Psychotherapy that respects a demanding life
Franklin Lakes is a quiet, wooded Bergen County borough, and many of the people who live there carry a lot: careers in New York or North Jersey, children moving through Ramapo Indian Hills schools, aging parents nearby, and a strong sense that they should be able to handle everything themselves. From the outside, life looks steady. Inside, it can feel very different.
People rarely come to psychotherapy because of one bad week. They come because a pattern keeps repeating: panic before presentations, a marriage that has gone silent, a teenager who seems to be disappearing, or memories from long ago that still hijack the present. Psychotherapy is a structured way to understand those patterns and change them, with a trained clinician who has no stake in your social circle.
Dr. Audrey Kteily works with Franklin Lakes residents entirely online. That means the hour you set aside is spent on therapy, not on getting to it.
What does psychotherapy with Dr. Audrey involve?
Psychotherapy is more than talking through the week. With Dr. Audrey, it combines careful listening with practical tools and a clear sense of direction. The first sessions focus on your history, your current stressors and what you want to be different. From there, she builds a plan that may draw on several approaches.
Trauma and complex PTSD work
Many clients carry trauma that they have never named, often from repeated experiences in childhood or in a past relationship. Dr. Audrey treats PTSD and complex PTSD with a phased approach: stabilize first, then process at a pace you choose, then rebuild relationships and self-trust. Nothing is forced.
Skills for emotions that feel too big
As a C-DBT certified clinician, she teaches skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress without making things worse and communicating needs clearly. These skills are useful for anxious teens and high-pressure professionals alike.
A family systems lens
Her PhD is in Family Studies, so she pays attention to the roles you learned growing up and how they play out in your marriage, your parenting and your work. Seeing those connections often turns self-blame into understanding, and understanding into new choices.
The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization both describe psychotherapy as a core, effective treatment for many mental health conditions. General background on how talk therapy works is also available at Psychotherapy.org.
Concerns Franklin Lakes clients bring to therapy
- Anxiety and panic, including the quiet, high-functioning kind that hides behind productivity.
- Depression and the flat, going-through-the-motions feeling that can follow a loss, a move or a career change.
- Trauma and complex PTSD from childhood experiences, domestic violence, sexual assault or prolonged stress.
- Performance pressure and perfectionism, in adults and in teens facing college admissions and competitive activities.
- Teen concerns such as school stress, self-harm, identity questions, ADHD and social anxiety.
- Relationship strain in marriages, co-parenting arrangements and adult relationships with parents.
- Grief and life transitions, including empty nest, divorce, retirement and caring for an aging parent.
Dr. Audrey also offers an LGBTQ+-affirming practice. She is LGBTQ+-owned and aligned with GLSEN and the Human Rights Campaign, which many clients and parents find reassuring.
How online psychotherapy works for Franklin Lakes residents
There is no Dr. Audrey office in New Jersey. All sessions are held over secure, HIPAA-compliant video. You receive a link that opens in your web browser, with no app to download and no waiting room where you might see someone you know from town.
Dr. Audrey holds a New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor license, so she can treat you whenever you are physically in New Jersey during the session. New Jersey sessions are scheduled in Eastern Time, and scheduling is flexible. Some clients meet from a home office; others step out to a parked car during a workday. See how online therapy works in New Jersey for details on setup and privacy.
Online psychotherapy also makes family involvement easier. A spouse traveling for work or a college student away at school can join from wherever they are, as long as they are in a state where Dr. Audrey is licensed.
What to expect in your first sessions
Your first appointment is a chance to tell your story at whatever level of detail feels comfortable. Dr. Audrey will ask about what brought you in now, what you have already tried, your health and family background, and what a meaningful change would look like. She will also explain how she works, so nothing about the process feels mysterious.
By the second or third session, you will usually have a shared picture of the main patterns and two or three goals to work toward. For one person, that might be sleeping through the night and handling Sunday-evening dread. For another, it might be repairing a strained relationship with an adult child or finally addressing a history of abuse.
Many clients start weekly and then move to every other week once they feel steadier. Dr. Audrey checks in about progress along the way and will tell you honestly if a different approach or an additional referral, such as a medication evaluation with your physician, could help.
Why a privacy-first format matters
In a close-knit community, deciding to start therapy can come with worries about being seen. Video sessions remove the parking lot, the shared lobby and the chance encounter. Your sessions stay between you and your therapist, protected by the same confidentiality rules that apply to any licensed counselor.
Professional organizations such as the National Association of Social Workers publish guidance on confidentiality and ethical care in telehealth, and Dr. Audrey follows the standards of her own counseling licenses. If you have questions about how your information is handled, she will walk you through it before your first session.
Dr. Audrey's education and licenses
Dr. Audrey Kteily has a PhD in Family Studies from Texas Woman's University, a master's degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Texas Woman's University. She is licensed as a Professional Counselor in New Jersey, a Mental Health Counselor in New York, and a Professional Counselor-Supervisor in Texas (licensed since 2001, supervisor since 2004).
She is a Certified Family Life Educator with the National Council on Family Relations, C-DBT certified through Evergreen Certifications and a published author on family dynamics. Over more than two decades of practice, she has worked with children, teens, young adults, adults, couples and whole families. Read more about Dr. Audrey.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911. Dr. Audrey's practice is not a crisis service.
Starting psychotherapy from Franklin Lakes
Dr. Audrey is an out-of-network provider. She provides a superbill after sessions that you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. It helps to check your plan's out-of-network mental health benefits first; the FAQ and fees page covers common questions.
To begin, complete the secure appointment request form. She responds within one business day to discuss your goals and find a time. You can also read about online therapy across New Jersey or return to the Dr. Audrey home page.
Request an appointment, or text or call (917) 905-3183. Texting is the easiest way to reach her; please keep health details out of texts.