The Counseling Center At Toms River, NJ

1198 Lakewood Rd, #102 Toms River, NJ 08753

Outpatient

About The Counseling Center At Toms River, NJ

The Counseling Center is an addiction and mental health treatment facility for adults and teens in Toms River, New Jersey. They specialize in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services designed around your unique needs. You can participate in person at their office or connect with your provider online through their telehealth program. They’re in network with most private insurance plans and also accept self payment and Medicare.

Individual and group counseling sessions are the cornerstones of their addiction recovery program. You can meet with your assigned counselor to talk through your condition and any symptoms you’re experiencing. You can also find help for co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression. During your sessions, you’ll dive into the underlying causes of your substance abuse and the feelings that trigger your unhealthy behaviors.

I like that their counseling services also help you look ahead to the future. For example, you’ll learn new habits you can implement to encourage long term recovery. You’ll also learn healthy ways to cope with stress and negative feelings without turning to drugs or alcohol.

If you need medication to help manage your symptoms, they can also help with that. Your team can write prescriptions, show you how to use the substances safely, and monitor how they affect your mind and body. This includes Suboxone and Vivitrol, which are available through their medication assisted treatment program.

While some former clients speak highly of their experience here, several have mentioned a lack of care and attention following a recent staff turnover.

Latest Reviews

Stephanie Fedorishin

1 month ago on Google

Date: 11/12/24 I strongly recommend that you DO NOT GO to The Counseling Center in Toms River, NJ. I made a medication management appointment with PNP, Laura Bastone yesterday and it was a disaster! I do not abuse any medications of any kind, but am on psych meds. I asked Ryan Russ, and the head of Praesum Health Care Service LLC Nurse Practioners, Karen Natus to give me some credentials on Laura Bastone before my appt. w/her. They both said they would, but didn't; so they lost credibility with me. I always like to see the credentials of the practitioner who sees me, especially because I wanted someone w/lots of experience. PNP, Laura Bastoned graduated from Monmouth University in 2022. She was a RN for 10 years.She only has 2-3 years tops experience as PNP. I filled out intake papers which took some time to complete, but in none of the papers did it state I needed a Cardiologist's EKG, nor a Neurologist's EEG. I went to see her because my former Psychiatrist, Dr. Alena Antohina with 19 years experience left the company she was working for and moved to a 3 1/2 drive (no traffic) from my home. Laura wanted to change all my medications that my former Doctor prescribed. She also wanted me to abruptly stop taking 2 medications that doctors advise should not be done like that. Cold turkey withdrawal from those drugs can be uncomfortable and in some cases, dangerous. She was completely inflexible. I have found another much, more experienced Doctor who takes a completely different approach than her. Again, I would give this place zero stars if the rating symptom allowed it. Don't go there!!RESPONSE TO YOUR ANSWER: The PSN stated on our first & only meeting that she, Laura Bastone, REQUIRED a NEUROLOGIST & CARDIOLOGIST TEST RESULTS. Don't reply to me like I'm making this up or a child. I'm so very happy that I found a MORE EXPERIENCED DOCTOR, than Laura Bastone! I think Ryan Russ and Karen Natus have no credibility with me since they lied about providing the information to me. Additionally, my first and last session w/Laura Bastone was a nightmare. I stand by my initial review. 11/27/24

Response from the owner1 day ago

Hi Stephanie, First, we are so glad you have found the help you needed and hope you continue to improve. We don't require an EKG nor an EEG prior to treatment, which is why it wouldn't be on the paperwork. Regarding changes in medication; this is a very normal and routine practice for any medication management program. Medication changes are often made in an effort to help reach your goals and are very safe, monitored, crafted to make sure you're comfortable. We wish you all the best!

