Meet Our Clinicians
Our Vision: Reclaiming Your Life
Founded by Barbara Duchnowski, LCSW, Certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician, EMDR Therapist, Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist. New Leaf Psychotherapy was created with the belief that specialized clinical focus leads to exceptional results. We are a team of highly trained clinicians committed to providing the level of care and expertise required for this complex and sensitive work.
We know that true recovery means more than just setting boundaries; it means reclaiming your core identity, developing unshakeable confidence, and living a life of peace and authentic connection.
If you are ready to invest in a therapeutic process that moves beyond coping and delivers deep, lasting change, you are in the right place.
About New Leaf Psychotherapy: Specialized Healing for Complex Trauma
Your Healing Needs Advanced Solutions. We Provide Them.
You are high-functioning, capable, and driven, yet you still feel held back by a constant sense of self-doubt, hyper-vigilance, or chronic shame. Perhaps you’ve done standard talk therapy, but the deep-seated patterns left by relational wounds or emotional manipulation still linger.
At New Leaf Psychotherapy, we understand that healing from Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) and Narcissistic Abuse Recovery requires more than just conversation. It requires powerful, specialized tools to change the way your body and brain hold the past.
We are a specialized practice in New Jersey dedicated exclusively to helping resilient adults who are ready to move beyond survival and into genuine transformation.
Our Integrated Approach: The Power of Advanced Modalities
Our commitment is to efficient, effective, and deep healing. We integrate the most advanced, evidence-informed modalities available to bypass surface-level symptoms and address the trauma stored in your nervous system and subconscious mind. This comprehensive, integrated approach is the foundation of the specialized care we offer.
We don’t just talk about trauma, we help your system release it.
Our Core Trauma Specialties:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): We use EMDR to safely and gently process specific traumatic memories, emotional flashbacks, and anxiety triggers, shifting them from actively distressing experiences to neutral history.
- Clinical Hypnosis / Hypnotherapy: This powerful tool is key to rapid Ego-Strengthening. We use focused attention to quickly install resources, rebuild self-worth, and reprogram the deep-seated negative beliefs (like “I am not enough” or “I am to blame”) that are often the toxic legacy of narcissistic abuse.
- IFS (Internal Family Systems): We help you foster profound Self-Compassion and inner calm by working with your various “parts” (e.g., the critical part, the shame part). This technique is essential for healing relational wounds and achieving internal harmony.
- Somatic & Body-Based Approaches: Complex trauma lives in the body. We integrate somatic techniques to directly address nervous system dysregulation, chronic tension, and the hyper-vigilance that accompanies prolonged abuse, helping you finally feel safe and settled.
THE NO CONTACT BLUEPRINT EBOOK HOW TO BREAK FREE FROM A NARCISSIST AND RECLAIM YOUR LIFE
"The No Contact Blueprint" is your definitive guide to breaking free from the devastating cycle of narcissistic abuse. It's a step-by-step roadmap designed to help you thrive in a life free of abuse.
Want to Join Our Team?
We are always looking for talented therapists! If you’d like to join the leaders in specialized therapy practices, please reach out — call the number on our website or complete our Contact Form.
Dana Brouca, LCSW *
Dana is a compassionate and highly skilled specialist dedicated to helping adults navigate and heal from complex trauma. With a decade of professional experience, Dana creates a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to share their truth and embark on a more fulfilling life. Her approach is celebrated for its dedication to deep emotional processing and relational healing. She excels at helping clients move beyond intellectual understanding of their history to finally process and release lingering pain, guiding them to connect with their inner wisdom, build clear boundaries, and reclaim their authentic sense of self with unwavering support and empowerment.
Keith Brouca, LPC *
Keith is a dynamic and strengths-focused specialist dedicated to helping high-achieving adults unearth their inner resilience and move beyond the burdens of complex trauma and emotional overwhelm. He works actively to reduce the constant stress and anxiety that result from damaging relational patterns. Keith also specializes in supporting the LGBTQ+ community, addressing the unique identity and relational challenges that often accompany navigating complex social systems.
Keith’s integrative approach utilizes his foundational training in IFS (Internal Family Systems) to help clients not only gain intellectual understanding but also achieve immediate, positive change. Keith believes the therapeutic journey should be empowering, laying the foundation for lifelong emotional well-being, where you can rediscover peace and clarity.
Mary Beth McCabe, LPC *
Embrace the power within you to achieve greatness and conquer life's trials!
I am passionately committed to guiding individuals through their personal struggles.
With a rich background in the mental health field, I've cultivated diverse skills to be your empathetic companion on your journey.
Employing a person-centered and cognitive behavioral approach, I meet you at your unique point in life.
Specializing in individual therapy for adults, I address challenges such as relationship issues, trauma,
depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, LGBTQ concerns, women's issues, postpartum struggles, and more.
Together, we'll not only navigate difficulties but also unlock your capacity for joy and freedom. Let's embark on a transformative path toward a brighter, emotionally fulfilling life.
Melissa Racklin, LCSW *
Francesca Shankoff, LPC *
Francesca believes that even after navigating profound relational complexities and trauma, your inner strength is fully recoverable. She helps individuals and couples who feel lost and overwhelmed, guiding them back to a place of joy and freedom. With years of well-rounded experience, Francesca uses a caring, practical, and resilience-focused approach to help clients heal from complex trauma, chronic relationship distress, anxiety, and depression. She specializes in meeting you exactly where you are, helping you integrate past obstacles, triumph over life's challenges, and pave a clear path toward lasting emotional well-being and a fulfilling life.
Our Vision: Reclaiming Your Life
We know that true recovery means more than just setting boundaries; it means reclaiming your core identity, developing unshakeable confidence, and living a life of peace and authentic connection.
If you are ready to invest in a therapeutic process that moves beyond coping and delivers deep, lasting change, you are in the right place.
Ready to start your journey to a New Leaf?
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