Book a therapist or psychiatrist in New Providence, NJ covered by United Healthcare

My name is Faith Ekpo, and I am Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to adolescents, young adults, older adults. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, life transitions, overwhelmed, over-thinking, poor sleep or other life challenges, my goal is to help you feel more balanced, empowered, and equipped with the tools you need to thrive. My approach integrates medication management with psychotherapy and individualized therapeutic interventions to support each client’s unique needs and goals.

I'm a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC), Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LCADC), and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with over 14 years of experience working in mental health and addiction treatment across northern New Jersey. I work with individuals and couples who feel overwhelmed, stuck, anxious, or disconnected whether navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, relationship challenges, or major life transitions. I provide a grounded, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where clients can openly explore their experiences and begin to understand what may be getting in the way of living more fully.

Stimulants, Suboxone and Benzodiazepines are prescribed in this practice with DEA guidelines. Dr. Padilla is a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the New York tri-state area and has over 30 years of experience in healthcare. He treats children from 6 years old through adulthood, focusing on psychiatric medication management. He specializes in mental health and has extensive experience in the field of psychiatry. Dr. Padilla takes a “start low and go slow” approach to prescribing, paying special attention to medication potency and potential interactions with other medications prescribed by other providers. Dr. Padilla earned his Doctorate in Clinical Practice Nursing from Rutgers University–New Brunswick. He also holds bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and the University of Miami, as well as an associate’s degree from Bergen Community College.

I've been working in the field for over 15 years, I spent a lot of that time in community mental health. This experience gave me a wealth of experience and made me a well balanced therapist.

In my free time, I love watching sports, traveling and spending as much time as possible with my sassy little toddler.

I am curious and validating, providing a nurturing environment to talk openly and honestly about your struggles, strengths, weaknesses, needs, likes, and dislikes. I love helping people explore their unique and particular powers as well as how these powers impact their world and their relationships. As a passionate supporter of those who have been through unjust or otherwise traumatic experiences--including those experiencing discrimination based upon race or gender identity or sexual orientation--I am particularly interested in helping people gain skills for dealing with, and making sense of, the remnants of their pasts.

Having completed Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation's Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies in early 2025, I have a strong foundational understanding of the most cutting edge approaches to treating trauma. I am also comfortable using a combination of approaches, including Psychodynamic, Gestalt, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, a psychodynamically focused program, after which I completed Bryn Mawr's certificate program in psychodynamic psychotherapy. I have also completed 1 year of Gestalt Therapy training and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Immersion Program.

As an LCSW, my training emphasized the role of social environment--from the family to society at large--in how we construct our narratives, enabling me to help you make sense of what in your life is yours to own and what is a product of your environment.