Alein Haddad-Perez, LCSW

I am a NJ and NY licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and owner of AHP THERAPY, a New Jersey based private practice that specializes in trauma. My mission is to help my clients heal emotional injuries and to reach their optimal mental health by providing gentle, compassionate, and trauma informed therapy.  My therapeutic philosophy is based on my core belief that all people have the capacity to heal from traumatic injuries and to live fulfilling happy lives. The connection between mind and body continues to inspire my practice as I rely on the knowledge of the Polyvagal theory, structural dissociation, the neurobiology of trauma, and attachment theory to guide my therapeutic interventions.

I am a certified Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist and EMDRIA Approved EMDR consultant. I have also completed over 100 hours of advanced training in various EMDR protocols including its combination with Sandtray Therapy, dissociative disorders, and addiction. I had the honor to learn from leading experts such as Anna Gomez, Jim Knipe, Dolores Mosquera, Hope Payson, and Deany Laliotis. I have found EMDR to be extremely helpful for most of my clients, not only those who suffer from trauma and PTSD. 

I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). SE is a body-oriented technique that aims to regulate the nervous system in the process of healing from trauma, PTSD, and their physiological manifestations. I found this training to complete another missing piece in many of my clients’ healing processes by giving expressions to non-verbal experiences of their past.   

I also hold advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples (EFT), an evidence-based psychotherapy technique developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. EFT applies attachment theory to help couples to break the negative cycles in their relationship and instead foster positive and secure bonds.

Prior to my private practice, I worked in a variety of agency and group practice settings - both in affluent and underserved communities. I have worked with a wide range of clients, including adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect, survivors of community violence and crime, couples in distress, parents, and members of marginalized social groups. 

In addition to holding a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University, I acquired a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and International Economic Development from Seton Hall University. In my previous career, I worked on conflict resolution and civic engagement projects, both domestically and internationally. My vast language and cross-cultural skills equip me to work with diverse groups of clients while honoring their religious, cultural, and traditional values.