Clinical Psychologist in Huntington, New York
Dr. Joel Kuppersmith is a licensed psychologist who has been in private practice for the past 30 years. His office is conveniently located at 177 Main Street in Huntington. He specializes in relationship therapy on Long Island.
Education
He is also a psychoanalyst, having received his post-doctoral certificate in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis at the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University. He earned his doctoral degree in Psychology at the University of Mississippi, which was followed by a post-doctoral internship offered jointly by Downstate Medical Center and South Beach Psychiatric in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Early Career
Following the completion of his academic and licensing credentials, Dr. Kuppersmith began an 11-year career working for the New York State Department of Mental Health at Kings Park Psychiatric Center. As a staff psychologist, he worked in both inpatient and outpatient services. He worked closely with psychiatrists in coordinating psychological treatment and formulating individual treatment plans.
Teaching Experience
Dr. Kuppersmith served as chairperson of the ethics committee for the Psychology Department at Kings Park Psychiatric Center. He is currently an adjunct professor of Psychology in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Adelphi University. He was also an adjunct professor at Hofstra University.
Private Practice
For the past 30 years, Dr. Kuppersmith has treated a variety of psychological problems including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, adult children of alcoholics, insomnia, and marital/couple and family conflict. Recent developments in the theory and treatment applications in these areas have shown clinically improved outcomes.
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Does Marriage Counseling Work?
To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. The person that you marry is who you choose to spend the rest of your life with, working through life’s difficult moments together as a team. However, sometimes that bond can be tested and broken by seemingly insurmountable issues of financial, social, stressful, or relationship-based nature. Immediately going for divorce is never a sound decision. Not only does taking that leap instinctively leave you woefully unprepared for any proceedings to come, and leaves your family and children at risk of turmoil, but it also negates any future possibility of fixing these issues. Luckily, the methods of Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) used in marriage counseling are now roughly 75 percent effective. Starting with a Relationship Therapy on Long Islandcan be the key to saving a stressful relationship.
Why are people skeptical?
Marriage counseling is hard work, and there are no guarantees. It is a non-physical net gain and remains invisible in the public eye, as not many people who see the benefits of marriage counseling talk about their experiences with the world. In the over 2 million marriages held each year, approximately 800,000 of them end in divorce. Both parties need to be willing to put in the effort to attend meetings, learn how to properly communicate with your given issue, and work together to repair what has been broken.
Your marriage counselor is your mediator. We provide an open environment with the right tools to talk things through with your partner, but we can’t achieve that goal unless both parties can hold a discussion without fear, hiding, or attempting to lie. Get in touch with the office of Joel Kuppersmith PhD today if you are seeking a Relationship Therapy on Long Island.
Why Should You Invest in Marriage Counseling?
The earlier you decide to receive marriage counseling, the better it is for your relationship. Couples tend to wait approximately 6 years of unhappiness before seeking help. That is 6 years of festering stress and resentment that takes an ever-growing pile of effort to scrape away. Not only that, but there are any number of reasons why you wish to seek marriage counseling, so your unique situation may require a unique solution. Once you recognize the signs of a relationship issue, schedule an appointment with a Relationship Therapy on Long Islandas soon as possible.
What can marriage counseling help with?
- No resolve – Where both parties can never agree on a solution or find themselves in eternal conflict over any number of issues.
- Negative communication – Where one or both partners express themselves in ineffective ways. This can include lying, gaslighting, misinterpreting, or starting emotionally charged discussions. The communication breakdown can stem from insecurity or depression, so it’s important to get the right words out and to mean what you say. Our Relationship Therapy on Long Islandcan help you to find constructive communication techniques.
- Staying together for the children – We understand that your children are your highest priority. However, children are extremely intuitive, and hiding issues from them may just lead them to notice. Sometimes staying together for the kids is more detrimental than good, and other times all it takes to repair the rift is therapy. Either way, staying together for your children is a misled yet noble effort that requires a third party to see what the situation needs to proceed amicably.
- Roommates – When a couple feels that their communication and intimacy become more of a chore than an active effort
- Extended time apart – If you feel that you or your partner find peace from conflict outside of the home, you are dealing with that conflict in an unhealthy way. Spending time away from home only reinforces that being gone = no conflict. This idea solves nothing about the issue but ignores it until it is no longer relevant, allowing deep-rooted issues to fester under the surface.
