About
Monica Blum is a clinical psychologist, supervisor, consultant, and presenter who has specialized in treating complex trauma in children, teenagers, adults, couples, and families for over 30 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and her doctorate from Bowling Green State University.
Early in her career, Monica worked in a community mental health center with inner city sexually abused children, their families, and involved systems including schools, child protective agencies, medical professionals, and the courts. In 1997, she began her private practice in Highland Park, New Jersey working with clients of all ages and backgrounds. She maintains her practice and treats sexual, physical, medical, and emotional abuse; intergenerational, spiritual/religious and racial trauma; neglect; dissociation; depression, anxiety, and adjustments to life's challenges.
Monica's work with chronic trauma, the complexity of relationships, and life's developmental challenges fostered her lifelong learning. She studies cutting-edge, scientifically grounded, transformational, holistic therapy approaches, and marries them with the healing powers of relationship, playfulness, humor, and creativity. Monica is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and is a Level I AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) and FLASH Technique practitioner. She is certified by the New Jersey Governor's Task Force in Child Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment.
Monica has always loved to teach and share what she's learned. At the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Monica presented to mental health providers and medical school students on assessing and treating sexual abuse, dissociation, and trauma. At Rutger’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Monica supervised doctoral level students, guest-lectured on dissociation and trauma, and provided case consultation. She presented through PESI on nonverbal and right brain-based trauma healing practices. Monica wrote, Inviting the Spirit of Play to Transform Trauma: Healing for All Ages to integrate her career experiences and learning to benefit helping professionals, graduate students, and clients.
Monica supervises licensed therapists building their confidence and competence to navigate the complexities, burnout, and stuckness encountered in trauma treatment. She supports supervisees to integrate their personal creativity, hope, and joy in the therapy relationship. Since 2017 Monica has offered the "Play and Somatics Supervision Group" which emphasizes how to practically apply theory to lived, playfully-spirited clinical practice.
Monica consults with therapists, schools, parents, community organizations, religious leaders and institutions, medical and legal professionals, and the business community. She works collaboratively to assess their needs and tailors her presentations and interventions to offer practical and hope-filled solutions. She designed an experiential workshop on sensitive practice for medical students. She created an anti-bullying parent empowerment program for a local elementary school. As a part of a mental health team in a local synagogue, Monica was a group facilitator who promoted respectful communication and a safe culture around divisive issues. She co-developed play-based curricula to teach religious concepts to children in school and camp settings.
Monica presents workshops regionally and nationally on the powers of playfulness in transforming trauma, her embodied mirroring technique, nonverbal and different right-brain trauma healing practices that can be used with all clients, attunement with relationally traumatized clients, and the benefits of playfulness in parenting and the work culture. She encourages workshop attendees to connect with their playfulness to integrate and embody their new knowledge.
Monica's style appeals to heart and mind, evokes curiosity and joy, and supports learning, growth and self-discovery. She practices and teaches with positivity, presence, care, respect, patience, compassion, and humor. Monica's writing and workshops make complex topics and concepts relatable and real. Monica loves what she does and energizes others to feel inspired and hopeful to enact meaningful change.
Early in her career, Monica worked in a community mental health center with inner city sexually abused children, their families, and involved systems including schools, child protective agencies, medical professionals, and the courts. In 1997, she began her private practice in Highland Park, New Jersey working with clients of all ages and backgrounds. She maintains her practice and treats sexual, physical, medical, and emotional abuse; intergenerational, spiritual/religious and racial trauma; neglect; dissociation; depression, anxiety, and adjustments to life's challenges.
Monica's work with chronic trauma, the complexity of relationships, and life's developmental challenges fostered her lifelong learning. She studies cutting-edge, scientifically grounded, transformational, holistic therapy approaches, and marries them with the healing powers of relationship, playfulness, humor, and creativity. Monica is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and is a Level I AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) and FLASH Technique practitioner. She is certified by the New Jersey Governor's Task Force in Child Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment.
Monica has always loved to teach and share what she's learned. At the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Monica presented to mental health providers and medical school students on assessing and treating sexual abuse, dissociation, and trauma. At Rutger’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Monica supervised doctoral level students, guest-lectured on dissociation and trauma, and provided case consultation. She presented through PESI on nonverbal and right brain-based trauma healing practices. Monica wrote, Inviting the Spirit of Play to Transform Trauma: Healing for All Ages to integrate her career experiences and learning to benefit helping professionals, graduate students, and clients.
Monica supervises licensed therapists building their confidence and competence to navigate the complexities, burnout, and stuckness encountered in trauma treatment. She supports supervisees to integrate their personal creativity, hope, and joy in the therapy relationship. Since 2017 Monica has offered the "Play and Somatics Supervision Group" which emphasizes how to practically apply theory to lived, playfully-spirited clinical practice.
Monica consults with therapists, schools, parents, community organizations, religious leaders and institutions, medical and legal professionals, and the business community. She works collaboratively to assess their needs and tailors her presentations and interventions to offer practical and hope-filled solutions. She designed an experiential workshop on sensitive practice for medical students. She created an anti-bullying parent empowerment program for a local elementary school. As a part of a mental health team in a local synagogue, Monica was a group facilitator who promoted respectful communication and a safe culture around divisive issues. She co-developed play-based curricula to teach religious concepts to children in school and camp settings.
Monica presents workshops regionally and nationally on the powers of playfulness in transforming trauma, her embodied mirroring technique, nonverbal and different right-brain trauma healing practices that can be used with all clients, attunement with relationally traumatized clients, and the benefits of playfulness in parenting and the work culture. She encourages workshop attendees to connect with their playfulness to integrate and embody their new knowledge.
Monica's style appeals to heart and mind, evokes curiosity and joy, and supports learning, growth and self-discovery. She practices and teaches with positivity, presence, care, respect, patience, compassion, and humor. Monica's writing and workshops make complex topics and concepts relatable and real. Monica loves what she does and energizes others to feel inspired and hopeful to enact meaningful change.