New counseling service offers a different path

SPARTA — Change Your Life Counseling has just arrived in Sparta and owner Deb McCarren promises to bring a new meaning to counseling. With over 30 years of experience as a licensed professional counselor and a proven track record with multiple locations of Change Your Life, she is confident her approach will be well-received. She specializes in substance abuse, anxiety disorders, smoking cessation and individual and couples counseling. “I started about ten years ago in Hamburg. I am goal-oriented and look to create autonomy in clients through behavior modification,” said McCarren. She is also a certified hypnotist and a clinical manager of a day program at Newton Memorial Hospital’s Center for Behavioral Health. “I do think differently — I am more interactive with clients,” she said. “Because I worked in Hamburg, Newton and Wantage, I wanted to see if Sparta would accept Change Your Life.” She shares offices in Sparta with psychologist Dr.Jenny Blanchard and psychiatrist Dr. Jeffery Illardi. They refer patients back and forth. But McCarren is clear on the distinction of their work. “We work together, but psychiatrists prescribe medicine and psychotherapists do talk therapy. We do techniques like modeling, desensitization, retraining and communication,” explains McCarren. McCarren believes in interaction. “My form of counseling is not a venting session, but rather a retraining towards change in the direction that we work on.” The fee for service is $65 an hour and no insurance is accepted. Her associate is Caitlin Vaughan and together they are optimistic. “I am hoping that we can serve the people of Sparta and bring a different brand of counseling here. This is for people who are looking for growth and have been through the therapy track with not much result.” Change Your Life Counseling is located at 171 Woodport Road, Sparta. Tel.908-447-6129. By appointment only offering flexible hours including Saturday and Sunday.