April Thompson

4 months ago on Google

A family member ended up giving up going due to the turnover of therapists. When he first went in March of 2023, he informed them he was out of network on the insurance. He was told he only had to worry about the yearly deductible from our plan, which was less than $400, great news, so we thought. All was going well, they never asked for a penny. I even called to confirm this in early April. Well though the turnover, my husband gave up going in August. Than this year, we received over $1600 worth of bills for out of network service. Thing is, the bills were fine through June and than changed to being billed without notifying us. Since February we've been trying to get this straight, The office won't talk to us and transfers us to billing. Billing claims they are investigating and now it's going to a collection agency. So don't be fooled if you need their services. Hopefully you'll have a therapist that will be staying there and you have coverage that they won't toy with. Talk about bait & switch. So now he can't return there with this hanging over his head.

impnj

6 months ago on Google

Unprofessional how they handled mass exiting of staff . First and foremost all they all were incredible humans and counselors . They made TCC a 5 star review now it s a 1.I have been trying to have someone , anyone return my call regarding a lab bill I received 2 months after I was discharged from IOP . Funny how I never had any lab bills from day 1 as it was I closing in every meeting I attended as private pay. Then I get bill from June that TCC attempted to bill lab quest with an empire Insurance and of course it was denied as I have never had empire Ins. Seems like TCC is practicing INS FRAUD to collect anyway they can. 5 calls and 2 in person attempts to speak to anyone about this to rectify the issue and NOT one person has attempted to call me . Disgusting .Update 6 months later still trying to get a return call from the number provided to me in the reply to my first post. Still no resolve spoke to Kim who once again said she s giving my information to a supervisor to call me back

Response from the owner1 day ago

Impnj, There seems to be some misunderstanding here. While we can't use this platform to discuss these issues, we would love for you to call us so we can get this figured out promptly. Feel free to reach out anytime at 855-788-8247 so we can get to the bottom of this.

Rehab Score

Our Methodology

Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full Methodology

7.3 / 10

Gallery

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The facilities at The Counseling Center in Toms River, NJ 2

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Location

Other Forms of Payment

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Outpatient

The Counseling Center at Clark offers a qualified treatment for substance abuse disorders (including drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances) with a primary Outpatient Treatment (OP) program. Outpatient programs are part-time. Clients come to the center for regularly scheduled individual and group sessions, according to a treatment plan. Group sessions are small, and led by licensed and qualified Addiction Counselors, psychologists, and other professional treatment providers.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive Outpatient Treatment (also known as IOP for "Intensive Outpatient Program") is a primary treatment program recommended in some circumstances by a clinical and medical assessment. IOP may be recommended for those who do not need medically-supervised detox. IOP can also enable people in recovery to continue their recovery therapies following successful detox, on a part-time yet intensive schedule, designed to accommodate work and family life.

Aftercare Support

Clients in a rehab aftercare program have typically completed detox and intensive inpatient and are medically stable. These programs are designed to address addiction recovery as a life-long process. Outpatient counseling and recovery education are typically categorized as drug rehab aftercare, but many clients continue to receive support after being discharged from formal outpatient treatment. Case managers and recovery teams facilitate clients' access to peer coaching, career counseling, 12 step program induction, and related services.

12-Step

12-step programs are addiction recovery models based on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The 12 Step approach to counseling is very effective, and forms the basis of peer support that has proven to be essential for successful recovery in many cases. Most of their individualized client treatment plans include participation in 12-step meetings.

Partial Hospitalization Program

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a short-term, intensive outpatient option designed for those with moderate to severe addictions who don't require 24-hour care. PHP treatment is often fully covered by insurance and provides structured programming (i.e. individual and group therapy). A typical partial hospitalization program can meet 3-5 days a week for a minimum of 20 hours, offering intensive treatment during the day while allowing you to return home after. PHP treatment duration can vary based on your progress but averages 90 days.

Treatments

The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.

Drug rehab in New Jersey is the process of addressing the complex issues involved with addiction. Challenges are identified and addressed through individual and group counseling. Participants learn how to manage these issues without the use of substances.

