Toni Zachos-Kaplan,

MSW, LCSW

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An interest in people and helping others led to Toni’s career as a social worker, which began at Ithaca College. In pursuit of a deeper level of education, Toni received her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999.

A wide range of interests motivated work with different populations. This has been accomplished through a variety of community settings including mental health agencies, schools, and families’ homes. Toni has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, in individual, couples, family and group therapy settings.

  • Having worked closely with families referred by DCPP (Division of Child Protection and Permanency), a strong focus of practice has been child welfare, including child abuse/neglect, behavioral and parenting issues. Play therapy and EMDR have been strongly integrated in her work.

    Toni coordinated the group therapy program at Lighthouse Counseling for nine years, offering social skills and targeted groups to a variety of populations. These groups utilized a unique blend of Sand Play Therapy, yoga, art and play therapy.

    Toni has shifted her current practice to working with adults. Focuses include, but are not limited to, childhood trauma, anxiety, chronic pain and fatigue related issues, parenting and family issues. Working with adults on their journeys, fostering an understanding of how their past shaped who they are, as well as recognizing their strengths and potential, has been so valuable in leaving behind what no longer serves them. Envisioning, becoming and accepting the true self and life one desires can become possible.

    One of Toni’s proudest accomplishments is co-facilitating Lighthouse’s Sand Play Therapy Training Program, in which clinicians are trained to become Sand Play Therapists. Being able to witness others experiencing the power of Sand Play Therapy has been incredible. Knowing each clinician will then help many others with this technique has been a highlight of Toni’s career.

  • Telehealth & in person therapy in Tinton Falls