- Infidelity – It is very difficult to come back from an affair, but not impossible. There is a lot of commitment and forgiveness necessary in healing this deep wound, so both partners have to be absolutely committed to truthfulness and faithfulness henceforth.
Relationship Therapy on Long Island
If you have any of the issues detailed above or want to discuss with a clinical psychologist your marriage counseling options, contact us today.
Things You Should Consider Before Getting A Divorce
Divorce is a regular aspect of life and growth that has now become commonplace in our society. The countries’ divorce rate is about 2.9 per 1,000 population. Although many people are happier when they get divorced, many also regret the outcome and have to live with their decision for the rest of their lives. Before undergoing the process, it is important to ask questions and make sure that divorce is truly the decision that you and your partner desire. A good way to see if separation is the right choice for you is visiting a marriage counseling in Huntington NY, where a psychotherapist will determine if your issues will continue to influence your relationship.
Before resorting to divorce, there are a few things you should consider:
1. Emotions
In some cases, anger and sadness can crowd your judgment and make you say things you do not mean, like suggesting a divorce. Before making this choice, make sure that divorce is really what you want because you do not want to regret anything in the future. Divorce is a long and depressing process so both parties need to be sure they want this result. If you are having issues, book an appointment with for Relationship Therapy on Long Island so that a professional can try to help you resolve your problems.
2. Would you be happier without your partner?
Remember to consider both your happiness and the happiness of those around you. Determine whether or not this decision will lead to further happiness for everyone involved. Don’t give up so easily on your marriage. If you still love your partner and want to do what it takes to make it work, consider visiting our Relationship Therapy on Long Island before doing anything drastic.
3. Think about your kids
If you and your partner have kids, make sure you are considering them throughout this process. Kids are deeply impacted by their parent’s divorce and it can sometimes cause problems for them in the future.
4. How will you be after the divorce?
Will you be happy and excited when the divorce is over? Or will you be angry and resentful? Your attitude will consider how your life will be after the divorce. Make sure you have the life you want and do not force a divorce that is going to make you sad and unhappy afterward.
5. What is your reason for the divorce?
Do you think that threatening divorce will make your husband/wife treat you better and appreciate you more? A divorce will only make whatever issues you both have worse. Do not divorce for the wrong reasons because it is a long process that affects many people. If you two are having problems, try resolving them first by visiting our Relationship Therapy on Long Island, Joel Kuppersmith.
Joel Kuppersmith Ph.D., an expert at Relationship Therapy on Long Island is the right choice for you and your spouse. It is critical to recognize the nature and extent of your relationship’s issues to assess whether they may continue to negatively impact your partnership. When the couple feels the need for professional assistance, couple & marital psychotherapy from Joel Kuppersmith PHD could be the answer. Contact our office for more information about how we can help you and your partner through these difficult circumstances.
How Can Marital Issues Affect Your Children?
Going through marital issues is never easy for any of the parties that are involved. Working through devastating issues that may compromise your marriage can be stressful and emotionally taxing. Not only does this affect you and your partner, but your child may be having a difficult time dealing with this as well. Witnessing their parents fight and argue can have several unintended effects. If you and your partner are going through harsh times but believe there is hope to replenish the love you once shared for the sake of your children, Dr. Joel Kuppersmith, Relationship Therapy on Long Island has to offer, can help you.
Problems With Academic Performance And Behavior:
Children often feel as if their world has been turned upside down after witnessing their parents go through marital issues. They may not fully understand why there is constant duress in the household or even make the assumption that this situation is their fault. Teenagers coping with their parent’s marital issues at home may harbor spiteful feelings towards one or both of their parents, thinking they must involve themselves to stop the fighting. Because of this, their academic performance and overall behavior can vastly differ from what it was prior.
This monumental change in their life can cause an abundance of emotions they haven’t yet learned how to manage. Sometimes, acting out in school or at home is the only form of outlet they know. The best marriage counseling on Long Island can help to ease the tension in your household by offering advice on how to manage the bevy of emotions that your child is experiencing.