The counselors and staff at The Counseling Center at Clark, NJ are all well trained in recognizing and dealing with clients suffering from substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. All outpatient treatment is assigned after an initial Clinical Assessment, which is an essential tool for understanding current status, including the need to recognize and treat a dual diagnosis.

A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.

Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.

Programs

Adult Program

Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.

Young Adult Program

Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.

Clinical Services

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Research has shown the individuals whose families are involved in treatment have a much better prognosis and a higher success rate. The Counseling Center at Fair Lawn will make a concerted effort to include family members in treatment whenever possible. The goal of the family education program is to provide family members with information and support that will assist clients in their recovery. A family education group will be held every week (typically Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm, but please check the schedule).

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). At The Counseling Center, they seek to always run small group meetings of 10 people or less. They find that smaller groups are more comfortable for those participating and sharing, and allow for more careful review of important topics under discussion.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Amenities

Residential Setting
Private Setting

Accreditations

The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.

Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes

Contact Information

(732) 605-6364

Website

1198 Lakewood Rd
#102
Toms River, NJ 08753

Get Help Now - 609-493-0698

Who Answers?

Fact checked and written by:

Courtney Myers, MS

Edited by:

Peter Lee, PhD

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Reviews of The Counseling Center At Toms River, NJ

2.6/5 (31 reviews)

Google Reviews

2.6 (31 reviews)

1 month ago

Response from the owner1 month ago

4 months ago

6 months ago

Response from the owner1 year ago

Angela Shy

8 months ago

Response from the owner9 months ago

We appreciate your positive feedback and are glad to hear about your experience at our counseling center. Thank you for choosing us for your counseling needs.

Dee Apt

9 months ago

Great until 4th of July til now.Read all the other reviews. That s what happens to me. After trying to give them the benefit of the doubt I went through 3 different new therapist within a short period of time then tried the Freehold office. The Freehold office was horrible right from the beginning. The Toms River office was amazing until July 4th weekend. Shame on all the staff members who did not get fired/let go and still walked out on their Patient with not a single care in the world for the Patient well being. You should all have your licenses revoked. And shame on TCC for how they handled the mass exiting of staff. I don t need to say more. Just read below.

Response from the owner10 months ago

Hi Dee, Thank you for your feedback. However, we can assure you that it was entirely the staff member's decision to abruptly abandon their position and clients with no notice. That being said, you are correct; it should have been handled better. We regret any distress last summer's events may have caused you. If you would like to discuss this matter further or the specifics of your case, feel free to contact us at 855-788-8247. We wish you the best!

Jill Watson

1 year ago

I can't say more than what has already been said.Where there was once hope, help and accountability; quickly turned south. Truly overnight.If you are looking for reliability and stability, unfortunately you will need to continue your search.----------------To the current staff at TCC...Do you know how damaging and traumatizing it is to 1) be abandoned by a therapist with absolutely ZERO follow up and 2) months and months later be told to start fresh with someone else, only to have to relive and re-explain yourself numerous times because they aren't familiar with your needs? Not to mention dropping the ball with medications.I personally do not care who left, who was fired, how they left or who is in charge.It is absolutely SHAMEFUL that an organization intended to support those who are struggling with their mental health, addictions, etc...would drop the ball so poorly, seriously damaging their former clients. This cannot happen. What about those who rely on psychiatric medications to help them function on a regular basis, when they get cut off cold turkey because you failed to reschedule them with a new therapist so that their account was up to date? It's complete negligence.I was seen by two different therapists during my time there. Both were phenomenal. Again, I don't care who, how or why they left. The bigger picture is that whatever decision was made, whoever was put in charge or lack their of was/is so damaging to those who are already struggling. It's completely unacceptable.I've read the responses from the TCC through these various reviews; a lot of cookie cutter wording. Be more genuine and at least own up to your negligent actions that have clearly impacted a multitude of others. Do better.-------I know it's frustrating and almost nearly impossible to find a therapist right now, but keep searching and avoid the headache until this places gets it together. It's not worth the instability, when some of the most vulnerable population need the most stability.

