Honest answers to the questions people ask before reaching out. If you don’t see yours here, we’d be glad to talk it through.
purepsych currently offers services from two locations in New Jersey, each with its own atmosphere and character.
Livingston Office – 160 South Livingston Avenue, Suite 113, Livingston, NJ. The Livingston office is tucked within a single-entry professional suite that offers privacy and quiet while still being right in the middle of the bustling Livingston shopping district. Many clients appreciate the convenience of being able to run a quick errand or grab a coffee before or after their session.
Westfield Office – 136 St. Paul Street, 1st Floor, Westfield, NJ. The Westfield office is housed in a cozy historic home built in 1910. It sits just a few blocks from downtown Westfield and only a block from beautiful Mindowaskin Park. The space was intentionally designed to feel calm, welcoming, and a little removed from the pace of everyday life.
If you appreciate the comfort of your own home, virtual telehealth sessions are also available when clinically appropriate.
Appointments are scheduled by arrangement and vary depending on the day and clinician availability. Sessions are generally scheduled during standard weekday hours, with limited evening availability when possible.
Standard psychotherapy sessions are 45 minutes. Extended sessions (60 minutes or longer) can be scheduled when clinically appropriate or requested in advance.
purepsych is an out-of-network practice, which means we are not contracted with insurance companies and do not participate in in-network billing.
However, many of our clients have out-of-network benefits and are eligible for reimbursement.
To make this process as seamless as possible, we assist by submitting claims to your insurance company on your behalf. This allows you to access your out-of-network benefits without having to manage the administrative side of reimbursement on your own.
We also understand that hearing “out-of-network” can feel discouraging at first. Many people assume it means therapy with highly qualified providers is not accessible to them, and that they are limited to in-network providers only. In reality, that is often not the case.
We strongly encourage prospective clients to contact their insurance carrier directly for the most accurate information about their benefits. Many are surprised to learn they do have out-of-network coverage, which allows them to choose the provider they want to work with, rather than being limited to a network.
To make this even easier, after your consultation call, we will provide you with a clear list of the exact questions to ask your insurance company.
We have got you covered.
Remaining out-of-network allows purepsych to maintain clinical independence and provide care that is guided by clinical judgment rather than insurance company limitations.
Many insurance plans place restrictions on session length, frequency of visits, and the types of treatment approaches that are covered. These constraints can shape the course of care in ways that do not always align with what is most appropriate for the individual.
By remaining out-of-network, we are able to focus fully on providing thoughtful, individualized treatment, without being limited by predetermined structures or requirements.
What this ultimately means for you is that your care is not dictated by a system. It is guided by what is clinically meaningful, personally relevant, and aligned with the work you are here to do.
For many people, this creates a different kind of experience: one that feels more intentional, more flexible, and more genuinely tailored to who they are.
The best way to begin is to request a consultation through the website or contact the office directly.
This initial conversation is a chance to briefly discuss what is bringing you in and to determine whether services at purepsych feel like a good fit for your needs.
There is no pressure to have everything figured out, or even to know exactly what to say. Most people don’t.
It is simply a starting point to explore next steps, ask questions, and get a feel for whether this is the right space for you.
Think of it as a conversation, not a commitment.
Appointments must be cancelled or rescheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice are charged the full session fee.
This policy exists because appointment times are reserved exclusively for each client. Without adequate notice, it becomes difficult to offer that time to someone else who may be ready to use it, to take a step forward or act on a commitment to themselves.
We appreciate your understanding and respect for the time set aside for your care.
Both office locations offer convenient parking options.
Livingston Office – There is a large, free parking lot on-site, making access simple and easy.
Westfield Office – Street parking is available directly in front of the office for up to two hours at no cost.
Whichever location you visit, parking is one less thing to think about.
Bryan M. Niederman, PhD, CCTP-II, ADHD-CCSP is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialized training in trauma-informed therapy, ADHD-related services, and an EMDRIA Certified Therapist™. His work integrates evidence-based approaches with a structured, insight-driven focus on how people think, respond, and relate, helping clients move beyond symptom management toward a clearer, more grounded, and effective way of navigating their lives, regardless of the circumstances. In addition to psychotherapy, Dr. Niederman provides comprehensive psychological, neuropsychological, and forensic evaluations.
