Venn references the Venn Diagram, a model used to represent the way things relate to one another. The three interlocking circles that we chose as our logo are symbolic in that the Venn Center integrates best practices from three fields: psychiatry, psychology, and education. This multiple-lens approach allows us to bring something new to you, something that no one field achieves independent of the others. Traditionally, the primary family unit—mother, father, & child—has been represented by the three overlapping circles, as well. We’ve adopted the Venn Diagram as a useful tool for helping us and helping you understand that no one develops or suffers distress alone, our lives are always intertwined and interlocked with the lives of others. You won’t be surprised when you see the Venn Diagram used in our lectures, talks, and consultations with you.

Before we tell you what we think—guess. Think about it for a minute or two. What does it mean to you? The Rorschach is a famous test used in psychiatry in which an inkblot (with no intentional figure or design) is given to an individual; the person is then asked “what do you see?” There are no right or wrong answers. The same is true for our fish with a fin. There is no right or wrong answer (and we’re always interested to hear what the image means to you!).

What it means to us is this—the goldfish is a common fish, many of us have had one, either as a child or a parent of a child who has one. The goldfish is an image that represents all of us, people. We are more common than we are different. The shark fin that is strapped on to the goldfish represents the potential for any of us goldfish, to use or adopt the right tool to get us what we need or want in life. The message we intend to send is this—we believe that you can grow what you need to grow, even if you’re not born with it, and it will help you steer your life down a healthy pathway toward the life you want to live.

You may not know if you need help, but you can meet with a Venn Clinician to discuss just that. When you get started by contacting us, the Initial Consultation and Intake Conference are opportunities to determine whether you do need help. The choice to move forward with therapy or other Venn Services will be determined after a thorough discussion that focuses on what you believe your “problem” is.

Encourage him or her to make contact with the Venn Center. Provide that “someone” with the phone number and email address so that he or she has a way of connecting with help. You can also ask that person, “what is standing in your way of getting help for yourself?” If you are wiling, you may ask, “what can I do to help you make time for an appointment?” Sometimes someone may need a ride, or child-care. But if you don’t ask, you won’t know.

Remember, you may offer support and aid, but it is not your responsibility to help another person who is experiencing a mental health problem. Mental health problems respond best to mental health treatments. In addition, being a friend or family member is different from working with someone on a professional basis to reduce a problem.

You don’t need to ask for a specific type of help. What will work best is if you are prepared to talk about your life and the problems you are experiencing just the way you are experiencing them. During the Initial Consultation and at the Intake Interview, we need to hear what you are experiencing straight from you to know how you are feeling. Then we can understand what might help you the most. We don’t need to hear your problems explained in anybody else’s words.

We expect that this may be the case. Often, people who “try” therapy and don’t love it, feel as though therapy failed them. Alternatively, it may be the case that the therapy you tried was not a good “fit” for you. In this case, discontinuing the therapy can be understood as a good thing that you did for yourself –you stopped with something that wasn’t working for you. Good. We do not suggest, however, that if your problem persists, you should not continue to look for sources that do “fit” your needs. You probably liked some grades in school better than others; some teachers you probably liked more than others. Even when you had a not-so-perfect teacher, it did not mean that you didn’t need school anymore.

We care about “fit” at the Venn Center. We will try to match you with the Venn Clinician that will work best for you and your needs. And, at any time, we will want to know if you don’t think the “fit” is right. We’ll work on it.

The Venn Center integrates psychiatry, psychology, and education to provide clients with proven modern approaches to helping clients meet their goals. Importantly, Venn Center Staff pay attention to emerging, new tools for helping people. For example, the Venn Center is the only location in Northern New Jersey where clients can receive Cogmed Working Memory Training for ADHD, a non-medication treatment alterative for children, teens, and adults who want to improve their focus and attention. We are also unique in that we offer consultation services which provide support to individuals and families who do not necessarily have mental health problems, but they do have a goal for making themselves better or their family healthier.

Venn Center will continue to bring you new, cutting-edge programs that offer a number of ways for you to “get well.”

If your child or teen needs and wants help, yes, it is likely that we can offer them help. It is possible that we can offer alternatives to your child that can help them, and it may not be the type of help you, as a parent, were thinking of. As a parent, you see your child as your child, they are part of you and part of your family. It is difficult for parents to know exactly what their own children or teens will benefit from the most. That’s what we’re here for.

It is important to know that, if your child or teen comes to therapy, we will want to form a solid, healthy relationship with him or her. As you know, having a relationship with one person does not mean that you cannot have a relationship with someone new. We will encourage the teen and their family to support the building of this new relationship with their therapist. Because the child will be working to get the help they need, we expect that this work at the Venn Center will be respected as that—hard work. Encouraging a teen or child to get help at the Venn Center is empowering; in turn, we will work to empower the child or teen to take good care of himself or herself.

If you can make time for an Initial Consultation and an Intake Conference, that will be enough time for us to have a talk with you about the demands you have on your life. We will work with you to figure-out how your schedule can make room for you to get the help you need. We strongly believe that we can work with you if you are committed to getting help.

During the Initial Consultation when you first call, we will discuss the costs of the Intake Conference which will be your first, scheduled appointment. After that, prices of any recommended services will be discussed in advance with you.

The Venn Center does not take insurance. What this means is that we will not take your insurance card and will not bill your insurance company directly. Rather, you will be expected to pay for any services rendered at the time of service (unless otherwise stated). You will then receive a receipt for your payments for any services rendered at the Venn Center. You may pay by cash, check, or credit card (Visa or Mastercard). Any services that are not paid at the time of service should be paid before the next session if possible.

Next, the Venn Center may be considered an out-of-network provider by your insurance company. If you pre-authorized your services, you may submit your receipt of payment (after you have paid the Venn Center) to your insurance company for reimbursement according to their rules and regulations. We suggest that you do this after the initial consultation. Click here to learn more about payment information.

All work done at the Venn Center is confidential. Unless you provide a “release of information” for us to provide information to another doctor, or someone you choose, we will not, and we cannot release any information.

In two cases we are legally required to inform authorities about a client’s participation in therapy. In the case that someone discloses that he or she is a threat to him- or herself, or someone else—we are bound by legal “duty to warn.” We must contact authorities if we believe that a client or someone a client knows is in danger of being harmed.

The second case in which we must disclose personal information to authorities is if we learn that a child has been abused by an adult or is in imminent danger of harm by anyone.