Ben Madsen, PsyD

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." — Viktor Frankl

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Ben Madsen, PsyD's style

Why Ben Madsen, PsyD chose to be in the helping profession

Since high school, I have naturally taken on the role of the person others turn to when life gets hard, and I have always taken that responsibility seriously. Those early experiences showed me the power of listening, supporting, and witnessing someone’s growth, and they planted the seed for the path I would later choose. Over time, I realized I wanted to do more than just be a helpful friend. I wanted a profession where guiding people through struggle and helping them find clarity, confidence, and peace was the central purpose.

This work is deeply meaningful to me because it allows me to be part of someone’s journey in a way that feels intentional and transformative. It’s not something I stumbled into; it’s something I have chosen repeatedly, at every stage of my life, because it aligns with who I am and the way I want to show up in the world. Every day, I am reminded that helping people navigate challenges and emerge stronger is both a privilege and a responsibility I embrace fully. It’s the kind of work that continues to inspire and sustain me.

Ben Madsen, PsyD's approach

I work collaboratively and practically, because insight alone can only take you so far. I draw from a range of approaches, including CBT, DBT, and family systems work, and I always fit the tools to the person rather than forcing the person to fit the tools. In every session, my focus is on understanding what’s keeping you stuck and finding a path forward that actually works in your life. I take your goals seriously and hold you accountable to them with warmth and support, never pressure, so you always know where we’re headed and why.

My approach is rooted in both clarity and flexibility. While I bring a variety of techniques to our work together, the process is always guided by your needs, your pace, and your values. I aim to create a space where insight leads to real change, and where progress feels tangible, manageable, and meaningful. You’ll leave sessions not just with understanding, but with practical steps you can take toward the growth and clarity you’re seeking.

What you can expect from sessions with Ben Madsen, PsyD

You can expect honesty, warmth, and a space where nothing is off-limits. My sessions are structured enough to make real progress, yet flexible enough to focus on what matters most in the moment. I pay close attention, ask direct questions, and make sure nothing important slips by unexamined. Most sessions end with something concrete, whether it’s a new way of seeing a situation, a skill to practice, or a clearer sense of what you want.

The work we do together is real, and so is the support you’ll receive. I aim to create an environment where exploration and growth happen side by side, where challenges are met with both care and clarity. You’ll always know why we’re doing what we’re doing, and you’ll leave each session with tools and insights you can actually use. It’s a process that is practical, grounded, and deeply personal.

Ben Madsen, PsyD's experience working with the Jewish community

I have worked extensively with Jewish individuals, families, and school communities across a wide spectrum of observance and background. I understand the cultural pressures, the community dynamics, and the ways Jewish identity can shape how people experience stress, family life, success, and help-seeking. Coming to observance in my early twenties gives me a genuine understanding of both the secular world and the frum world, and I approach each without taking either for granted.

Before becoming a psychologist, I spent three years learning in yeshiva to build a solid halachic foundation, because I wanted to be truly equipped to help people navigate Jewish life. This shared fluency means you won’t need to translate your world for me, and it allows us to get to what matters most more quickly. I am committed to supporting clients in a way that honors both their personal journey and the communities they are part of.

Ben Madsen, PsyD's Book Recommendation Zone

• Man's Search For Meaning
  Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who developed logotherapy, a form of psychotherapy built around the idea that the primary human drive is not pleasure or power but the search for meaning. This book is part memoir, part clinical theory, and it holds up as one of the most honest and profound things ever written about suffering and the human will to survive it. If you've ever wondered whether your pain can amount to something, this book speaks directly to that question.
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
  Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who enters her own therapy after a personal crisis, and this book follows both her work with her patients and her own process with her therapist simultaneously. It pulls back the curtain on what therapy actually looks like from the inside, without making it feel clinical or distant. It's warm, funny, and surprisingly moving, and it has a way of making readers feel less alone in whatever they're carrying.
• Free Range Kids
  Lenore Skenazy is a journalist who became nationally infamous overnight after writing a column about letting her 9-year-old ride the New York City subway alone, and this book grows out of the firestorm that followed. It traces both the cultural forces that turned ordinary childhood independence into a source of panic, and her argument that kids are far more capable and far safer than our fear-saturated media landscape would have us believe. It is funny and feisty, grounded in real data, and structured around practical guidance for parents who feel the pull toward overprotection but also sense something has gone wrong. It has a way of making readers feel less crazy for wanting to loosen the grip.

Approaches

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Family Therapy

Concerns

• ADHD
• Anxiety
• Drug/Substance Abuse
• Mood Disorders
• Self-Harm/Suicidality

7 years in practice

Licenses

• Licensed Psychologist by NJ Department of Consumer Affairs 2025. License number 35SI00723700
• Licensed Psychologist by NY Board of Public Education 2024. License number 026809

Degrees

• PsyD by Rutgers University 2022

Average costs per session

$280 - $320

Payment Methods

• Sliding Scale
• Free consultation
• Credit Card