Jessica La Volpe, MSW, LSW is a licensed social worker who works with children, adolescents, and adults. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in helping clients better understand their emotional experiences, relationships, and patterns, supporting greater emotional regulation, self-awareness, and meaningful, lasting change.
Carl C. Papandrea, PsyD is a licensed psychologist with specialized training in trauma and EMDR. His work focuses on understanding the impact of past experiences, attachment, and emotional patterns, helping clients develop greater clarity, resilience, and a more effective way of relating to themselves and others. In addition to psychotherapy, Dr. Papandrea provides psychological, neuropsychological, and forensic evaluations.
Amanda Hudes works with women in seasons where old patterns no longer fit, major transitions, strained relationships, the sense that something needs to shift but isn’t yet clear. Her approach is rooted in genuine curiosity: slowing down to ask the questions that haven’t been asked, and creating space to think out loud without performance or judgment. She’s completing her master’s in counseling at Seton Hall University under licensed clinical supervision and is also a behavior change specialist and certified health counselor.
purepsych works with children, adolescents, and adults. Ultimately, we work with people. Services are matched to the individual and the nature of the work, with some clinicians focusing on children and families, and others specializing in adult therapy and psychological and neuropsychological evaluation.
Whatever brings you in, we will meet you there, and we will know what to do with it.
Yes. purepsych works with individuals and couples navigating a wide range of life and relationship experiences.
Services may include:
Sessions are structured conversations focused on understanding how you think, respond, and relate. Together, we look at the patterns behind what is happening in your life and how they developed.
Some sessions focus on gaining clarity around difficult experiences. Others focus on helping you respond differently, with more awareness, stability, and control, in real situations you are facing.
Sometimes. Depending on the goals of therapy, you may be encouraged to reflect on patterns, try out new ways of responding, or experiment with changes between sessions.
These aren’t “homework” in the traditional sense. They are more like lifework: opportunities to apply what you are learning in real life and see what actually works.
Therapy at purepsych draws from a range of evidence-based approaches, including EMDR, CBT, and solution-focused work, along with humanistic, psychodynamic, relational, behavioral, internal family systems (IFS), and somatic-based approaches.
These are integrated into a structured, individualized process focused on understanding how you think, respond, and relate, and are applied across individual therapy, couples work, family therapy, reunification work, and therapeutic divorce mediation, so the work goes beyond techniques and leads to meaningful, lasting change in how you operate in your life.
Clients tend to benefit most when they approach therapy with curiosity, openness, and a willingness to reflect on their experiences. Being consistent, honest, and actively engaged allows the work to go deeper and create more meaningful change.
At times, the process may feel challenging or uncomfortable. That is often where the most important work happens. Therapy works best as a collaborative process, not something done to you, but something you actively participate in and shape over time, both in session and in your day-to-day life.
Not necessarily.
The focus of therapy is on what is happening in your life now, and how you are experiencing it.
At times, it can be helpful to look at earlier experiences to better understand how certain patterns developed. But that is never the goal in and of itself.
If we go there, it is always intentional, and connected to something meaningful in your present life.
You won’t be asked to revisit anything just for the sake of it. Everything we explore has a purpose, and moves at a pace that feels right for you.
That is completely okay.
Most people don’t come into therapy with a clear script or a fully formed explanation of what they are experiencing.
Part of the process is helping you make sense of what feels unclear, putting language to things that may have been difficult to describe.
You don’t need to have the “right” words. You just need to be willing to start where you are.
That is a natural part of the process.
Therapy creates space for experiences and emotions that often don’t have room elsewhere, whether that is in your day-to-day life, your relationships, or even your own internal world.
There is no expectation to manage or contain that here. You are allowed to feel what you feel, and more importantly, to understand it.
That is more common than people realize.