Their schooling can also suffer as a result of these issues at home. On its own, going to school can be a very stressful time for children, since they’re under a lot of pressure to do their best. From social anxiety to large workloads and pressure from teachers, a school can often be the last place they want to be during this difficult time. Throw on top the added stresses of a changing life after the thought of their parents potentially not being together.
This can be a perfect formula for dysfunction. With everything happening at home weighing your child down, their focus may not be on their education, causing grades and performance to slip. We strongly advise you to sit down with your child and discuss the importance of their school work. Remember to help them maintain an overall positive attitude.
Long-Term Effects that Marital Issues can Have on your Kids
If these issues persist for a long time without resolution, your parenting will be crucial to your child’s healthy development moving forward. As they grow up, children of parents with marital issues or divorce can have difficulties developing relationships. Adults who lived in unstable homes as children are more likely to have a marriage end in divorce themselves. To combat this, Dr. Joel Kuppersmith, Relationship Therapy on Long Island, can offer the below advice on parenting during your marriage counseling process:
- Co-parent peacefully.
- Don’t put your child in the middle.
- Maintain a healthy relationship with your child.
- Monitor adolescents closely.
- Use consistent discipline.
- Teach specific coping mechanisms.
Dr. Joel Kuppersmith – Relationship Therapy on Long Island:
Though constant arguing and disagreements may just become a formality for you and your partner after a while, you may not realize the toll it can take on others living under the same roof. Dr. Joel Kuppersmith, Relationship Therapy on Long Island, has over 30 years of experience with marital issues. He can help you and your spouse work through your marital issues as well as give helpful advice as to how to prevent your children from being dragged into this stressful time. If you have been experiencing marital issues with your spouse and it is beginning to affect the well-being of your children, be sure to contact Dr. Kuppersmith today can help ease your stress.
Navigating Marriage Throughout your Child’s College Transition
The time has come for your child to leave the nest and head off to college. It’s not only a huge transitional point in their life but for their parent’s lives as well. Having a child go off to college, especially when it’s far from home, can leave parents feeling worried, anxious, and stressed about their well-being. It’s not uncommon to run into some marital problems when dealing with such a hard transition. If you have been facing this same issue in your own family and are in need of Relationship Therapy on Long Island, contact Dr. Joel Kuppersmith. For over 30 years, Dr. Kuppersmith has been providing a wide range of psychological services, including marital guidance for those going through the college transition. Continue reading to learn more about how seeking a psychologist can help you navigate your marriage throughout this process.
Empty Nest Syndrome
After years of having your entire world revolve around your children’s lives, parents can run into the problem of “Empty Nest Syndrome”. It tends to occur once that dreaded move-out day finally comes. You may begin to feel the following emotions once your child leaves for school:
- A loss of purpose
- Frustration
- Emotional Distress
- Anxiety
Dealing with your child being gone not only affects you as an individual but can take a toll on your relationship with your partner as well. Redefining your roles in the household and having more free time for one another may sound like a couple’s dream. Well for some couples, it can be quite the opposite. This vacancy in the house can cause issues to arise and tensions to heighten, leaving you feeling alone in your own marriage. If this is the case, it may be time to seek out the help of a best couples therapist on Long Island.
How to Cope
Luckily, there are methods to help keep your marriage afloat and even potentially come out stronger than it was before. Relationship Therapy on Long Island may inform you that it’s common for parents who have recently sent a child off to college to face some sort of depression. By recognizing that this is a normal part of life, it can help you and your partner understand what you are going through. Being compassionate for one another during this time is a great way to show that you are there for your partner, even through the hard times. By reconnecting and making time for each other, you can reinvigorate the sparks in your marriage.
How can Relationship Therapy on Long Island help?
Though it may be a normal phase of life, these issues should not linger on with your partner. Empty nest syndrome does not have to be the final answer to anyone’s marriage. If you find that you are still having difficulty navigating your marriage even after your child has acclimated to school, consider seeking a psychologist for marital assistance. If you have been searching for Relationship Therapy on Long Island, schedule an appointment with Dr. Joel Kuppersmith. Through his wide range of services, he can help provide your marriage with the right tools and guidance it needs to get you back on track. So don’t wait, call our office today to schedule an appointment!