing portal.

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Psychological Testing and Assessment

Expertise in psychological and psychoeducational assessment for most issues including but not limited to learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.

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Stefan Dombrowski

Psychologist

Stefan Dombrowski is a dedicated psychologist who provides compassionate care and support to clients in need of mental health services. He is licensed to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

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Is therapy confidential?

Yes. It is. However, there are certain exceptions to confidentiality. These include times when a client threatens to harm themselves, others, or when there is suspected child or elder abuse.  During those times, protection of the public prevails over individual privacy and we are required to inform the appropriate authorities. It is important that you are aware of these important exceptions to therapeutic confidentiality.

What can I expect from the first session?

First sessions are known as intake sessions. These sessions are casual and comfortable. The purpose is to review the initial paperwork including covering informed consent, privacy, practice policies, and a verbal history of your goals, diagnoses, past treatment, and family history. At times, these administrative tasks may feel more clinical in nature but this helps provide important background information about who you are.

Does psychotherapy work?

Therapists have knowledge of the human condition and are skilled in certain techniques that will give you a roadmap to achieving your goals.  Part of the process is getting to know you to tailor a plan for you in a non-threatening, life affirming atmosphere. From there treatment goals are created collaboratively with you and "homework" is offered to help you change your patterns of thoughts and behaviors.  Don't worry. You are not being graded. By homework, we mean putting the tools that you learn in a session into actual practice! Psychotherapy (also known as counseling) is particularly useful for treating anxiety, depression, anger issues, relationship issues, past trauma, grief, and existential crises.  With psychotherapy, people tend to get better at different rates and sometimes not at all. Like improving your physical fitness, improving your emotional well-being will take effort and persistence. If you feel that you are not making progress then this is something to discuss with your psychotherapist. Psychotherapy has helped many individuals improve their overall happiness and well-being. In fact, U.S. society has finally realized that it is too valuable a process to be used solely with those who have severe mental health issues. As a result, many high functioning, successful individuals have used psychotherapy to make gains in their personal and professional life.

What happens if I bump into you in public?

Rest assured we will respond how you wish. We can pretend like we don't know you, or we could say hello as we might a neighbor. That is entirely up to you. If this is something that concerns you then we can certainly talk about it.

Fees

We charge $175 per 56 minute session for self-pay. At the present moment, we are in-network with Aetna and Medicare. If you wish use another insurance company then we would be happy to create a receipt (i.e., superbill) for you to submit to your insurance company where we are considered an out-of-network provider.  

We charge $250 per hour for psychological testing and assessment. We are out-of-network for these services.

Are you in-person or online?

We can accommodate you either in-person at the office or online from the comfort of your home or office. It is entirely up to you and what you feel comfortable with.  For those who are private, rest assured that my office is very discreet and it is unlikely anyone will make the connection that you are coming to a therapy session.
01Nov

A recognition that you will one day die should motivate you to prioritize your relationships with friends and loved ones

Today is an important date in Mexican culture. It is known as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Day of the Dead is used ritualistically to contemplate and acknowledge one’s mortality. On this day people make toasts to their dead relatives and acknowledge that they, like their relatives, will one day face their own mortality. This ritual is not intended to be macabre. It has nothing to do with Satanic rituals. Rather, it is used as a reminder that life is finite and therefore one must fully embrace life by focusing on what some consider to be most important--relationships with friends, family, and loved ones. 

Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist and associate professor of medicine, describes the focus of those who are directly facing their mortality and imminently about to die. He said that most people at this end phase of life direct their gaze away from status, fame, fortune and luxury items; and toward their personal relationships. Muhkerjee indicated that those who are on their deathbeds attempt to make four bids to those around them:

     I want to tell you that I love you. 

     I want to tell you that I forgive you. 

     Would you tell me that you love me? 

     Would you give me your forgiveness?

People who are dying frequently express a variation of one of those four themes. Sometimes they feel regret: they feel as if they waited until it was too late to express their appreciation for others, to remedy the hurt they caused, or to risk being vulnerable and amplifying their connection out of fear of being hurt.  


Why wait until you are on death's door to foster a greater connection with others? Instead, you should increase your appreciation of those around you. Apologize to loved ones, friends, and family you have hurt. Risk being vulnerable. Don’t let your pride get in your own way where you hold a grudge and perpetuate a cut off from others. Move toward your loved ones, not away from them.  Do this before it is too late. Don't live with regrets.

Reach out today if you want to improve your relationships with those who are closest to you.  Counseling can help you with relationship issues with your partner, your friends, your family, and your co-workers. 


Written by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com


    

02Oct

Maybe you are too controlling?

Relationship problems can be rooted in your attempt to control your partner's behavior.  Experts agree that attempting to mold your partner into the ideal you have for them rarely works in the long run. Resentment will build. Anxiety and depression will ensue, and sometimes even violence will be perpetrated. This does not mean that two people should not compromise and work toward each other. I've always said that relationships require both effort and effortless ease. However, when there is too much control exerted by one partner over the other it can cause problems and interfere with a genuine, healthy relationship.  

Eminent psychotherapist Fritz Perls acknowledged this ethos in what is known as the Gestalt Prayer:

I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
and you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful. If not, it can't be helped.

Of course, one has to be cautious about summarily dismissing your partner's perspective and doing your own thing. That is not the point of the Gestalt Prayer.  Even if you find your so-called soulmate your relationship will take work, compromise, and the capacity to understand your partner's perspective.  The point is to let go and trust that by working on fulfilling your own needs, and setting your own boundaries for your partner's expectations of you, you will bring about a healthier, more genuine relationship with your partner. If your partner cannot accept that change or becomes anxious about it then it might be time to consider psychotherapy to best learn how to navigate the path ahead.