Not all therapy experiences are the same. Connection, approach, and timing all play a role in how helpful the process feels.
Sometimes it is not that therapy didn’t work. It is that the right fit or the right framework wasn’t there. A different approach can lead to a very different experience.
No.
Trust builds over time. There is no expectation to open up all at once or to share anything before you feel ready.
The process unfolds gradually, at a pace that feels manageable and appropriate for you.
That is often where people begin.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting. In many cases, part of the work is gaining clarity, understanding what you are experiencing and what direction feels right.
Therapy doesn’t require certainty. It starts with curiosity.
Dreams can sometimes offer interesting insight, but they are not something you need to bring into therapy.
There is no expectation that you come in with specific material or topics. The focus is on what feels relevant to you: what you are experiencing, what has been on your mind, and what feels important to understand.
If dreams come up naturally, we can explore them. If they don’t, nothing is missing.
Not at all.
Many people come to therapy during difficult moments, but just as many come when something feels unclear, not necessarily broken.
Sometimes it is about:
Therapy isn’t only about getting through something. It is about understanding how you are living, and whether that way of living feels right to you.
Yes.
The relationship you have with your therapist matters, a lot.
Sometimes it takes time to find the right fit, and that is okay. The goal is not just to be in therapy, but to be in the right therapeutic space, one where you feel understood, comfortable, and able to engage honestly.
If something doesn’t feel aligned, we will help guide you toward what does.
Most people think they need to have everything figured out before they begin. They don’t.
In reality, most people come in with a sense that something isn’t working, but they can’t fully explain why. That is not a problem. That is the starting point.
Therapy isn’t about having the right answers. It is about understanding the right questions, and learning how to look at your own experience in a way that actually makes sense.
It is also not about someone telling you what to do. It is a process of slowing things down, looking at what has been happening, and beginning to understand the patterns underneath it, so that what you do next is intentional, not reactive.
Progress is usually quieter than people expect. It doesn’t always feel like a breakthrough.
It often looks like:
Over time, those moments build. What starts as small shifts in awareness becomes a very different way of experiencing your life, one where you feel more grounded, more confident in your judgment, and less pulled into patterns that used to feel hard to change.
The willingness to look at your own life honestly. That is not easy.
Most people who walk into therapy have already been carrying something for a long time, trying to make sense of it, trying to manage it, trying to move through it on their own.
Choosing to sit down and actually look at it, with openness and curiosity, takes a level of awareness and courage that often goes unrecognized. There is a strength in that decision that matters.
That it is not about having the “right” answers. It is about understanding the right questions, and learning how to look at your own experience in a way that actually makes sense.
That something has to be seriously wrong in order to start. Therapy isn’t just for crisis. It is for understanding, and that applies at any stage of life.
Understanding why. Before trying to change something, it is important to understand the pattern behind it, how it developed and what keeps it in place. That understanding is what creates the possibility for change.
A space where you don’t have to perform. Where things can slow down. Where you can actually hear yourself think, and begin to understand what has been there all along.
Therapy involves both understanding your experiences and allowing yourself to feel them.
Rather than focusing on one or the other, the process helps you make sense of what you are experiencing while also creating space to fully process it.
These two aspects work together, and over time, that integration leads to greater clarity and a more grounded way of responding in your life.
Bryan: “What makes sense about this?” “What are you telling yourself about this?” “What part of this feels familiar?” “What opens up for you if that’s no longer in the way?” “Is this something you’re choosing, or something you’ve adapted to?”
Jess: “What are your strengths?” “When do you notice that most?” “What do you think is underneath that?” “What do you need in that moment?” “What feels most important for you right now?”
Carl: “How do you understand what’s happening right now?” “What stands out to you as you say that?” “What feels most true for you in this?” “How does that connect to what you’ve experienced before?” “What feels different about this now?”
Amanda: “What are a few things you love about yourself?” “How would people describe you?” “How would you describe yourself to others?” “Who do you think has affected you most in your life, positively or negatively? Who has had the most impact?” “When you think about what makes you happy, what’s one change we can work on toward bringing you more of that feeling?”
