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Meet the Clinicians: Andreas Graham, LAC, NCC
Andreas Graham’s journey to becoming a therapist was anything but a straight line. He earned his degree in organismal biology and ecology from Colorado College, completing the pre-med program. He studied game programming and spent time coding in Seattle. He even tried his hand in sales.
But it wasn’t until Andreas volunteered with a crisis text line that he knew what his career path would be.
“None of it felt right,” Andreas said. “I didn’t feel like I was doing anything with meaning. Volunteering with the crisis line was tough because it could be dark at times. But it felt meaningful and impactful, and that’s what motivated me to pursue counseling as a career.”
Andreas moved to a volunteer counseling service in Rockland County where his mother had volunteered many years earlier. After completing the training program, he knew he was ready to commit to this path. Andreas enrolled at Rutgers University and completed an internship at the Center for Network Therapy in Middlesex, an outpatient detox and addiction treatment facility, where he worked with clients with severe addiction while managing relapse prevention and psychoeducation groups. He would go on to earn a Master of Science in mental health and rehabilitation counseling and became a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) in New Jersey.
Andreas then served as an adolescent clinician at High Focus Centers in Parsippany, which offered outpatient programs for mental health and co-occurring disorders. He frequently saw teens and young adults who were smoking vape pens with high-concentration oils that have a tremendous impact on how the brain regulates emotion.
“Most of these clients didn’t want to quit,” Andreas said. “We had to normalize therapy because they were so resistant to it. Then I helped them learn healthier ways to cope with their feelings because suicidal thoughts and self-harm were common. I had to show them that smoking through whatever life throws at them would cause them to miss important developmental milestones.”
Andreas is excited to join the family of clinicians at Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB). For the first time in his career, he is counseling clients who are not already in a place of crisis.
Andreas is eager to incorporate meditation and grounding exercises into sessions that embrace different dimensions of wellness. In the right circumstances, he looks forward to using creative therapy techniques that involve role-playing within a game system.
“I’m happy to shift from partial hospitals to a private practice setting, where everyone is passionate and community-oriented,” Andreas said. “While touring NFSB, a man was leaving the Food Pantry, and I asked how he was doing. He said, ‘You know what, man? I’m alive, and at my age, it doesn’t take much to be happy.’ That simple expression of gratitude was something I held in my heart for the rest of the day. People who come here don’t feel like strangers. They’re members of a community, and they see how much people at NFSB care about them. I’m grateful to be part of that.”
If you or someone you know would like to explore counseling, contact us at NFSB to schedule an appointment. Immediate appointments are available, and we’ll always respect your privacy. Call 973-667-1884 extension 1 today.
Andreas Graham, LAC, NCC
Andreas Graham is a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) with significant experience in mild-to-moderate substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders in teens and adults, as well as general counseling. He also enjoys using creative therapy techniques that involve role-playing within a game system.
Andreas earned a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts in Organismal Biology and Ecology, Pre-Medicine from Colorado College. He has served as an adolescent clinician at High Focus Centers in Parsippany, NJ and completed his internship at the Center for Network Therapy in Middlesex, NJ.
