Center For Wellness

10/08/2025

We're hiring a therapist! Full or part time.

https://center-for-wellness.careerplug.com/jobs/1942471

10/01/2025

08/06/2025

Meeting Mental Health Goals — One Step at a Time

At Center For Wellness, we are committed to helping adults achieve their mental health goals with flexible, effective support.

Our Adult Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offers:
✅ Group Therapy
✅ Individual Therapy
✅ Medication Management
✅ Flexible scheduling — morning or evening sessions, 3–5 days a week
✅ Most private health insurances accepted

Whether you’re looking to build coping skills, strengthen your support system, or manage symptoms more effectively, our experienced team is here to help you take the next step forward.

📅 Morning Session: 10 AM – 1 PM
📅 Evening Session: 5 PM – 8 PM
📞 Learn more: (732) 655-4CFW (4239)
🌐 www.centerforwellnessnj.com

07/03/2025

This 4th of July, we at Center For Wellness are filled with gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy—and deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with them.

🗽 Freedom is not just about independence—it’s about opportunity.

The opportunity to heal. To grow. To speak openly about mental health. To seek support without stigma.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we’re also committed to helping individuals and families build mental resilience—because true freedom includes the ability to thrive emotionally and mentally.

💬 At CFW, we believe that honoring the spirit of this country means ensuring everyone has access to the care and compassion they need to live fully.

Whether you’re spending today with friends, family, or taking quiet time for yourself—we hope you find space for rest, reflection, resilience and joy. 💙

Here’s to mental health, freedom, and community—today and every day. 🌱

05/21/2025

Mental Health Matters – And So Does School Culture

A huge thank you to Old Bridge High School for having Center For Wellness at your Mental Health & Wellness Fair!

The event was incredible — but what stood out the most was the genuine enthusiasm and engagement from the students. Not all schools are managed equally, and it was clear that Old Bridge goes above and beyond to create a climate where mental health isn't just discussed — it's encouraged.

The students weren’t just showing up — they were leaning in. Curious, open, and ready to talk about the stuff that really matters. It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t performative. It felt like just another awesome day on campus where learning about wellness is part of the culture.

💬 Fun.
📚 Educational.
💛 Meaningful.

Big thanks to Marissa, Jenn, Caitlin, and the whole Old Bridge team for making it happen. Your work is making a difference — and we were honored to be part of it.

05/14/2025

🌱 Summer Isn’t Just for Vacations — It’s for Growth Too

While some families are planning downtime, we know that for many teens, summer is the perfect opportunity to tackle the challenges that can impact school attendance and overall well-being.

At Center For Wellness, our Teen Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is designed to help students struggling with:
🏫 School Phobia
🤝 Social Anxiety
🎯 Performance Anxiety
🚪 Agoraphobia

Our team of expert clinicians is here to assess each student’s unique needs and develop a personalized treatment plan to build skills, resilience, and confidence before the next school year.

Want to learn more?
Connect with Ira Hays, our Program Director, at ihays@centerforwellnessnj.com to discuss how we can support your child, student, or client this summer.

Let’s make this summer a turning point. 🌟

05/02/2025

🧠 May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and at Center For Wellness, we’re proud to make advocacy and training core parts of our mission. We believe that mental health care should be accessible, personalized, and rooted in evidence-based practices that support a wide range of concerns.

As summer approaches, it's the perfect time to invest in your well-being. Whether you're a high school or college student, or an adult navigating parenting, work stress, or executive pressure, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offers specialized support to help you thrive.

🌿 From social anxiety and school phobia to emetophobia and mood-related challenges, our team utilizes a blend of effective, proven modalities to meet each client where they are.

Interested in making the most of this summer for yourself or your child? Let’s talk about how Center For Wellness can help.

📩 Message us to learn more or schedule a consultation.

04/13/2025

Happy Vaisaakhi to those who celebrate!