Post by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com

27Sep

Your money or your life?

I believe that money is important to provide for basic essentials and some reassurance that we will have resources to live as comfortable a life as possible. However, how much money is enough? On your deathbed, you will not wish for more money. You will want more time. Every second that passes depletes this reserve. You are not getting it back. Most importantly, you do not know how much more you have left. With each passing second, since you were born, you are one second closer to death. Is that second home, better watch, more prestigious car, or remaining in a well-paying job that you dislike worth the sacrifice of your most precious asset? Overcome your fear of not having enough money for retirement. Overcome your need for that latest shiny object.  Get off the hedonic treadmill where you experience a temporary surge in happiness with the acquisition of a new material object only to return to baseline some days, weeks, or months later.  Reach out today to examine your values and protect your most valuable asset--time! Psychotherapy can help you connect with the feelings and thoughts that keep you from living a more balanced, free, and fulfilled life.  


Post by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com

19Sep


Without realizing it we often make assumptions about other people or circumstances that are distorted or simply inaccurate.  We then generalize from a specific situation to other people or events in life more globally.  What do I mean by this? Let me provide an example.  Let’s assume you have a friend that you haven’t talked to in some time. You give your friend a call, but they do not answer.  You leave a message telling them you just wanted to check in and catch up.  

Several days go by and your friend still has not returned your call or even texted you.  You feel rejected and a bit insulted because you are the type to quickly return calls/texts. You begin to wonder whether it is even worth it to have a friend like this in your life.  After all, good friends are supposed to promptly return calls or texts, right? Your mind runs amok for several more days.  You globalize your thinking and conclude that all people are selfish and one-sided.  At times, you even put the blame on yourself and think that you may have said or done something wrong. Deep down you may even wonder whether you are unlovable. You go into a funk, and stay home and watch television rather than go out to social engagements.  You actually convince yourself that your friend is selfish and not a good friend. You don’t consider other possibilities for their lack of return correspondence.    

One week passes and your friend calls you back, explaining that she was away for a few days and then caught a nasty cold. She mentioned that she had intended to call you back but was simply overwhelmed.  She apologized profusely.  This makes you feel better. Unfortunately you spent a good portion of the past week ruminating over why your friend hadn’t called you back and why you don’t have caring friends in your life or at least friends who are as thoughtful/caring as you are.  This may have even made you feel down and depressed.  It is this type of high expectations of others and subsequent distorted thinking that can trigger low level depression including a cycle of isolation that worsens depressive feelings. We often don’t realize it but high expectations of others combined with mischaracterization of their intentions and subsequent social isolation can contribute to feelings of depression.  

Fortunately, counseling and psychotherapy can provide you with the tools that can help. If you find that you are suffering from low level depression where you feel rejected, insulted, unworthy, unlovable, or where you feel you no longer have the quality of friends in your life that you would prefer then please reach out to us today. We are here to help.


Post by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com

11Sep

Are you always thinking about work and having trouble sleeping because of it? Are you feeling stressed from a lack of work-life balance? You may not realize but you may be suffering from burn out.

Burnout is a tremendous problem in American society. The capitalist ethos of exchanging your time and life energy for the almighty dollar has been ingrained into our collective psyche for more than a century. During the roaring 1920s President Calvin Coolidge once stated, "the business of America is business."  We work hard in exchange for a paycheck.  We convince ourselves we need a luxury car, a beach home, and an expensive vacation.  We compare ourselves to others and feel it is a badge of honor if we can be first into the office and the last to leave.  Working hard and paying ones dues in a job is an important part of life. Money is certainly important. Enjoying the finer things in life is important, and that often requires money.  However, how much is enough? How much of your life energy are you willing to trade for a job that would drop you the minute your productivity declines? How much of your precious personal and family time are your willing to sacrifice?


Unfortunately, there is a dark side to overworking.  Its side effects can take a toll on our mental and physical health and can make us feel less compassionate for others, fatigued, anxious, irritable, apathetic, and difficult to be around. It can also severely impact our ability to sleep taking us down the rabbit hole of using sleep aids, alcohol or other substances to help us get to sleep.  


If you feel physically and emotionally exhausted from a lack of work-life balance then please reach out.  There is hope for a more fulfilled life that will bring you greater happiness. 


Post by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com

05Sep

Reach out today for help with overthinking and anxiety

If you are a thoughtful, analytical, person then you are likely a good problem solver in your work life.  However, "analysis-paralysis" is a saying in the business world that resonates well in the mental health community.  Analysis-paralysis has its roots in rumination.  Rumination is the process of thinking, over and over, about something, past or present, that takes you out of the moment and often spirals downward toward anxiety and lack of action. When we ruminate we think we are problem-solving and taking action but we are not.  We are simply treading water, sometimes with our head barely above the surface.  

Most importantly, rumination steals our happiness and hope.  It keeps us in a cycle of anxiety that seizes our enjoyment of life's precious moments with family, kids, friends, and loved ones.  It can even get so bad that it pushes other people away.  I often say to my clients that "rumination is the peace killer."  Being thoughtful and thinking through possibilities is helpful.  Ruminating, obsessing, and over thinking is not.  The good news is there is hope.  We can help you explore the triggers to your rumination and help you break this habit, one step at a time!  


Post by Stefan C. Dombrowski, Ph.D.

www.potentialitytherapy.com




  • 3804 Church Road, Mt Laurel, NJ, USA

Please call or complete the form for a free 15 minute consultation. Teletherapy appointments are also available throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. FEE: $175 per 56 minute session In-network with Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield and Medicare