What does it mean to be fully human?
Being fully human means letting yourself feel everything, even what you learned to hide to stay safe. It means looking for connection, making sense of your past, and seeing how the world around you shaped who you are. It’s about moving forward as your real self, with a clearer sense of who that is.
Counseling isn’t about fixing what’s wrong with you. It’s a place to slow down, see how you learned to survive, and reconnect with the parts of you that hold strength, love, and agency. When you meet those old patterns with curiosity instead of judgment, new choices start to open up.
If you’re ready to know yourself with more kindness and live in a way that feels honest to you, counseling is a good place to start.
Counseling should be available to all, so Fully Human Wellness was designed with accessibility in mind.
This website was audited and updated to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 standards. These guidelines include suggestions for different reading skills, which is why the language on this website is designed for a specific Fleish-Kincaid reading level. Learn more about my commitment to web accessibility.
Telehealth sessions run on SimplePractice, a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. It’s built with several accessibility features. You can join a session from one link, with no login or password to fuss with. The video works with screen readers, including JAWS on a PC and the built-in tools on a Mac. Sessions also offer live text chat, which helps if you’re deaf or hard of hearing. Screen sharing is available too. No platform works perfectly for everyone. So if any part of it gets in your way, tell me and we’ll find a setup that works for you. Learn more about SimplePractice’s accessibility features.
Financial accessibility is important, too. Learn more about insurance, fees, and sliding scale options.
About Me
Hi there, my name’s Luke Thompson (he/him or they/them; your choice!). You can call me Luke.
As a counselor, I try to be steady, curious, and real. The work we do is collaborative, and I won’t analyze you from a distance or rush you toward a fix. I’m here to help you feel understood and make sense of your experience at your own pace. If you sat with me, you’d have room to reflect, to feel, and to speak honestly, without needing to perform or explain yourself away. My job is to give you that safety and freedom, and to help you carry that courage into the rest of your life.
I come to this work as a licensed professional counselor (NJ #37PC01078700) with more than 10 years in the mental health field. My humanistic and psychodynamic approach means I care deeply about your inner world, your relationships, and the stories you learned about yourself over time. I pay attention to how the past shows up in the present, especially when emotions feel big or confusing.
Education
- Doctorate in Counseling & Supervision, Kean University (in progress)
- Post-Master’s Certificate, Educational Administration and Supervision, The College of New Jersey
- Master’s in Counseling, The College of New Jersey
- Bachelor’s in Social Work, Juniata College
Selected Training
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
- Attachment Theory
- Emotion-Focused Therapy
- Gottman Method Couple’s Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Humanistic & Person-Centered Approaches
- LGBTQ+-affirming Counseling
- Motivational Interviewing
- Multicultural & Social Justice Approaches
- Neurodivergent-affirming Counseling
- Polyvagal Theory
- Positive & Wellness Psychology
- Somatic Therapy
- Strengths-Based Approaches
- Trauma Assessment and Treatment
Community Leadership
- Minority Fellow (Doctoral), National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation
- Member-at-Large, New Jersey Counseling Association (NJCA)
- Founding President, New Jersey Society for Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (NJ-SAIGE)
- Facilitator, LGBTQ+-Affirming Counselors’ Consultation Group, NJ-SAIGE
- Member, Neuroaffirming Humanistic Counseling Interest Network, Association for Humanistic Counseling
Services
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is a good fit when you want space to explore your own inner world. That might be your patterns, your sense of self, or how you feel. It can help even when what brings you in is tied to your relationships. The focus is on seeing yourself more clearly, being kinder to yourself, and feeling more in charge of your life.
Relational Counseling
Relational counseling is for when the relationship itself needs care. With two partners, it’s also called couples counseling. I might help you tune in to each other, work through conflict, or rebuild trust. I also work with nonmonogamous and polycule relationships, where more than two people and their dynamics matter. Most of this work is about understanding each other better and responding with more care.