03/19/2025

A huge thank you to NJ4S Essex for partnering with Center for Wellness to provide an important training for parents on parenting students with ADHD.

We had the opportunity to take a deep dive into ADHD symptoms, exploring early presentations in elementary school and their connection to school attendance, adversarial relationships with school, and performance anxiety. These are crucial areas that often impact a child’s educational experience and overall well-being.

We also highlighted something that is too often overlooked—the strengths of individuals with ADHD. Their creativity, energy, and unique ways of thinking are powerful assets when recognized and nurtured.

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for this discussion! These conversations are essential for building understanding, support, and empowerment for both students and families.

03/17/2025

🍀 Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of us at the Center for Wellness! 🍀

Today is a day to celebrate luck, joy, and the beauty of community. As we embrace the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, we also want to remind everyone about the importance of mental health awareness. Just as we care for our physical health, our mental well-being deserves the same attention and care.

Whether you’re celebrating with friends, reflecting on your personal journey, or simply enjoying a quiet moment, remember that your mental health is a priority. Reach out when you need support, and take the time to nurture yourself.

Wishing you all a day filled with positivity, self-care, and the luck of the Irish! 🍀💚

03/11/2025

❇️ Raising Awareness About OCD and School Attendance Concerns ✅

Many of you know how passionate I am about treating school attendance concerns and OCD, especially in young people. I'm truly blessed to work with clients throughout NJ and, in my efforts to raise awareness about the impact of OCD on young lives, I continue to explore new strategies to reach more individuals.

In fact, the entire reason I started on social media was to help spread awareness. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or mental health professional, I believe we can make a real difference by increasing understanding of these challenges.

If you work with school-age children, I highly recommend checking out my YouTube channel! I create short clips to share here, but the long-format content on YouTube is filled with clinical data that you may find incredibly helpful in understanding OCD and school attendance struggles.

🙏 If you support the work I do, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could visit my channel, and if you find the content useful, please subscribe and leave a comment. Every bit of feedback helps!

💬 And if you’re passionate about raising awareness around important topics like OCD or school attendance, I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get the conversation started in the comments below.

Together, we can help more people get the support they need. 💙

To see the Video: Click the Linke Below

The #1 Misunderstood Diagnosis and It's Relationship to School Attendance, OCD and Attendance Part 1

https://youtu.be/G_JgIgy3580

OCD and School Attendance: Understanding the Complex Relationship

Join Ira Hayes, a specialist in anxiety treatment for children and adults, as he explores the often misunderstood relationship between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and school attendance. In this video, Ira covers common misconceptions about OCD, how OCD affects morning routines and causes school absences, and the significant impact of intrusive thoughts and reassurance seeking on students. He also emphasizes the importance of evidence-based treatments like Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Stay tuned for more insightful content aimed at helping school counselors and therapists better understand and support students with OCD.

03/10/2025

😨 Overcoming Social Anxiety with Evidence-Based Treatment at Center For Wellness 🫂

At Center For Wellness, we understand that traditional IOP settings may not always provide the support needed for those struggling with social anxiety. That’s why we take an innovative approach to treatment by incorporating Evidence-Based Therapies like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into our IOP program.

💡 Why ERP and ACT?

For many of our clients, especially students and adults who have struggled with other programs, the unique combination of ERP and ACT provides a safe and structured environment to face their fears head-on. Through ERP, clients work through a fear hierarchy, gradually confronting anxiety-provoking situations in a methodical way, while ACT helps them to embrace their emotions without judgment, promoting acceptance and flexibility in the face of anxiety.

🔑 Why it Works:

Clients who’ve previously found it difficult to attend or progress in other IOP settings have experienced significant positive results by applying these evidence-based techniques. The process of confronting fears step by step allows for lasting change, and the results speak for themselves.

If you or someone you know is struggling with social anxiety, know that there is hope and a path forward. At Center For Wellness, we're committed to providing the right support for each individual to heal and thrive.