My name is Carina Lehman and I am a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) under the clinical supervision of Danielle Brown, MS, LPC, NCC, ACS. As a provisionally licensed counselor, I am well on my way to becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology at William Paterson University of New Jersey in 2015. From there, I went on to complete my Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling and School Counseling at Centenary University; I was one of the first graduating classes to have a virtual commencement in 2020! After graduation, I earned my NJ School Counseling Certificate and passed the examination to become a LAC.  

     During my graduate program, I was an in-home behavioral assistant for NJ youth, serving kids to adults up to age 21. I worked as a Day Program Coordinator and Group Counselor for clients with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), was an assistant preschool teacher, a paraprofessional, and a middle school counselor. After graduation, I began my clinical work at a Partial Care Center where I provided mental health counseling for adults. There, I treated clients dealing with substance abuse, mood disorders, dual diagnoses, and acute thought disorders. Eventually, I practiced as a therapist for a non-profit community mental health center where I got my start in outpatient therapy, serving children aged 8 through adults. As you can see, my experience consists of a little bit of everything, which is reflected in my work as an eclectic counselor.  

     While I enjoy working with all age populations and with various mental health needs, my specialty areas include but are not limited to working with children, adolescents, young adults, and parents, and treating anxiety, eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, grief, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I aim to help alleviate symptoms that affect clients’ mental health and collaborate with my clients to help them get to a comfortable, healthy place in their lives. My main approaches to counseling are Person-Centered, Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Strength-Based, and Mindfulness.  

     On a personal level, when I have a moment away from being a mom I spend my time crafting, drawing, and listening to music. I thoroughly enjoy experiencing the little moments in life, like playing outside with my kids on a beautiful Saturday, or even the smallest of moments like waking up early, getting a cup of coffee, and sitting on my recliner in silence on weekday mornings. I believe that it is important not to take myself too seriously, to have humility, and to recognize and set healthy boundaries for myself. To me, having a true understanding and willingness to accept each other as unique individuals is an integral part of any client-counselor relationship.