Emil Vernarec, MA, LPC

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey and a National Certified Counselor. In February 2021, I attained the credential of Beck Institute CBT Certified Clinician (BICBT-CC). 

Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT, is my core approach for understanding my clients’ problems and helping them learn skills to manage symptoms and make progress toward their personal goals. I integrate elements of other evidence-based treatments as needed, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, DBT, and compassion-focused therapy. As a CBT therapist, I work collaboratively with clients to help them identify problematic thoughts and beliefs, change self-defeating thinking and behavior, clarify personal goals, and deal more effectively with the obstacles that keep them from being their best selves. 

I am a career changer to the field of mental health. Initially I worked as a healthcare writer in publishing and business settings. I began my studies part-time and earned a Master’s degree in Counseling with a concentration in clinical mental health from Montclair State University; I then completed additional coursework at Fairleigh Dickinson University. I continue to seek training that expand my clinical skills and deepen my understanding of the diverse individuals who seek therapy. Most recently, as noted above, I completed training to become certified in CBT by the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 

Currently, I work in private practice in the Montclair and Pompton Lakes areas of New Jersey, both independently and as part of a group (these include teletherapy). In my earlier clinical work, I provided short- and long-term individual therapy at NewBridge Services, a not-for-profit mental health agency dedicated to underserved populations in northern Passaic County. I later worked as a clinician at Atlantic Behavioral Health, in Summit, where I conducted individual and group therapy in a six-week intensive outpatient program.  I am a member of the New Jersey Association of Cognitive Behavior Therapists. 

My work experience has involved treating clients for a wide range of clinical problems, such as chronic depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, relationship difficulties, and history of trauma and loss. Often, these issues are intertwined with emotional stress related to family, school, and work life, as well as social pressures because of an individual’s sexual orientation, ethnicity, or socioeconomic class. As part of my work with each of my clients, my goal has been to help them develop the courage, self-compassion, and skills for the important changes they seek to make.