Gina Totino, LCSW graduated with honors from Rutgers University where she received her masters in social work. Gina’s therapeutic approach is simple: she believes balance in one’s life leads to clarity and inner peace. She uses a strength-based approach, and evidence based modalities to assist her clients to achieve their goals and appreciate the value of their lives.

Using the foundation of mindfulness, Gina collaborates with clients to improve interpersonal relationships and helps them to understand how to implement skills that provide long-term results. These skills include: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. The development and strengthening of these skills opens clients to reach their goals. In addition, Gina advocates for children, adolescents, and teens with special needs. She assists in helping families navigate the chaotic world of Special Education (IEPs, section 504 plans, and garnering the support and testing these clients need.)

Gina’s therapeutic approach is informed by Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT is a cognitive behavioral treatment originally developed to treat chronically suicidal individuals. Since then, DBT has expanded to treat other populations. Research has shown that DBT is effective in treating emotion dysregulation, substance dependence, depression, and eating disorders. Gina trained with Behavioral Tech, a training institute created by the founder of DBT, Marsha Linehan. Gina takes the foundation and strategies of DBT and uses an informed approach to help clients reach their goals; this is not a comprehensive DBT approach to treatment, which would include skills group among other elements.

Gina uses a wide variety of treatment modalities and interventions that are client specific which include:

Informed DBT therapy

Couples counseling

Short-term solution focused therapy

Parent coaching & training

Assistance with understanding and navigating Special Education Services

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)