Bridgewater Staff
Natalie Kucenski, LPC, NCC
Natalie graduated with a BA degree in Psychology from the University of Delaware (Newark, DE) in 2003. In 2006, Natalie graduated with an MC/EdS degree in mental health from Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ). She completed her graduate internships at two locations: Bartle Elementary School in Highland Park, NJ and Sussex House Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program in Newton, NJ. Natalie is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of New Jersey. She is also nationally credited as a counselor through NBCC.
After completing her undergraduate degree in 2003, Natalie worked as an intern for the Army in Maryland conducting neurological research. While attending graduate school, she worked for Delta Community Supports in Raritan, NJ as a community support adviser and group home associate with the developmentally disabled. From 2006 to 2010, Natalie worked as a counselor in the Day Hospital Program at Hunterdon Medical Center. While there, she worked with clients with chronic and persistent mental illness. Natalie joined the GenPsych team in June 2010 as a primary therapist.
Natalie recently started her private practice in Bridgewater, NJ. She specializes in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Her goals for future professional development include becoming certified in EDMR and becoming a certified drug and alcohol counselor.
Rebecca Zhelesnik, MA
Rebecca graduated from Centenary College in 2003 with a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology.
She has over 13 years experience working with children,m adolescents, adults and families in a variety of treatment settings. Rebecca worked as a case manager and residential supervisor for Easter Seals for seven years after completing her undergraduate degree in Psychology. She then worked at Newton Memorial Hospital’s Partial Care Program and as an In-Home Therapist for the Institute for Family Centered Services. Rebecca also completed her internship at the Domestic Abuse and Rape Crisis Center. Her experience with diverse populations has shaped her therapeutic approach to include CBT, structural family therapy and DBT to address depression, anxiety, ADD, Borderline Personality Disorder, trauma and relationship issues. Rebecca is trained in Family Centered Treatment, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Illness Management and Recovery, Critical Incident and Stress Debriefing, Wellness and Recovery and Prevocational Rehabilitation.
In the future, Rebecca would like to expand her treatment modalities to include ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy) to assist in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Cheryl Jensen
Cheryl is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of New Jersey. In 2001, she received her Masters in Social Work from Rutgers University.
She has experience working with adolescents and adults who are struggling with mental illness in different settings and at all levels of care. Currently, she has a private practice in Branchburg, NJ and offers individual, couple and family therapy. She is an empathic and understanding psychotherapist who works motivationally with clients in order to help them make positive change. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and its related issues such as anxiety, depression, addiction and post traumatic stress disorder. She looks at the past in order to help the client understand their present and utilize different modes of treatment such as cognitive/behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization.
She is excited to be a part of the development for the Eating Disorder Program here at GenPsych PC.
Linda Stewart
Linda graduated from Fordham University in 2005 with a Masters in Social Work, specializing in the clinical treatment of Substance Abuse. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and works with mental health and dually diagnosed clients. Linda is currently training toward a certification in EMDR.
Linda has worked as a primary therapist at Princeton House and Somerset Medical Center in their Adult Intensive Outpatient and Partial Care mental health programs and women’s wellness, trauma and trauma and addiction programs. Her experience also includes individual outpatient services for adults and adolescent substance abuse and dually diagnosed population at Family and Community Services of Somerset County. Linda developed a student leadership program at Somerset County Vocational and Technical School as the Student Assistant Counselor working with at-risk adolescent population.
Linda currently works as a therapist at GenPsych where she uses her training in trauma intervention, relapse prevention and mindfulness to run psycho-educational and psycho-therapeutic groups as well as work with individual clients. She is one of two supervisors of MSW interns from Rutgers University, and is also supervising LCADC candidates.
Linda also has her own private practice where she treats adults who are learning to cope with depression, anxiety, overcoming childhood trauma and addiction issues.
In her practice, Linda believes strongly in the mind-body connection and advocates listening to the body as well as the mind and motions when on the path to recovery. She practices mindfulness in her own life and seeks to help others decrease the symptoms of depression and anxiety by embracing present-moment living. She has passion and compassion for survivors of childhood trauma and their journey to survive and thrive, and is being training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to become even more equipped to aid the healing of survivors.