There is a reason you experience yourself and life the way you do, and it is worth understanding.
Bryan: Yoga. Gym. Cold plunge. Meditation. Reading. Music. Being outside in nature, whether it is snowboarding, surfing, rock climbing, hiking, or mountain biking.
Jess: I start each day at 5 a.m. with meditation, yoga, and a somatic workout. Creating intentional “me” time allows me to stay grounded, present, and connected to myself. I also prioritize spending time outdoors every day, regardless of the weather, to get sunlight and move my body. Self-care isn’t optional for me; it is essential.
Carl: Time with my family, and time outdoors where nothing is being asked of me. Work that involves trauma asks you to carry a lot, and I’ve learned I hold up best when I protect the ordinary parts of life, the meal, the walk, the quiet, instead of treating them as the first thing to go.
Amanda: Eating well and exercising is top priority, living a healthy overall lifestyle. If I’m feeling stuck or a bit down, I don’t wallow in it. I do something that can take me out of it, like dancing, watching a funny show, spending time with positive people, or sitting in the sunshine on my hammock.
Bryan: Coffee. Always coffee. Tea is for bedtime!
Jess: Both coffee and tea have their place in my routine. Coffee helps me stay sharp and focused throughout the day, while tea allows me to slow down and unwind. In the evenings, I often end the day with ashwagandha or lavender tea to relax and reset.
Amanda: Immune support tea is my top tea of choice, and a honey cinnamon latte, less sweet and with almond milk, is a delicious treat. Once in a while, something stronger, like a skinny spicy margarita or a glass of sparkling rosé.
Carl: Coffee. Early, and without ceremony.
Bryan: Something like an owl. Calm, observant, and intentional. Not rushing in, but paying attention, understanding the environment, and responding thoughtfully.
Jess: My therapy style is like a butterfly: gentle, intentional, and guided by curiosity. It moves with ease, pausing where needed, exploring each “flower” for the insight or nourishment it may offer. There is a deep appreciation for the process itself, without attachment to a specific outcome. As the journey unfolds, some experiences provide exactly what is needed, while others simply mark a step forward. Each one has value. There is no rushing or forcing, just a steady, thoughtful unfolding, trusting that what is needed will emerge in time.
Amanda: A dog. Loyal, curious, fun, and warm.
Carl: An elephant. Long memory, moves deliberately, and far gentler than its size suggests. It doesn’t startle easily and it stays with the herd, which is about right for how I try to work: grounded, unhurried, and not going anywhere.
Bryan: A blend of philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience that explores how we relate to our thoughts, experiences, and the world around us, and what it means to live in reality, rather than in the stories we create about it.
From Lao Tzu to Marcus Aurelius to contemporary voices like Michael A. Singer, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Joshua Medcalf, Jamie Smart, Rosamund Stone Zander, and Pema Chödrön, alongside thinkers like Martin Heidegger, the common thread is a focus on awareness, perspective, and how our internal narratives shape our lived experience.
That perspective is complemented by work in affective neuroscience and development, including Right Brain Psychotherapy by Allan Schore, Archaeology of the Mind by Jaak Panksepp, and The Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, grounding those ideas in how the brain, relationships, and emotional systems actually function.
At its core, it reflects an ongoing interest in ontology: how we are in the world, and what becomes possible when we begin to see things more clearly and relate to life as it is, even when it is uncomfortable.
Jess: I tend to have a rotating “current obsession.” Right now, it is The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk.
Amanda: Right now, tons of counseling books! I love a mix of books that help me self-reflect and keep improving as an individual, and I enjoy a quick fiction read on vacation. I also love an autobiography on Abraham Lincoln that I found riveting.
Carl: Something on attachment and early development. It is the lens I keep returning to, usually next to something with nothing to do with psychology at all, to keep the mind from narrowing.
The kind that don’t feel like an afterthought.
I’ve always been drawn to how people make sense of their experiences, especially how relationships shape that process.
