We offer a complimentary 20-minute phone consultation so that you can learn more about our services and how we may be able to support you or your family. To schedule your consultation, please contact us at info@nsfac.com or 732-301-4704.

Whether an individual or family has requested therapy or an evaluation, our process always starts with an initial intake session. This session typically lasts 90 minutes. In this first session, the clinician spends time getting to know the individual and/or the family, collecting background information, and identifying preliminary goals for evaluation or treatment. For young children, we sometimes ask parents to attend this first session without their child so that they can speak freely about their concerns. For individuals/families who will participate in therapy, the clinician often uses two to three additional 45-min sessions to clarify goals and approaches to treatment before sharing a plan with the individual or family. Together, we can then agree to the plan or make changes to it, and evaluate whether North Star is an appropriate fit for the individual/family's needs. Depending on the family's concerns, a different therapist or combination of therapists may be assigned to the family for continued services. For individuals/families who request an evaluation, the evaluation schedule (interview, evaluations, feedback) will be determined after the intake session. The clinician who conducts the evaluation may be different from the clinician who completed the intake.

We see children, adolescents, and adults in our practice, for both therapy and evaluations. We also see parents and caregivers for therapy and parent training.

Yes, we do. The majority of our clients have a pre-existing diagnosis of ASD when they seek our services. Those who are questioning the possibility of a diagnosis, either for themselves or a family member, may request a diagnostic evaluation. Prior to scheduling this diagnostic evaluation, we will schedule an intake with one of our clinicians so that we can learn more about you/your family and discuss the evaluation process and how it may benefit you. To learn more about the steps of our diagnostic evaluation, click HERE.

North Star Family Autism Center was founded to provide services to children, adolescents, and adults with ASD and their family members. If an individual or their family is questioning the possibility of an autism diagnosis, we can schedule a consultation or a diagnostic evaluation. Occasionally, we may see an individual whose primary concerns align with a diagnosis of autism, although they are awaiting a formal evaluation. If at any time it seems that the individual's primary concerns are unrelated to an autism diagnosis, we can provide a referral to other practices with specialties in those areas.

We do not have any licensed marriage and family therapists on our staff, and do not offer family or couples therapy. However, research indicates that caregivers of individuals with ASD can experience heightened stress and conflict in their relationships. We also know that individuals with ASD can sometimes struggle to navigate relationships with others, including family members. In some cases, we may find that providing psychoeducation, parent training, and coping skills for caregivers, as well as building communication and problem-solving skills for all family members can reduce the stress and conflict they experience at home. As such, we integrate this work into the services we provide to families.

Our office is located at 811 Amboy Avenue in Edison, New Jersey. The office is conveniently located off of Route 1, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Garden State Parkway. Complimentary parking is available at our location. We also offer telehealth services for families in New Jersey and other states that participate in PSYPACT, which allows for interjurisdictional practice by psychologists. To see if your state is eligible, click HERE.

We decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether telehealth is an effective form of therapy for the concerns of the family. If we determine that it is, we are able to offer telehealth to families in New Jersey, as well as in states that participate in PSYPACT, which allows for interjurisdictional practice by psychologists. To see if your state is eligible, click HERE. We are unable to conduct evaluations via telehealth. All diagnostic and psychoeducational evaluations must be completed in our office in Edison, New Jersey.

We are an out-of-network provider with all insurance companies. If your insurance company provides reimbursement for out-of-network services, we will provide a superbill that you can submit directly to your insurance company. A superbill provides all of the information that the insurance company needs to process your reimbursement request. To find out if you have out-of-network benefits and what portion of our services they may cover, please call your insurance company directly. When speaking with your insurance company, you may want to ask them the following questions: What are my out-of-network outpatient mental health insurance benefits? What is my deductible and how much of it have I met? What is the process for seeking reimbursement? Are there any limitations on the number of sessions a year that will be covered? Do my benefits cover telehealth services (online counseling)?

While our clinical and school psychologists are also board certified behavior analysts (BCBA), we do not provide in-home or center-based ABA therapy. However, our knowledge base in ABA informs the work we do with clients and their families to help them address their concerns. We also utilize approaches such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to support clients and families.