Hi Jill. Thank you so much for your feedback and insight. We d like to start off by saying you re right. This unprecedented event could absolutely have been and should have been handled better. No one, regardless of their struggles should ever feel pushed aside or like they don t matter. While the few days following may have felt confusing for all of us and a bit chaotic; please take comfort knowing any patient who required medications during their treatment never went completely without unless they chose to. Those arrangements were the first to be made and situated, given how important that is. Immediately following some staff members exit, various other members of the TCC including upper management sprung into action providing options to continue treatment. I do understand how it can be frustrating to explain your background to multiple staff, this, annoying as it can be is a standard practice in all areas of medicine. It s important anyone treating you gets the full picture. Lastly, we apologize if our responses seem cookie cutter. We do follow all federal and state guidelines regarding privacy concerns; therefore can not provide specifics in every situation. We wish you all the best and are here for you in the future.

Rebecca Novak

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS. If I could give TCC 0 starts I would. It s taken me a long time to write this review and I hope it isn t deleted like some of the others. I was part of TCC before every single person in the entire building was fired/let go. No, I m not kidding. Every single person was fired but one who ended up leaving a couple weeks after. The staff did not abandon their clients as it says in some of the replies to other reviews but that isn t my point, just helps prove it. During the staff changes, we as patients were completely disrespected. We were kept in the dark, lied to continuously, and more than anything, we weren t cared about. We went weeks and now months without actually seeing a therapist and had counselors with 0 mental health experience running mental health groups. To be clear, these groups were not run. It was more like, the group members sat in a room and talked to each other, with no guidance, education, or skills being taught. When we voiced our opinions, we were dismissed. No one cared about us or our needs and that s the honest truth. However, because us group members wanted improve our mental health, we stuck around. Big mistake. It s probably worse now than it was when the staff first was gone. We were given substitute counselors that swore up and down they cared and were there to help. After four weeks, those counselors disappeared. We connected with one counselor for a few weeks and gained the smallest amount of hope in the program again and then were told that he quit, however, he was also fired! But we never found these things out in any professional way. The staff will just stop showing up and we re told no one knows where they are or what we are talking about, and we have to find out through peers or doing our own research. Therapists didn t show up for their scheduled individual appointments, said they called you and never did, and threatened to discharge you if you didn t schedule a counseling session (but no one answers their voicemails or calls back). No one knew up from down or left from right. Medication refills went unanswered and people were going without their psych meds. When you call asking for help, someone takes a message and no one ever gets back to you. Multiple times I have called and asked for my medication provider to be told they had no idea who I was talking about? It s a complete scam at this point. Prior to the staff change, this place saved my life. NOW I had to leave group just to stop being triggered because it is infuriating that a facility whose sole purpose is to care about those in their care, doesn t actually care about anyone. I have never been more disrespected and disregarded in my life. I never write bad reviews but this is life or death in so many cases at a treatment facility like this. I started at TCC because of the amazing reviews it had and I would never want someone to have to experience this who is already struggling. It really is a shame. Find somewhere better.

Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the somewhat recent departures of a few staff members. There are inaccuracies in your account, and we would like to address the situation, again, professionally. While we appreciate your perspective, it is essential to clarify that we cannot disclose the specific details of the events that led to the departure of some staff members. However, we can assure you that it was entirely the staff member's decision to leave. Following the staff's untimely and unexpected departure, management and certified counseling staff immediately stepped in from the TCC network of locations throughout New Jersey to fill any gaps in treatment. All clients were promptly assigned new counselors; some even transferred to other locations if it suited them. We understand that you highly regard former employees for their dedication and contributions to the facility and its clients. We acknowledge the positive impact they have had on the lives of many. We regret any distress caused by recent events and are committed to maintaining our clients' quality of care and support. We appreciate your feedback and encourage you to contact us directly if you have further concerns or questions.

