I specialize in counseling with individuals and couples dealing with relationship, sexual,body image, and pain management issues. After an initial joint intake session (for couples) and in-depth private history sessions (for individuals and couples), future sessions often involve face to face counseling plus body psychotherapy. This method combines face to face talk therapy with the use of gentle touch therapy to encourage newfound awareness of bodily tension patterns and how these may be connected to important relationship, sexual and other life issues. By focusing on our bodies and our life issues, both present and past, we discover what has been interfering with our enjoyment and satisfaction. As our body begins to relax, our fears and insecurities gradually dissolve and we are able to make choices based upon what we truly want. By focusing on our own body and our own life choices, we naturally create more fulfilling intimate relationships with others.

Listed in Who's Who of Medicine and Healthcare, Dr. Goodstone has had a successful body psychotherapy practice focused on relationship, sexual and body image issues for over two decades. She has contributed her time and expertise by serving as Professor and Chair, Health & Physical Education Department (F.I.T./State University of NY), Science and Research Chair on the original Board of Directors (U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy), Educational Programming Chair (American Massage Therapy Association), and Chair (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists/Metro NYC section). Dr. Goodstone is a licensed and national board certified mental health counselor (FL), marriage and family therapist (NJ), massage and bodywork therapist (FL, NY), fellow and diplomate (American Association of Integrative Medicine, College of Mental Health), diplomate and board certified sex therapist, and certified Rubenfeld Synergist® (a gentle yet powerful body psychotherapy method). She can be reached at 954-649-5228.

Relationship, sexuality and body image issues (physical appearance, aging, illness, disabilities, dysfunctions, and emotional insecurities) are not separate from the rest of our lives. Bodily symptoms and emotional upsets are offering us messages reminding us to pay attention to people in our lives, our physical and mental health, body aches and pains, our thoughts and emotions, our spiritual and moral beliefs and values, and our current lifestyle. Problems that seem insurmountable may reveal metaphorically our true purpose, goal, intention or desire beyond the current situation. Joyful, intimate relating may be just a few counseling sessions away.

Office hours are flexible, by appointment. Daytime, evening and even weekend hours may be available as necessary.

First in-depth session is $285.

Future sessions are $250 for 1 1/2 hours and $175 for 1 hour.

Payment is due at each session. If you choose to pay in advance for a series of sessions (usually 10), I can offer a substantial discount.

For online and telephone counseling, payment in advance is required. Check or credit card is accepted. If requested, a receipt will be provided with appropriate information for insurance reimbursment

We are not our body and we are not our mind, but these two parts of ourselves certainly work in conjunction with each other. If you ignore your body's sometimes very subtle messages and just will your way using your mind, it is as if you are only half living your life. And after awhile, your body will rebel in the form of aches and pains and more severe illnesses.

Through body psychotherapy, you have a unique opportunity to deal with the issues that are at the forefront of your mind through becoming aware of the signals offered by your body. As you allow yourself to slow down, become aware of your body sensations as you talk about and think about what is most important to you, the reality of your life situation gradually becomes crystal clear. Aligning your body and your mind offers you the chance to truly heal your life and gain a sense of inner peace, calm, acceptance and even joy.

Pain is an elusive element of life. We all have to live with some pain at some time. Some of us are dealing with chronic pain that we must come to terms with because it is not going away. Some of us are just dealing with temporary or intermmittent pain that we can perhaps find a way to mitigate or eliminate.

Physical pain is felt through the nerve endings in our body. Psychological pain is felt in our emotional state. Both influence each other. When we have physical pain, it is more difficult to feel joyous and cheerful. When we feel sad or angry or depressed, it often leads to painful sensations in our body.

Counseling and Psychotherapy can help us to understand the source of our pain and to develop a state of mind and a way of thinking that can help us to actually feel less pain.

We are all social beings, even if we personally describe our self as a loner. We need each other, not only for basic survival, but also to mirror us, to give us feedback, to teach us about how we affect others and to teach us about who we are, what we need, and what we truly desire. However, most of us enter relationships with a preconceived idea of what we "should" get from it. If our expectations are temporarily met, we feel happy and think we "love" this other person. However, when our needs are thwarted, denied, disregarded or completely unmet, we become disheartened, angry, resentful, demanding and often lose our loving feelings toward this person.

Couples find each other in the vast marketplace of human encounters. Why did you feel attracted to this particular person and what qualities or behaviors led to both of you choosing to become a couple? Did the qualities that first attracted you become less important as you became comfortable with having received what you originally wanted? Sustaining an ongong, loving, supportive and happy relationship is no small task. It requires therapeutic wisdom, patience, and strength of character.

Marriage is certanly not for the fragile or easily discouraged person. Marriage is a decision, a lifetme choice that will affect everything you do in the time you are together and even after, if you choose to split up. Marriage is an incredibly powerful union of two people who are fully devoted to each other but it can become an insufferable torture chamber when the loving feelings turn to rage and depression, neglect and abandonment.

Couples Counselng and Marriage Counseling can help to bring all the drama to the forefront, flush away the negative thought and speech patterns, returning a couple to the state of love they once felt with each other.

Our sexuality is intrinsically connected to who we are as a man or a woman in this society. So many factors influence our unique sexual response pattern. The more we know and understand about our family of origin dynamics, our culture, religion, education, early environment, neighborhoods we lived in, schools we attended, teachers, friends, family, prior and current relationships and anything else that might have affected us, the better grip we can get on our own sexual responses. Hormones are powerful. But our brain, and all its synapses and intricate pathways, directs our sexual passions in ways we may only begin to understand as we delve more deeply into our sexual nature and activities.

Sex Therapy can be a truly transformative experience.