Behavioral Health: Faith-Based Treatment For A Better Life

Have Faith Behavioral Health is a mental health clinic in Hamilton, New Jersey. The clinic offers therapy for individuals, couples, and families, and specializes in treating eating disorders, addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, stress, and more. Have Faith Behavioral Health is available both in-person and online, and is licensed by the State of New Jersey.

Eating disorders, addiction, anxiety

Have Faith Behavioral Health is a mental health clinic in Hamilton, New Jersey, offering treatment to individuals, couples, and families. The clinic provides therapy for a range of mental and emotional health issues, including eating disorders, addiction, and anxiety.

Eating Disorders

Individuals with eating disorders can seek help from Have Faith Behavioral Health to address their unhealthy relationship with food and their body. The therapists at the clinic are experienced in creating a safe and non-judgmental environment, where clients can explore the underlying causes of their eating disorder and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Addiction

Addiction is a complex condition that often requires professional help to overcome. Have Faith Behavioral Health offers support for those struggling with addiction, helping them to identify triggers, develop healthier coping strategies, and build a stronger sense of self-control. The clinic's therapists work collaboratively with clients to navigate the path to recovery.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a common mental health issue that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. Have Faith Behavioral Health provides specialized therapy for anxiety, teaching clients skills to manage their anxiety and improve their overall well-being. Therapists at the clinic utilize evidence-based approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to help clients challenge negative thought patterns and develop healthier ways of thinking.

In addition to their expertise in eating disorders, addiction, and anxiety, the therapists at Have Faith Behavioral Health also have experience in other areas, including borderline personality disorder (BPD), dissociative disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The clinic offers a holistic approach to treatment, recognizing that each client's needs are unique.

Borderline personality disorder

BPD is characterized by a pattern of intense emotions, difficulties with stable relationships, and problems with self-image. Individuals with BPD may struggle with impulsive behaviours and unstable moods, often experiencing extreme emotional highs and lows. The disorder can lead to intense episodes of anger, depression, or anxiety that can last from a few hours to a few days. These emotional shifts can result in impulsive actions, such as substance abuse, reckless spending, or risky sexual behaviours.

At Have Faith Behavioral Health, clients can access a range of therapeutic approaches to manage BPD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one such approach, helping individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is another effective treatment, focusing on mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance skills. Through DBT, clients learn to accept and manage their emotions, improve their relationships, and build a sense of self-acceptance.

In addition to therapy, the clinic also offers support groups and other resources to help clients and their families cope with BPD. By providing a safe and non-judgmental environment, Have Faith Behavioral Health aims to empower individuals to develop insight into their thoughts and feelings, make positive changes, and lead more fulfilling lives.

Dissociative identity disorder

The main personality in DID is known as the "host", and the other personalities or identities are often referred to as "alternate personalities" or "alters". Each identity may have different behaviours, memories, thought patterns, expressions, gender identities, ethnicities, and ways of interacting with their environment. The presence of amnesia or gaps in memory is often a significant symptom, as memories may not transfer between identities.

DID is typically associated with severe childhood trauma and abuse, and it develops as a coping mechanism to help individuals deal with overwhelming traumatic experiences. The four predisposing factors for DID, as outlined by Kluft, include the ability to dissociate, overwhelming traumatic experiences that distort reality, the creation of alters with specific names and identities, and a lack of external stability, leading to self-soothing behaviours to tolerate stressors.

The diagnosis of DID can be challenging and often requires multiple assessments and a detailed history taken by both psychiatric practitioners and experienced psychologists. Neurological examinations and various questionnaires or scales, such as the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, are also used to evaluate dissociative behaviour and make an accurate diagnosis.

While there is no cure for DID, effective treatments are available, including psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, and medication to manage symptoms. The treatment focuses on establishing safety, stabilization, and symptom reduction, confronting and integrating traumatic memories, and identity integration and rehabilitation. It is crucial for individuals with DID to have a strong support system and maintain a consistent treatment plan to manage their symptoms and improve their overall functioning.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy offered by Have Faith Behavioral Health. CBT is a common form of talk therapy that aims to help individuals understand and manage their thoughts and feelings to improve their overall mental health and well-being.

