NJ License 44SC06017200; PA License CW022781
Hi! I’m Stephanie Payne Capecchi (she/her). I work with people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, life stressors, grief, relationship issues, and transitions. My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and will help you develop your inner voice for sustainable success. In order to treat trauma and many other concerns, I am trained in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing).
What was your path to becoming a therapist?
I wanted to be a therapist for years before I left corporate project management to return to social work and complete the necessary training. I’ve always enjoyed having deep and meaningful conversations, and the balance between radical self-acceptance and the desire to change particularly fascinates me. Previously, I worked in an outpatient physician’s office, a residential treatment facility for teenage girls, and a community mental health center. Working in a variety of settings, I realized how common trauma is, which includes difficult or invalidating experiences that may not “seem” like trauma to others. This led me to become trained in EMDR, which is a well-researched and recommended modality for treating trauma.
What should someone know about working with you?
Overall, working with me will be a springboard for you to explore your emotions, thoughts, goals, negative self-beliefs, and automatic responses. In the first one to two sessions, we’ll get to know each other so that I can get a big picture view of your life and your goals. There will be lots of time for you to get to know me, too! From there, we’ll dive into working on your goals. I enjoy clients who are introspective and willing to be uncomfortable in the process (or learn how!). My goal is to find a mix of concrete solutions and ideas, but also to provide ample time to explore emotions and ways of thinking about problems. I also use humor, bringing my own goofy personality to the therapy room as well.
How do your core values shape your approach to therapy?
My graduate degree is in clinical social work, and I share with social work the core values of social justice, collaboration, and acceptance. These influence my work as a therapist in that I consistently work to examine and break down my own biases and to advocate for underprivileged groups. Additionally, I take a collaborative and nonjudgmental approach to help you figure out what you want and how to work toward it.
What is unique about your therapeutic style?
One thing that makes therapy with me different is that I am going to encourage you to slow down and connect with your body. Many of us are disconnected from our bodies and spend a tremendous amount of time in our heads with our thoughts. However, our body is intelligent and holds much wisdom on how we’re feeling and how to heal. While at first it might feel silly to pause and notice what you’re feeling physically, it ultimately leads to a deeper healing that thinking alone can’t achieve.
Fun fact: In her spare time, Stephanie is passionate about helping rescue animals. She has two cats and two dogs, and volunteers with Pitties and Pals, a pitbull rescue in New Jersey.