Rukiya Bluford

Hello! My name is Rukiya and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor based in New Jersey. Professionally I have been working as an outpatient clinician in community mental health for the past five years and working in the field for the past 8 years. I work with adults from different communities who are navigating challenges such as anxiety, stress, identity concerns, and self-esteem. My approach is person-centered and collaborative, grounded in the belief that individuals are the experts of their own experiences. I help clients to reconnect with themselves and their communities at their own pace.

Personally, I went into this field wanting to understand myself more and others around me. What came out of it was finding myself, finding community, and finding the language to name things that were happening to me and around me. I believe people are the experts of themselves and I get the honor to hold space and help connect the dots. Outside of Therapy I am a writer and a poet. I am a former peer educator. I'm passionate about creating a space where someone can find the best version of themselves because it was a gift that was given to me. Also, fan of basketball and Women's sports.

I utilize therapy techniques from Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. As a visual learner I like to provide Psychoeducational worksheets to explore different tools.

In our first session together I will introduce myself and ask how are you doing, right now in this moment. From there I will ask what brings you into therapy right now. Together we will create some goals and expectations for Therapy and I will answer any questions you may have about myself or therapy, or different forms of treatment. What is most important is that you get matched to the right care and tools.