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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 7am - 3pm Sunday 7am - 12pm

GIA Institute of Psychotherapy

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United States
Somers Point, NJ
GIA Institute of Psychotherapy

We are a psychotherapy practice dedicated to providing counseling and mental health services to children, teens, and adults.

12/22/2025

The holidays can be full of joy and stress, and both can exist at the same time. If this season feels heavy, here are a few gentle ways to protect your mental health.

1. Set realistic expectations - Let go of perfection - Focus on gratitude for small moments - Stay flexible when plans change

2. Set boundaries - Limit time with people or situations that drain you
- Decide which conversations you won’t engage in - Give yourself permission to say no

3. Take care of yourself - Nourish your body and rest when you need it - Take breaks - Choose activities that refill your energy

4. Share happy memories - Talk about traditions and stories you love - Honor loved ones who may be missing - Create moments that feel meaningful to you

5. Stay connected - Reach out if you’re feeling lonely - Spend time with people who feel safe - Join community events or volunteer if that feels right

12/19/2025

The holidays are supposed to feel joyful… so why do they sometimes feel so hard?

Between packed calendars, family dynamics, financial pressure, and the expectation to be “happy,” holiday stress is real, and normal.
 If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try this: - Pause and check in with your body - Set boundaries (it’s okay to say no) - Stick to routines that ground you - Lower the pressure to make everything perfect - Ask for support when you need it

You don’t have to power through the season alone. Caring for your mental health is just as important as showing up for everyone else.

Remember: peace is a priority this season.

12/15/2025

What’s A Broken-Heart to Do?

After a relationship ends, it’s easy to play the blame game.

Instead of dusting off your diagnostic manual to say why they are to blame, here’s a radical idea: focus on your healing, and acknowledge that your hurt is real, regardless of their diagnosis.

- Acknowledge Your Pain (Seriously): It hurts when relationships end, especially when you feel wronged, dismissed, or manipulated. Allow yourself to feel that pain without needing a pathological explanation for their behavior. Your feelings are valid.
- Reflect (Gently, When Ready): Once the initial sting subsides, consider what you learned from the relationship. What were your patterns? What boundaries do you need to set in the future? This isn’t about blaming yourself, but about growth and empowerment.
- Seek Professional Help: If you’re struggling to move on, experiencing persistent emotional distress, or find yourself repeatedly in similar relationship patterns, a licensed therapist (like those of us at GIA Institute of Psychotherapy) can help you process your experiences in a healthy way. We’re pretty good at distinguishing between a genuinely unhealthy dynamic and just a really frustrating ex, and more importantly, helping you navigate the aftermath.
- Ditch the Label (When You’re Ready): While understanding personality traits can be helpful, getting too hung up on diagnosing your ex from afar can actually keep you stuck. Your focus should be on building your future, not analyzing their past. Free yourself from the need for that ultimate diagnosis.

12/09/2025

More likely… he just thinks “unavailable” is a love language.

When a relationship ends, especially when it leaves you feeling raw, bewildered, or just plain wronged, there’s a whisper that often turns into a shout: “They were a narcissist!” Suddenly, every baffling behavior, every selfish act, every moment that made you question your sanity gets neatly filed under “NPD.” And while it’s incredibly tempting to embrace this shiny, validating label, let’s take a dry, slightly sarcastic, and dare I say, deeply understanding look at why your ex might just be… your ex.

Here’s the inconvenient truth: Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a genuine, complex mental health condition, characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a profound lack of empathy. It’s not just about someone being a bit of a jerk, or selfish, or even just really into their own Instagram feed. It’s a deeply ingrained way of relating to the world that causes significant distress and impairment. And, surprise! True NPD is actually quite rare, affecting a relatively small percentage of the population.

Want to learn more about this topic from Gina? Head to our blog to find out…

12/07/2025

When independence turns into isolation, it doesn’t always look dramatic.
 Sometimes it’s just avoiding conflict, distancing instead of repairing, or telling ourselves we’re “fine on our own” while quietly feeling disconnected.

The truth is, relationships aren’t supposed to be perfect, they’re supposed to grow. And growth sometimes means leaning into discomfort instead of running from it.

Here are small ways to practice connection today: • Have the conversation instead of avoiding it • Notice when you’re shutting down and ask yourself why • Let yourself be vulnerable with a trusted person • Allow space for repair when conflict happens • Redefine “strength” as staying, not just leaving

You don’t have to choose between independence and closeness. You’re allowed to have both 🤍

12/02/2025

We live in a culture that praises boundaries and independence, but somewhere along the way, “going no contact” became confused with emotional strength.

Let’s start with a definition:

“Going no contact” is a conscious, deliberate decision to cut off all communication and contact with a person who is genuinely toxic or unsafe: an abusive ex, a parent who causes harm, an addicted sibling steals from you and refuses help.

