Expanding what feels possible, one step at a time
Dr. Angela Gonnella, psychologist
Online therapy based in warren, NJ | Serving all NJ and NY
Specializing in therapy for parents, trauma & PTSD, anxiety and emotional overwhelm
Are you ready to…
Resolve past trauma so it stops showing up in the present?
Feel in control of intense emotions, and release the harsh judgement about reacting this way?
Quiet the constant overthinking and anxiety about conversations, decisions, or the future?
Break family patterns and heal yourself so you can be the parent you want to be?
You’re in the right place.
How I work
Therapy with me will help you build skills beyond surface level with depth that gives you direction
I believe lasting change is at the intersection of insight and action
I specialize in the complex, long-standing patterns that have been hard to shift - the ones that have roots in your history and keep showing up despite your best efforts. The work we’ll do together is deep, considering your whole story, context, and identity.
From the moment we start working together, you’ll notice that I listen differently and on multiple levels. I’m attentive to what you say and what you don't, themes that repeat across different areas of your life, and the moments when your words say one thing, but your body language says another. I'll point out these patterns not to make you feel exposed, but to map out the architecture of what’s actually keeping you stuck and turn that into a blueprint for rebuilding.
We’ll work towards the goal of lasting change from every angle. We’ll work through your thoughts and beliefs that fuel the patterns you want to shift and process the underlying emotional reactions that have kept you feeling stuck. Then comes the practical part: I’ll help you build concrete skills you can actually use when anxiety spikes, trauma gets triggered, or emotions threaten to overwhelm you. I’ll meet you with compassion, care, and the unwavering belief that together, we can get you where you want to go.
-
You can accept yourself exactly as you are, and work toward change. You can honor your pain from the past and open yourself to hope for the future. You can embrace your emotions and be in control of them. My approach means you don’t have to shove yourself into one box in order to make progress.
My guiding principles and core values
-
Insight is valuable, but often it is not enough. We’ll pair that with skills to help you make the changes you’re looking for. I integrate evidence-based techniques intentionally and tailored to you. We'll pair awareness with actionable skills to help you make the changes you're aiming for.
-
Change isn’t a race, especially when painful past experiences weigh you down. Whatever your goals are, we move at a pace that feels manageable. So, if we’re in the groove of reframing beliefs - full steam ahead. If you feel overwhelmed with a topic, then we switch gears and slow down. You are ultimately in the driver’s seat and control the speed.
-
Culture, community, and the identities we hold are central to who we are. I bring genuine curiosity to understand the contexts that have shaped your unique perspective, while also leaning in with openness when I miss something important. Being a culturally responsive therapist is an active, ongoing commitment I bring to every session.
-
I'll help you understand the science of why emotions feel so overwhelming, why you keep thinking about your past even when you don’t want to, or why you can't seem to relax. Then comes the action part: we'll retrain your responses by building new strategies that work for your life today. Every technique is backed by research and designed for practical application.
-
Coming into therapy feeling ashamed of the ways you coped? Or the dark road your thoughts have gone down? We’ll explore how those strategies kept you safe or gave you relief at times when you didn’t know what else to do. We’ll honor what got you this far, while also working to build new skills that serve you.
What You Can count on:
Clients have told me that I am “spot on” in my observations, and that I can anticipate a thought spiral before it barrels through the day. At the same time, what’s more important to me is that clients express feeling safe to correct me when I’m off about any part of their perspective, context, or experience. It’s my commitment to keep your truth in center stage.
You might wonder if I can understand what you've been through, especially if our backgrounds, identities, or experiences are different. It’s a fair question, and here is what I believe:
full healing takes more than someone who’s lived your story. It takes a trained guide that can carry the full weight of what you’re holding, Who honors the full context of your life and knows how to help you no matter how dark or tangled it feels.
In our therapy, you can show up as your real self. I won’t shudder when you finally say the thing you’ve never said out loud or give you vibes that you need to soften your story, minimize what happened, or tone down your emotions for my comfort. You can show up exhausted, shut down, or barely holding it together, and I'll meet you exactly where you are without any pressure to present a polished version of yourself.
Credentials
-
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D), Rutgers University
Masters of Psychology (Psy.M), Rutgers University
Masters of Education (Ed.M.), Columbia University
Bachelors of Arts (BA), Rutgers University
-
New Jersey Licensed Psychologist
New York Licensed Psychologist
Florida out of state registered telehealth provider
-
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Foundational Training, Behavioral Tech Institute
Intensive Training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE) Protocol for PTSD, Behavior Tech Institute
Intensive Training in Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy for PTSD, University of Pennsylvania
Intensive Training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Center of Deployment Psychology
Advanced training in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Rutgers University
-
Current supervising psychologist on a research project at Rutgers University studying effectiveness of Prolonged Exposure Therapy on individuals with PTSD and substance use
Experience as an individual therapist and group skills therapist within comprehensive DBT programs
Experience across hospitals, outpatient clinics, college counseling centers, and community centers
How I Got Here:
I started my career in education, thinking that was my direction. I watched the machine of academics move fast and loud, with little room left for the emotional struggles that were hidden in plain sight: Students carrying trauma they could never name, others unraveling at the seams each school day, and parents drowning under the weight of their own pain while trying to show up for their kids.
The work that pulled at me was heavier than the whirlwind of curriculum - it was conversations where someone felt safe enough to say what they were really struggling with underneath the surface. That’s when I realized my real calling was helping people on a deeper, emotional level. Once I recognized that, the decision was clear. I went back to graduate school for my doctorate. I wanted to do more than just hold space for others' pain; I wanted to have the skill to truly help people heal by guiding them through their most vulnerable moments to the other side.
I chose this field because I'm a human first, therapist second: I’m someone who’s always been driven by genuine connection and meaningful work.
At the end of the day, bearing witness to people’s transformation never gets old, and why I truly believe in this work.
