Craig Elfert

My goal is to provide support and resources to families that have a loved one with mental health diagnosis and/or substance abuse disorder and/ or intellectual challenges/developmental disability diagnosis. I can assist you to focus on discovering your own strengths, obstacles and goals while holding you accountable for your progress with obtaining them.  This will help you to re-imagine your life.  With the extensive experience I have gained in Life Coaching and Community Health, I believe my individualized positive approach will assist you to obtain your goals. 

For the last 8 years I have been working with hundreds of families and caregivers that have a loved one with a mental health and/or substance abuse disorder and/or intellectual challenge/developmental disability to increase their coping skills, decrease stigma and isolation they face. I also assisted families and caregivers to increase psycho education, provided and shared a wide array of resources for linkage and referral for themselves and their loved ones.  I would like to impart my knowledge, experience and expertise to assist you to be the best you can be.

I believe in coaching with motivational interviewing "traits" meaning, I ALWAYS will meet YOU where YOU are at with your situation and assist you, work with you and guide you at a pace YOU ARE comfortable with. There is NO pressure on you at all, ever.  I also will assist you to increase your own self awareness and guide you to be accoutable to move forward with YOUR self defined goals and guide you to the best way to assist you with achieving them.  

I offer in person visits if you are located in, close to or willing to travel to central, N.J. (Monroe office).  Prices, packages, etc can be discussed when we are in contact. 

I offer 100% virtual options so your location is no obstacle to you receiving a quality coaching session which are now as unlimited as there are places that have wifi access across the world.  I offer sessions in zoom, doxy. me video conferencing platforms as well as phone sessions if you are more comfortable that way.  We can discuss this once we are in contact.

Overall, I have over 30 years of experience working with various populations ranging in age from prepubescence and up to senior citizens that have loved ones with different and sometimes, multiple diagnoses. I have assisted 100's of families. My assistance  and experience has included working with those that have loved ones that are intellectually challenged, have a mental health diagnosis and/or substance abuse disorder. My most recent and current career passion which has been the last 8 years has been working with families and caregivers that have a loved diagnosed with mental health disorder, substance abuse disorder and/or intellectual challenges/developmental disability to assist them with increasing/learning coping skills, increasing psycho education, providing and sharing resources to assist the family and/or their loved one, I have co-facilitated support groups for families with NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness), and I have won several awards from the National Alliance of Mental Illness as well. I'm a life long learner and I'm inspired by the abundance of opportunities available to broaden and enrich the lives of the people and the families I serve.

The experience and the knowledge that I have gained has taken me to a deeper role in helping families that have a loved one with a mental health diagnosis by providing the family support, psycho education, linkage, referral, and guidance. I also have additional expertise in the area of crisis management. I am Crisis Intervention Team (C.I.T.), trained with MIddlesex county NJ police. CIT training is a training that includes  5 days/40 hours of hands-on work with law enforcement  working together effectively with mental health professionals if there is a mental health crisis to respond to in the county. I have also spoken multiple times at the Crisis InterventionTraining programs to law enforcement making them aware of the family support program I work for at the present time. I also have knowledge of Family Systems, Crisis Intervention, Mindfulness and Self-Wellness.

We can discuss fees and discounted packages and discuss what is most feasible to you based on your coaching needs and financial situation. I offer single session, weekly session and monthly session rates and packages, some packages with discounts depending on the frequency of your coaching sessions. We can discuss this once we are in contact to cater to your individual coaching needs, financial situation and preferences to find the best solution for you.