Trainings and Workshops
Trainings and workshops are built for clinicians, students, faculty, and organizations. They offer grounded, practical learning on identity, relationships, ethics, and strengths-based work in mental health. I also build custom trainings on request. Current trainings include:
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Facilitating Difficult Conversations
- Transformative Relationships with Students
- From Suffering to Strengths: Reclaiming Power in Clinical Practice, Identity, and Systems
- Joy in Resistance: Strengths-Based Counseling Approaches with Consensually Nonmonogamous Clients in Oppressive Times
- How Can We Transform Counselors-in-Training from Anxious to Advocates?
- Beyond the Counseling Room: What Are Counselors’ Ethical Mandates for Advocacy Efforts?
- Attention or Attunement? ADHD Through a Humanistic Lens
Availability
As a Ph.D. student, I’m always learning. My studies cover counseling, human development, relationships, identity, and change. They help me show up more fully in the telehealth room. They also help me be a more culturally aware, attuned, and effective counselor.
My availability is limited on purpose, so I hold one regular session time for you and treat it as protected space. I ask you to treat it that way too. That means planning to come regularly, and knowing that changes to your session time aren’t always possible.
Individual and Relational Counseling
Fridays, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Telehealth only at this time
Trainings and Workshops
Mondays through Thursdays, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Online via Zoom or in-person near central New Jersey
Who I Work With
LGBTQ+ Folks
I work with LGBTQ+ folks through an affirming lens. We can work on identity, relationships, and family. We can also look at what it’s like to live in a world that often misunderstands or pushes them aside.
Neurodivergent Folks
I work with neurodivergent folks who want to understand their own experiences, needs, and strengths. A formal diagnosis isn’t required. We also look at how systems, relationships, and expectations have shaped their lives.
Folks Impacted by Systemic Oppression
I work with folks who’ve faced rejection from family, partners, institutions, or society. Many want space to see how power, culture, and bigger systems have shaped who they feel they are.
Folks Exploring Identity, Intimacy, and Relationships
I work with folks who are exploring who they are and how they connect with others. We look at how identity, intimacy, and relationships shape their sense of self.
Folks Practicing Ethical Nonmonogamy
I work with ethically non-monogamous folks who want support with communication, boundaries, desire, and trust. I also help with the ups and downs of relationships that don’t fit the usual mold, without judgment.
Folks Navigating Shame, Belonging, and Social Pressure
I work with folks who’ve been made to feel “less than” by family, community, institutions, or culture. Many carry shame from rules and expectations that were never built for them in the first place.
How I Help
Counseling is a space where we slow down together. Here we make sense of the patterns shaping your relationships, your intimacy, and your inner life. I work using a psychodynamic and humanistic approach. That means we look at how your past and your earlier relationships still affect you today. We also notice beliefs you may not even see, and how they shape the way you connect, protect yourself, and reach for closeness. I also work from a strengths-based and socially aware view. We look at how systems, culture, and power have shaped your life, so that shame and self-blame can start to loosen their grip.
I see you as the expert on your own life. My job is to walk with you, offer a perspective, and help you notice things you might not see yet. We follow your goals and your pace, and we focus on what matters most to you. Over time, this work often builds more self-trust, clearer communication, and relationships that feel more grounded, mutual, and honest.
What to Expect
✔ Unconditional positive regard
✔ Collaborative and relational work
✔ Space for honest reflection
✔ Support for meaningful change
✔ Respect for your pace
What Not to Expect
✗ Quick fixes or shortcuts
✗ Being told what to do
✗ Judgment or disapproval
✗ Discomfort without purpose
✗ Staying stuck or stagnant
Insurance and Fees
I try to be upfront about fees. The insurance plans I take are listed below. If you’re out of network, I can give you a monthly superbill. You can submit it to your plan for possible reimbursement.
Whether you are in-network or out-of-network, check out this free Insurance Verification Guide. You can use it to help understand coverage with your insurance company.