Over time, it became clear that a lot of what people struggle with isn’t random. It is connected to patterns that developed in response to earlier experiences, especially relational ones.
Understanding that connection changes everything. It shifts the question from “what’s wrong?” to “what makes sense?”, and that is where real clarity begins.
Bryan: I’ve always been interested in how people grow, especially through different stages of life. Working with children, adolescents, and families, you see how early experiences shape the way someone begins to understand themselves and others. Being able to support that process, helping someone make sense of what they are feeling and how they are relating, felt meaningful in a way that stayed with me.
Jess: My own experience in therapy. It changed my life, and continues to. It inspired me to deepen my self-awareness, practice acceptance, and support others in doing the same. To me, self-awareness and acceptance are the foundation of true freedom and lasting well-being.
Amanda: As someone who has always loved helping people, someone who is very solution-oriented and positive by nature, and someone people open up to, working in mental health seemed to be the natural fit. I have been exploring this path for years, first becoming a Health Counselor about 20 years ago, then a Behavior Change Specialist, and now completing my master’s in counseling. I was actually accepted twice into a master’s program for school counseling about 15 years ago, but it wasn’t the right timing. I’m a big believer that nothing in life should be forced, and I had to go through additional experiences to be an even better counselor. I know this is the right time.
Bryan: Thoughtful and collaborative. I don’t approach therapy as something done to someone. It is something we work through together. The goal is to create space for honest exploration, while also helping develop practical ways to apply that understanding in real life.
Jess: I am accepting, nonjudgmental, and grounded in a humanistic approach. I genuinely value people and naturally see strength, potential, and beauty in each individual I meet. I integrate my education and training into my work while prioritizing authenticity and meaningful connection. I care deeply, stay fully present, and strive to create a space where clients feel safe enough to explore, process, and release. I also emphasize body awareness: healing isn’t just cognitive; the body needs to feel safe, too.
Amanda: I want to make my clients feel seen and heard. While some clinicians are physically present, they aren’t always fully emotionally present. I am someone who wants to help you achieve your goals while also exploring the depth of your subconscious: who you can be, what would make your life that much more fulfilling, what would make your smile come from deep within.
We are in a season of growth as a practice, and our language is evolving with it. You may see both “learn. grow. thrive.” and “therapy for living.” as we move forward, and both reflect what we are about.
learn. grow. thrive. is a process. Learning is understanding, seeing something clearly, sometimes for the first time. Growth is what happens when that understanding starts to change how you think, respond, and relate. And thriving isn’t about everything being perfect. It is about living in a way that feels more aligned, more intentional, and more grounded, when life is amazing and when life is difficult.
therapy for living. captures where we are headed. Therapy is not separate from your life. It is in service of it. The work we do together is about how you actually live: how you relate, how you respond, how you move through the moments that matter.
The ones where something shifts. Not necessarily in a dramatic way, but in a moment where someone starts to see something about themselves differently.
When confusion turns into clarity. When self-doubt starts to make sense. When a pattern becomes visible. Those are the conversations that matter, because once someone sees it, they can’t unsee it.
I focus on creating a space where someone feels understood first. Not analyzed. Not evaluated. Understood.
From there, the work becomes more collaborative. We start to look at patterns, understand emotional responses, and develop ways of navigating situations that feel more grounded and intentional.
It is not about forcing change. It is about making change possible through understanding.
Helping people see something clearly that once felt confusing.
There is a moment where things start to make sense, where someone recognizes a pattern or understands their own experience differently. That shift creates a different kind of confidence. Not because everything is fixed, but because they understand what is happening, and what they can do with it.
A clearer understanding of themselves. And with that, a greater sense of confidence in how they think, how they relate, and how they move through important moments in their lives. Not just insight, but the ability to actually use that insight in a meaningful way.
That people are far more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Even when someone feels stuck, there is usually a part of them that is still trying to move forward.
You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start. You just need a willingness to look a little closer.
Reach out, and we’ll take the time to understand what’s been happening and help you see what’s possible from here.
purepsych. therapy for living.
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