Dr. Robert Lewis

I have been a licensed practicing psychologist for 26 years. My training and professional experiences has afforded me the opportunity to work in variety of settings serving individuals of different ages with a broad array of mental health problems. This includes working with adolescent males with behavioral problems in a residential treatment program; a residential addictions program serving adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health issues; and provided psychotherapy to residents in nursing homes. I have a Bachelors degree in psychology from Dartmouth College; a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Rutgers University; and earned my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. I bring this breadth of experience and training to my work in private practice.

I strongly believe that it takes a lot of courage to get therapy. So meeting the person where they're at is critical. I see myself as working collaboratively with the client. I primarily view my work from a Cognitive-Behavioral perspective, but will use interventions from other orientations if it is better suited for the client. Ultimately, I help people identify their strengths and use those strengths to help them address their vulnerabilities.

First and foremost, I want the client to feel emotionally comfortable and psychologically safe. So building rapport at the start is a focus.

I will inform them that the first session is primarily where I gather a lot of background information which will be different than subsequent sessions. It is also during the first session where I ask the client what they are hoping to change as a consequence of therapy.