Paula Diaz Counseling 210 Clinton Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

"I've been seeing Paula for about two years and am very happy. I connected with her instantly and I feel our chemistry is great. You can tell she is genuinely invested in the development and well being of her patients and it means the world."

"I have been seeing Paula for almost two years now, and she has helped me in so many ways. I personally feel that therapy takes time and work outside of your appointments to really have an affect on your life. Paula has helped me manage my anxiety with certain difficult relationships in my life and given me coping strategies on how to mentally be stronger. I can confidently say that not only has my time with her improved how I handle different situations, but it has actually all around made me a happier person. One of my fears with going to therapy was speaking to a stranger about myself but Paula immediately makes you feel comfortable and that fear went away within the first visit! I would recommend her over and over again if I could she truly knows what she is doing."

"I went to see Paula Diaz as my first therapy experience. I had informed her both prior to my session and in my first session that I would like coping strategies to help cope with a family member. In my first session, I did almost all of the talking and she kept reassuring me that as we work together she would teach me coping strategies. I left feeling a little unsure because I felt like I did all the talking but figured that it was the first session and she just needed to get to know me first. The second session I went and again did almost all of the talking. I would stop talking hoping for her to do some talking or at least ask a question and then had to continue talking just to fill the awkward silence. I was a psychology major in college and I know that with some patients, silence is a technique to try and get them to talk more, however I felt like this was inappropriately used and it just came off that she was unprepared for our session. I explained a situation that had just happened and how with Thanksgiving coming up I was nervous about the holiday and saying I would like some coping strategies. Ms. Diaz again did not provide me with any coping strategies, she just continuously said “wow she sounds difficult” or “she’s tough” which was reassuring to hear but nothing I didn’t already know. In addition, she spent most of that session giving advice as if I was the family member and how she should have handled a situation better that had absolutely nothing to do with me. She gave solid advice if I was that family member and had done those things, but I knew what she did was wrong and I told Ms. Diaz this, but she still continued to give advice as if I was the person who did those things. I left the session very discouraged and disappointed that I now was going home into the holiday with zero coping strategies. My third session was on a Monday and that Sunday morning I found out a family member who has been having medical issues got an appointment with a specialist in the area and wanted me to go. I found Ms. Diaz’ business card and saw on the back that it said please cancel within 24 hours, so I called (with over 24 hours notice) and informed her that I would be unable to attend and would reschedule. She called back and left a message saying that on my first session I signed her policy that says I must let her know within 72 hours (which is an absurd amount of time) or else I will be charged $75. I was absolutely shocked! I remember signing a policy about cancellation but I was not given a copy of this policy and she gave me her business card at the same time and did not mention the difference in the two times. Not to mention if I attended the session it would only cost me $15 as my co-pay and for not attending I would be charged 5 times that amount. I called back and figured maybe if I explained the circumstances more and since I have never had to cancel before she would understand. I was very wrong, she again reminded me of the policy I signed and told me the business cards were old and that if I did not show up I would be charged $75 as per her policy I signed. I was so upset by her response and lack of remorse. I ended up having to miss my family members appointment to attend because with the holidays coming up I could not afford to pay $75 for absolutely nothing. I went to the session, and the entire session she just asked me various questions about my job and not ONCE brought up my family member which is the one and only reason I decided to try therapy. It was obvious that she was just asking these questions to kill the time because again she was unprepared which I found to be very unprofessional and a waste of both time and money. This was my first experience with therapy and it left me questioning if I ever want to try therapy again."

"After going through several different issues in my life (from divorce to problems at work) I decided to seek help to assist me in gathering my thoughts and to regain my confidence. I decided to work with Paula because from the first phone conversation we had, the first question she asked was "what can I do to help you." I briefly explained my concerns and she assured me that she can help me. I have been seeing Paula now for over a year on a weekly basis and must admit that choosing her was the best decision that I made! Every session is a challenge....... What I mean by that is that she challenges me to think about the different options that I most likely don't think about and puts things in a different light. This absolutely didn't happen over night or in 2 to 3 sessions of course but once the comfort level and trust was gained its been very helpful for me in my overall life! I HIGHLY recommend Paula to anyone who feels they need an outside opinion without criticism or expectations. All you need to do is call and have an open mind and let her do her thing!!!"

"My experience with Paula Diaz has been nothing but a positive one. She is highly knowledgeable, and a true professional. Paula always provides great feedback, and I constantly come away with new insight. She has helped me in ways I cannot describe. I would definitely recommend seeing her. I cannot say enough positive things about Paula. She's an amazing person! A true blessing in my life."