CBT is based on the understanding that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all interconnected. By identifying and changing negative or unhelpful thought patterns, individuals can learn to manage their emotions and behaviors more effectively. This form of therapy is often used to treat a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional disturbances.

During CBT sessions at Have Faith Behavioral Health, individuals can expect to work collaboratively with their therapist to set specific goals and develop strategies to achieve those goals. The therapist will provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for individuals to explore their thoughts, challenge negative thinking patterns, and develop healthier ways of coping with life's stressors.

CBT typically involves a range of techniques, such as journaling, mindfulness practices, and behavioral experiments. These techniques help individuals become more aware of their thoughts and the underlying beliefs that may be contributing to their mental health concerns. By identifying and challenging negative thoughts, individuals can learn to replace them with more realistic and positive ones, leading to improved mood and functioning.

Have Faith Behavioral Health recognizes that seeking help can be a challenging step, and they aim to provide a supportive and compassionate environment for their clients. Their team of therapists is dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and families navigate life's challenges and work towards their best life.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

OCD Symptoms

People with OCD may experience obsessions, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that are intrusive, unwanted, and often anxiety-inducing. Common obsessions include:

• Fear of germs or contamination
• Fear of losing control over one's behaviour
• Aggressive thoughts towards others or oneself
• Unwanted or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
• A desire for symmetry or perfect order

Compulsions are repetitive behaviours that a person feels compelled to do, often in response to an obsession. Common compulsions include:

• Excessive cleaning or handwashing
• Ordering or arranging items in a specific way
• Repeatedly checking things, such as locks or appliances
• Praying or repeating words silently

It's important to note that not all repeated thoughts are obsessions, and not all rituals or habits are compulsions. However, people with OCD often feel unable to control their obsessions or compulsions, even when they know they are excessive. These symptoms can be time-consuming, taking up more than an hour a day, and can cause significant problems in daily life.

Treatment Options

At Faith Behavioral Health, we offer a range of treatment options for OCD, including therapy and medication management. Our team of experienced professionals provides personalised care using evidence-based practices and strategies to help you develop and maintain healthy thought patterns, behaviours, and emotional regulation.

One of our primary treatment approaches for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. This process involves gradual exposure to specific triggers that may be causing unwanted thoughts or behaviours. As you become more familiar with these triggers, you will learn how to cope with them without resorting to rituals, gaining greater control over your OCD.

We also offer treatment for related conditions, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), which involves a preoccupation with rules, orderliness, and control. Our treatment for OCPD combines psychotherapy and medication management to help resolve underlying issues and manage symptoms.

Support for All Ages

OCD can affect people of all ages, and we provide tailored treatment plans for adults, teens, and children. We understand that the challenges of OCD can be unique for teenagers and adolescents, and our teen OCD treatment program takes these specific challenges into account. Through our OCD teenager treatment, we help teens gain control over their symptoms and find relief from distress.

For children with OCD, we offer specialised services such as play therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy, designed to help kids gain control over their symptoms and make positive changes. Our team of professionals is dedicated to providing comprehensive OCD treatment for children, tailored to meet their individual needs.

Faith and OCD

For Christians or individuals with religious beliefs, OCD can intersect with their faith in complex ways. Religious scrupulosity is a form of OCD where individuals experience obsessions, compulsions, and distress related to their faith, spirituality, or religion. This can include significant doubt, anxiety, and distress about their moral beliefs or religious practices.

At Faith Behavioral Health, we understand the unique challenges that religious scrupulosity can present, and we are experienced in providing clinical treatments for individuals dealing with these intersecting issues. Our goal is to help you find a treatment plan and support system that works best for your specific needs.

Frequently asked questions