They helped me tremendously when I started IOP in February. Intake was a little messy they put down the wrong appointment time but everything was smooth after that. Then during 4th of July I was informed that nearly all the staff either resigned or were fired with no notice or thought on how it would affect the patients care. I attended group twice weekly and therapy individually. For a month the counselors were inconsistent and unable to setup the zoom calls leaving many without services. To fire an entire staff without one in place is not putting the needs of the clients first and was very selfish to do especially in this line of work where clients depend on structure, routine, and consistency. After a month of putting up with the inadequacies I decided to find a new program that would be better suited for my needs. I hope they are able to turn around the mess they have made. Firing an entire staff abruptly with no plan in place was completely reckless.

DK, Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the recent departures of staff members. We understand that you highly respect former employees' dedication and contributions to the facility and its clients. Our facility strives to provide a supportive and caring environment for our clients. While we understand such a change can feel almost devastating, one event doesn't have to alter the trajectory to a positive outcome in your life. All staff greatly value the well-being of all individuals seeking our services, and our utmost priority is to offer practical and compassionate care. We regret any distress caused by recent events and are committed to maintaining our clients' quality of care and support. We appreciate your feedback and encourage you to contact us directly with further concerns or questions.

sarryah Wright

Literally hearing about the original staff being fired makes me anger. I am Two years sober today because of the original staff . I came and spoke a few times and was super excited to see everyone that helped me along this journey. And with that being said I WILL NOT EVER COME BACK AND SPEAK !

Hi Sarryah! First and foremost, congratulations on two years sober! That is an amazing accomplishment, and we hope you are as proud of yourself as we are of you. While we can't provide specific details, we do want to clarify, the staff wasn't fired; they abandoned their positions and clients with no warning. We understand that you highly respect former employees' dedication and contributions to the facility and its clients. We acknowledge the positive impact they have had on the lives of many. We hope you will change your mind about speaking and offering hope and guidance to individuals who are in a position like you once were. Again, congratulations, and we wish you all the best!

Eric Dominicus

It's been over 2 weeks and they still have yet to send my paperwork to idrc so I can get my license back and move on with my life.In reply to your answer I have contacted that number multiple times I have not received the call back I came in there face to face spoke with somebody Friday just got off the phone with idrc they still haven't heard from you you guys still haven't sent anything over and every time I call they ask me which location I'm trying to reach take my message every time and then never get a reply back. I know you guys are going through employment changes but that is no excuse and nor my problem.

Hi Eric, While we can't address this issue in a public forum, we want to get it handled ASAP. Please call us at (732) 605-6364 so we can get to the bottom of what is going on here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Mychelle DeMarzo

I don t leave reviews. I am not usually this person.It took me TEN YEARS to find someone who I clicked with. I was six months with her. I finally felt like I had the missing piece to my support system. I don t anymore.I am so disappointed, hurt, and feeling so betrayed by the admin staff here.Please don t come here. They don t care about you.

Mychelle, Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the recent departures of staff members. We understand that you highly respect former employees' dedication and contributions to the facility and its clients. We acknowledge the positive impact they have had on the lives of many. Our facility strives to provide a supportive and caring environment for our clients. While we understand such a change can feel almost devastating, one event doesn't have to alter the trajectory to a positive outcome in your life. All staff greatly values the well-being of all individuals seeking our services, and our utmost priority is to offer practical and compassionate care. We regret any distress caused by recent events and are committed to maintaining our clients' quality of care and support. We appreciate your feedback and encourage you to contact us directly with further concerns or questions.

Stephen Gadda

Hi Stephen, Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. Please feel free to reach out to us at 855-788-8247 any time to discuss any concerns you may have, and we would be happy to assist you further. We wish you the best!

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