NUTLEY FAMILY SERVICE BUREAU | October 2021 E-Newsletter
Nutley Family Service Bureau
October 2021 E-NEWSLETTER
MEET THE COUNSELORS: LAURA MUNOZ-TORRES, LAC, ATR-P, NCC
As a psychology major at the College of St. Elizabeth (now St. Elizabeth University), Laura Munoz-Torres took art classes as both a creative outlet and a reward of sorts for all her hard work in her psychology classes.

"At the time, art therapy wasn’t even on my radar, but I ended up completing a double major in psychology and art.” Before making the leap to grad school, Laura discovered an art therapy program at Caldwell University. It was the perfect solution because it combined her two passions into one program.
HOW COUPLE THERAPY CAN HELP RELATIONSHIPS HEAL
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) has seen an increase in couples therapy. Managing families during this time has created a heavy burden of stress, especially in families with children.

One or both parents were forced to work from home and manage remote learning for children. People lost jobs or had to leave their jobs to care for children, creating financial hardship. Increased exposure to social media and 24/7 news has only added to this stress, while disagreements about pandemic-related topics such as vaccines and masking have strained many relationships.
HOW OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGING NJ HOUSING LANDSCAPE
The pandemic has made an already challenging housing situation even more difficult. People who lost their jobs or had no other choice but to leave their jobs to care for children may be facing eviction or foreclosure. Meanwhile, the average price of homes has increased dramatically since last year.

To make matters worse, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waitlists are closed and rental assistance programs require an application to be placed on a pre-waiting list for consideration. At the same time, many people moved from New York City to New Jersey since COVID-19 hit, creating even more demand for housing in and around the Nutley area.
HOW THE NFSB INTERNSHIP PROGRAM HAS SHAPED OUR HOMEGROWN TEAM
What do clinicians Victoria Bukey, Molly Clark, Jessica Hauck, Kerry McCann, Laura Munoz-Torres, and Fernando Vasquez have in common? They all got their start with the Mental Health Counseling Program at Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) through our graduate internship program. Together, they represent more than half of our staff!

“We’re very proud of the opportunities we provide through our internship program to learn about counseling and social work,” said Staela Keegan, MSW (Master of Social Work), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor), and Clinical Director at NFSB. “All interns at NFSB receive real-world clinical experience, which includes everything from evaluating clients for outpatient treatment to providing therapy.”
NFSB PROVIDES INFERTILITY COUNSELING
Infertility is a problem for about 10-15 percent of couples of reproductive age. Although there is a higher rate among women in their late 30s and early 40s struggling with infertility, Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) clinicians see younger women in their 20s who are dealing with infertility.

“Many people who are struggling to have children are dealing with mental health issues for the first time,” said Kristen Petullo, MSW (Master of Social Work), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). “Others have pre-existing or co-existing mental health disorders, which can make the journey more difficult. While some people dealing with infertility are trying to have children for the first time, many already have a child but want to have a larger family. There are so many variables involved.”
NUTLEY FAMILY SERVICE BUREAU
169 Chestnut Street, Nutley, NJ 07110