I'm in my sixties, my kids are all grown, and I haven't been in Dr. Judy's office for over a decade. Yet, I still remember that first day of therapy many years ago. Dr. Judy opened the waiting room door, and greeted us, two nervous parents, with her warm smile. Her easy manner relaxed us and we knew we were going to be okay. A few days later, as our child walked out of the first individual session holding an art project depicting a sailing ship in stormy seas, with a bright sun in the corner, we knew we were in the right place. Even Dr. Judy's hands were smeared with paint, showing us that she'd try anything - whether in or out of the box -- to connect with our child. Dr. Judy's relationship style with parents did not follow the typical version of "drop your kid off at therapy and wait in the waiting room," experience. She involved us, by asking us for input about how things were going at home. We loved that our child had a special, safe therapeutic relationship with his psychologist. Dr. Judy encouraged us to have faith and trust in God throughout the sometimes painful process. Over time, I've become more appreciative of her eclectic application of creative use of tested modalities; I'm thinking of play therapy (that playroom!), behaviorism (colorful charts, incentives, positive reinforcement) that required our participation, and CBT (that I as a mom benefited from, especially re-framing through humor!). I remember Judy with fondness and appreciation and my years as her patient had a positive impact on my self-esteem and confidence. My child is now a grown adult, married, employed and settled with a beautiful family. I remember the hard work of therapy during those years; it was at once a joyous, sad, hysterical and tumultuous journey. I truly believe Dr. Judy's loving work, gentle sense of humor, together with our family along with God's ever-present Hand, combined to bring this positive outcome. Thank you!

M H. | Jun 27, 2023
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There are not enough words to describe how Dr. Judy as my therapist has been a positive, grounding, therapeutic presence in my life throughout the last sixteen years and helped me become who I am today. Dr. Judy has helped me become the resilient, compassionate, empathetic, loving, and courageous woman I am today and thrive as a mother, former spouse, daughter, sister, co-parent, niece, friend, and legal advisor / future lawyer. She not only has been an empathetic, guiding, loving, validating, and trusted listener, keeper of my life’s story, and safe space, but she has allowed me to feel safe to show up as my authentic self-quirks and all. She is practical when it comes to problem solving together, which I greatly appreciate and need. At times, I need direction and takeaways to help me do the work on myself and in my life. She has also helped push me when I need a gentle push to do whatever it is or helped me to see a situation or problem through a different lens. She is my biggest cheerleader and advocate in my life. She was the first person I called crying hysterically when my life imploded at midnight in 2020. She picked up her phone and was there with me over the phone until I was able to calm down and continued to be there for me throughout the nightmare that was 2020 to not only help me survive 2020 and 2021 but helped me to thrive again. Dr. Judy has given me the tools to navigate relationships familial, romantic, and platonic that are challenging, to set boundaries, and to figure out what I need emotionally and not to do what others expect or want from me. Dr. Judy has been a loving constant that has helped me to weather life’s storms and has helped me to get out of anxiety and depression loops during times of crisis. Her quirky sense of humor helps when I find myself not wanting to do a therapy session or feel heavy during a session. We can joke around and laugh together and that is needed at times. She has helped me to know that I am resilient at my core and I will always be okay (with or without her). Although I never want to imagine my life without Dr. Judy in it, she has told me she will be there for me always and never abandon me. This is the safety net I need. After the death of my mom when I was 22 and my complicated relationship with my dad, parental abandonment has been a core wound I’ve worked on healing. Dr. Judy has been like a mom to me after my mom died in 2005 helping me navigate my early adulthood and process trauma from childhood and and analyze my dysfunctional family. I have done a lot of processing, analyzing, grieving, and healing during our 16 year relationship. Dr. Judy has been there for me during the darkest times in my life when my first daughter was born prematurely and passed away at 5 weeks old and when my spouse of almost two decades demanded a divorce due to mania out of the blue. Dr. Judy has always worked with me when I couldn’t afford to pay her at her normal hourly rate when I was a broke law student, an unemployed recent law school graduate, and a struggling single mom going through an expensive divorce and other times I can’t recall so I could continue to have the therapy sessions with her that were literally life saving. I am grateful for her kindness and generosity. Dr. Judy has also been there to help me celebrate the most joyful times in my life : falling in love, moving in with my partner, getting engaged, getting into and graduating from law school, getting new jobs, getting married, getting pregnant, having two children, and buying a house. Dr. Judy, there are not enough words to express my deep love and gratitude for who you are as a therapist and as a human being and the positive impact you have had on my life as my therapist. You have not only transformed my life for the better, but saved my life when I was drowning in my life’s last powerful storm. I love you forever.

V M. | Nov 23, 2022
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