In those situations, “going no contact” is more than just ghosting someone. It’s not just avoidance or immaturity —it’s protection. It creates distance so healing can happen.

But here’s the harder question we might need to ask: What happens when “going no contact” becomes a pattern?

We tell ourselves that we are protecting our peace, setting boundaries, or refusing to tolerate toxicity. And sometimes, that’s true. But what happens when relationships end the same way, with distance instead of resolution? What does it say when you can’t keep friends, family, or romantic partners around? When you feel too overwhelmed to tolerate the feelings that go along with the tough stuff? When the narrative is oddly familiar? Or others keep walking away from you?

At first glance, cutting someone off can look like strength. It can even feel like a relief—no guilt, no regrets, just a clean break — in fact, you feel better without them.
But beneath that relief often lies something much deeper: an inability to navigate the complexities of human relationships.

True strength isn’t in severing ties with people when there is conflict; it’s in learning to sit with discomfort, to communicate, to repair, and to grow within relationships instead of running from them.

Want to learn more? Head to our blog for more info.

11/29/2025

The holidays can be beautiful, but they can also be overwhelming. This time of year often brings up old memories, complicated family dynamics, and the pressure to make everything look, feel, and be perfect. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or not as joyful as you expected, you’re not alone.

At GIA Institute, we see this every season. When expectations rise, emotional bandwidth often shrinks, and that’s a very human response. It’s okay to choose rest over tradition, to honor your limits, and to let your holiday look different than someone else’s. Your feelings aren’t failures. They’re cues that deserve care.

If the pressure is weighing on you this season, here are a few ways to lighten the load: ❤️ Choose one thing to simplify — meals, gifts, or plans ❤️ Schedule short breaks to breathe or step outside ❤️ Say no when something drains more than it gives ❤️ Communicate your needs with someone you trust ❤️ Let go of “perfect” and focus on “good enough”

And if you need support navigating the emotions that show up this time of year, we’re here to walk with you. You deserve a holiday that feels gentler, calmer, and grounded in what you truly need.

11/23/2025

Sometimes we watch a child melt down over what seems like nothing, like the wrong sheets, scratchy pants, or a toy taken away for a call, and we know that for a deeply feeling kid, those moments are not small at all.

These children feel everything intensely, including their own emotions, the emotions in the room, and even the things left unsaid. Their sensitivity is a gift that makes them intuitive, creative, empathetic, and wise beyond their years, but it can also lead to overwhelm that others may not understand.

At the Gia Institute, we believe what these children need most is not to be talked out of their feelings but to be supported through them.

We focus on helping kids name what is happening inside, offering them structure and safety while honoring their emotional world. Our role is to hold boundaries with compassion, to co-regulate when they struggle, and to remind caregivers that perfection is not the goal. Presence is what matters most. Through understanding and connection, we help deeply feeling kids know that who they are is not “too much” but beautifully enough.

Want to know more about how to care for your deeply feeling kid? Head to our blog here https://www.ginnocente.com/between-us/when-your-kid-feels-everything-a-love-letter-to-the-deeply-feeling-child

11/19/2025

It was a typical weekday in our house. We were already running late for school (again) - my daughter was still half-dressed, her breakfast was somewhere between her mouth and the dogs, and I was chasing her, holding a hairbrush like it represented the last shred of hope we had of passing as a functioning family.

As we rounded the kitchen island for the third time, she suddenly stopped. And just as I was about to declare victory, she raised her hand to my face, fingers stretched, and shouted:

“Mommy, stop it! You can’t touch my body without my permission!”

You know what, Katie Girl?

You’re damn right.

Learn more about the lesson my daughter taught me on our blog! https://www.ginnocente.com/between-us/the-day-my-daughter-taught-me-consent
💗

11/15/2025

We are relational therapists. This means we believe that you need to click with your therapist in order for the work to be successful.

Studies show 85% of therapy success is based on the quality of relationship you have with your therapist, which is why we spend a lot of time matching you up with the right therapist in our practice.

We care at GIA Institute. It all starts with a phone call.
📞 609-788-0771
📍 Somers Point, NJ

11/09/2025

IT’S OFFICIAL! We are your 2025 Best of the Press #1 choice for Best Mental Health Services!

Connection is everything…we’re so grateful you chose GIA Institute as your #1 Mental Health Services provider. Thank you for trusting us with your stories. 💙

11/02/2025

Medical trauma is real, and so is the anxiety that can come long after the last appointment.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy can help you process the intense memories and emotions linked to your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. It helps your brain reframe those experiences, so they no longer feel like they’re happening right now.

Healing from cancer isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, too.

Address

Somers Point, NJ
08244

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	7am - 3pm
Sunday	7am - 12pm

Telephone

(609) 788-0771

Website

http://ginnocente.com/

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