Aetna Affordable Health Choices® Limited Benefits Insurance Plan (SRC only)
Aetna Choice® POS (Aetna HealthFund®)
Aetna Choice® POS II (Aetna HealthFund®)
Aetna Choice® POS II (Open Access)
Aetna HealthFund® Aetna Health Network Only℠ (Open Access)
Aetna HealthFund® Aetna Health Network Option℠ (Open Access)
Aetna Health Network Only℠ (Open Access)
Aetna Health Network Option℠ (Open Access)
Aetna Open Access® Elect Choice® EPO (Aetna HealthFund®)
Aetna Open Access® Managed Choice® POS (Aetna HealthFund®)
Aetna Premier Care Network (APCN) – Choice POS II/Open Access Managed Choice
Aetna Premier Care Network (APCN) – Open Access Aetna Select
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) – Multi Tier – Choice POSII
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) – Choice POS II
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) – Open Access Aetna Select
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) -Multi Tier – Open Access Aetna Select
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) Multi-Tier – New Jersey AWH – Choice POSII
Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN Plus) Multi-Tier – New Jersey AWH – Open Access Aetna Select
Aetna Select℠
Aetna Select℠ (Open Access)
Aetna Voluntary Plans
Aetna with Innovation Health Aetna Select
Aetna with Innovation Health POS
Aetna with Innovation Health PPO
Elect Choice® EPO (Open Access)
Employee Assistance Program (Must call EAP for Authorization #)
HMO
Managed Choice® POS
Managed Choice® POS (Open Access)
National Advantage™ Program
North Carolina State Health Plan
Open Access Aetna Select℠ (Aetna HealthFund®)
Open Choice® PPO
Open Choice® PPO (Aetna HealthFund®)
QPOS®
Savings Plus Multi-Tier of Metro, NY (POSII/OAMC)
Savings Plus Multi-Tier of New Jersey (POSII/OAMC)
Savings Plus Multi-Tier of New Jersey – (OAAS/OAEC)
Savings Plus Multi-Tier of New Jersey-HMO/HNO
(NJ) Aetna Whole Health℠ – New Jersey – Open Access Elect Choice Multi-tier
(NJ) Aetna Whole Health℠ – New Jersey – Open Access Managed Choice Multi-tier
(NJ) Aetna Whole Health℠- New Jersey -Choice POSII Multi -Tier
(NJ) Aetna Whole Health℠- New Jersey- Aetna Select Multi – Tier
List of providers coming soon! For now, search for “Lucas Thompson” on Cigna’s Health Care Provider Registry after entering your plan information or logging in to your account.
Advantage EPO
Advantage EPO HSA NJPA
Advantage EPO NJ
Advantage EPO NJPA
Advantage EPO with BlueHPN
CWA Unity Direct
Direct Access
EPO with BlueHPN
EPO/EPO Plus
Garden State Plan
HMO
HMO NJPA
Indemnity
Medicare Blue Supplement (Medigap)
NJ Direct
NJ Direct HDHigh
NJ Direct HDLow
NJ Educators Health Plan
Omnia
Omnia NJ
Omnia with BlueHPN
Patient-Centered Adv EPO
POS
POS NJPA
PPO
If you are not a member of the accepted insurance plans, private pay options are available at $200/session for individual counseling or $250/session for couple’s or relational counseling. I can provide a monthly superbill for possible reimbursement from out-of-network insurance plans. Learn more about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, which I will give you before our first appointment.
Counseling should be accessible to all, so I offer a limited number of sliding scale slots. Rate is determined by need. You may be asked to verify financial need.
Getting Started
Getting started can feel uncomfortable, especially if counseling is new to you. Most people reach out with some nerves, mixed feelings, or questions about what it’ll actually be like. That’s normal, and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.
The first step is filling out the contact form. From there, we can set up a 15-minute consult call if you’d like one. It’s a chance to ask questions, talk about what brings you in, and decide whether we feel like a good fit. There’s no pressure to commit during the call.
Before your first session, you’ll fill out a short set of intake forms through a secure online portal. Sessions are held over telehealth. The first session is about helping you settle in and learn how counseling works. We’ll also start to figure out what you’d like support with. We move at a pace that feels right for you, since real change usually starts with small, steady steps.
Contact Me
