Marilyn Rukaj , LMHC, LPC

Marilyn Rukaj is a licensed mental health counselor who helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. She works with clients from New Jersey and brings seven years of professional experience to sessions. Marilyn aims to meet people where they are and offers straightforward support as they take the first step toward change.

Her practice centers on practical conversation and a tailored plan. Marilyn listens for patterns that cause distress and helps clients develop clearer choices. She focuses on everyday skills - managing strong feelings, improving communication, and building confidence - so progress shows up in daily life.

Marilyn also addresses issues that often accompany core concerns, such as abandonment, attachment problems, codependency, and caregiver stress. She supports people dealing with chronic illness or pain, dissociation, avoidant or dependent personality traits, and challenges around commitment and control. These topics are woven into treatment when they affect the person’s current goals.

Sessions are shaped around each person’s needs and pace. Marilyn adapts the conversation and plan based on what the client prefers and what helps most. She emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and a nonjudgmental stance throughout the work.

People who choose her can expect practical tools, clearer coping strategies, and focused time to talk through difficult experiences. Marilyn aims to support steady steps toward a more manageable and hopeful daily life.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Marilyn uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical skills and clearer thinking. One common approach she draws on involves helping clients identify unhelpful thought patterns and replace them with more workable perspectives; this helps reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and makes daily decisions feel easier. She also works on building emotion regulation and coping strategies to manage strong feelings after trauma or during stressful life changes, which can lower reactivity and improve day-to-day function.

Figuring out which approach fits best is part of the early work. Marilyn collaborates with each person to match techniques to their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they try methods, adjust the plan, and pick what helps most for the client’s situation.

Online therapy offers practical advantages for people with busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a visual connection helps, while phone sessions can work better when bandwidth is limited or for a quieter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging let clients share brief updates, get support between sessions, or fit therapy into a tight schedule. These formats make it easier to keep steady progress without long commutes and to use the kinds of contact that feel most useful.