About Jeff Carlson

Jeff Carlson is Board Certified by the American Psychotherapy Association and licensed by the State of New Jersey.  Jeff graduated with honors from Hope College, has a Master’s degree in Counseling from Lehigh University and was trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) at the University of Pennsylvania.  He began his professional counseling career in 2001 working in an inpatient psychiatric hospital and in Dr. Chalemian’s office since January 2005.   

Credentials and experience are nice, and of course, necessary; the truth is that they are just the hoops one has to jump through to be an effective therapist. The reason most of his clients say they like working with Jeff is because he cares deeply about them, he understands them and their difficulties, and has an expert understanding of treatment. They work hard together and find ways to have fun within the therapy. Jeff is a person who has been through the wringer himself and in that regard has a special camaraderie with his clients. He and his wife have a son, a daughter, three dogs, and a mortgage. Jeff is a native of Illinois and a die hard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan.

He has a special interest and experience working with clients diagnosed with OCD (and related disorders, such as body dysmorphic disorder), anxiety disorders (for example, social anxiety and panic disorder) and depression. Jeff has an expert understanding of these problems and their treatment. He does the work right alongside his clients. His clients usually meet at least once with Dr. Chalemian for a full psychiatric evaluation and assessment of symptom severity, but do not always require medication management because psychotherapy can be an effective stand-alone option.  

Jeff welcomes and works with clients of all backgrounds and beliefs. His hope is to provide a safe and effective environment for every client.