Meet Stuart KAPLOWITZ of Serene Pathways Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stuart KAPLOWITZ.

Hi Stuart, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Going through my own clinical experiences, I was a private practice intern in Huntington Beach many years ago. While I loved all the good clinical work, I found it a bit isolative. In then having other, neat experiences working alongside the county in Medi-cal based programs, I loved the teams I was able to be part of. We had psychiatrists down the hall to consult with, psychologists to doing testing for us and so forth. However, I was spending so much time on the required, county documentation. I missed all the fuller, clinical focus from private practice. I thought, what if I could combine the great team approach from county with the clinical in private practice? And off I went.

Abt 15 years ago, I hired our first intern (who is now our Program Coordinator), Lacey Witham, MFT. Serene Pathways Counseling is now Directed by Vrunda Merchant, LCSW, who comes from running a hospital program, as well as other talented Coordinators, including Desiree Hernandez, LCSW & Monica Elizarraraz, LMFT/LPCC, They help oversee our good clinical work in the office and community. I am a part of this incredible team

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During the pandemic, we saw an emergence of on-line platforms who attempt to contract vs legally employ staff. While they allow therapists to work from the comforts of home, among other issues, a vacuum of face-to-face session requests was created. Our group and most of our peers, cannot seem to now offer enough of these in-office appts as it has been more challenging to find therapists willing to come into an office. We do have 12 clinical offices and do our best.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Serene Pathways Counseling?
Today, there are 45 of us offering in-office and on-line appts. We specialize in a multitude of areas such as depression, anxiety and relationship/communication needs. We have therapists who are trained in EMDR, EFT, and many other modalities to best help. We also have therapists who are able to help in different languages.

Honestly, what has helped get us here is our teamwork. As we tell clients, you dont have to have the answers but rather know where and how to find them. I might see a husband. A second therapist might see the wife. A third might work with the couple or kids. With consents, we communicate and work towards that team approach to problem-solving. That said, if it was not for our local doctors, psychiatrists, schools, etc, sending us hundreds of referrals each year, I dont know where we would be today. In coordinating care with those experts, we can help take the client that much farther in their treatment. We dont charge for these services as we see them as part of clinical care. Honestly though, the team here are incredibly caring human beings – they want to help and are motivated to do so for all that come in

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Quite honestly, I struggled in childhood and is indeed related to why I went into this field. I acted out. I had younger brother and sisters and craved attention but didnt know how to put the words to my needs. When I see others struggle in best expressing themselves, I reflect on my own experiences and want to help. I know what I went thru and while I /we did not have all the control as a child, I remind us all that we indeed impact what happens in our lives as now adults, this day forward. We can choose a path that best fits for us even if we did not have the knowledge or skills before. That’s ok. I fear we grow up believing we should somehow know these things and that asking for help leaves us weak — no. As I say, I dont have to know all the answers; I just need to know where to find them. This can be in reading or connecting with those who can help. Serene has the people who can help us get unstuck.

Pricing:

• $150-180 session but we take most insurance
• We work with Aetna, Anthem, Blue Shield, Cigna, Tri-Care, Medi, IEHP, LA CARE, Optum, United, etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.serenepathways.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenepathwayscounseling
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/serene-pathways-counseling-chino