An Inside Look at Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health

At Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health, our inpatient mental health hospital, the dedicated interdisciplinary team fosters healing with methods beyond traditional treatment. By promoting compassion, connection, and collaboration, the team works together to create a therapeutic, supportive environment where patients feel safe, understood, and empowered.

A Team Inspired by Advocacy

For many who work in mental health care, it’s not just a job but a deeply felt calling.
Sofia Magnifico BSN, RNCC, DCP, Director of Nursing at Ramapo Ridge, described her journey into mental health care as driven by a strong desire to advocate for those who need support. “There’s always been a stigma surrounding mental health,” she said. “There are not enough resources available. If it were my loved ones, I would want a team that could be supportive and available in times of crisis.”

The team’s selfless commitment to providing a healing environment where patients feel secure and seen is evident in the seamless, collaborative care at Ramapo Ridge.

“We give our very best,” Sofia said. “Our team fully focuses on the patients. We make sure our team is compatible and complements one another’s strengths.”

Therapeutic Tools and a Holistic Approach

At Ramapo Ridge, care isn’t limited to medication. The team takes a holistic approach, developing personalized care plans that focus on the whole person – emotionally, physically, and socially.

“We identify goals, and each discipline brings in their interventions, such as nursing, social work, and pastoral care,” said Sofia. “When we put them together, that’s how we achieve patient goals quickly and effectively.”

“I’m an art therapist,” said Guylaine Mazure, ATR, ACC, CALA, Director of Operations for Ramapo Ridge. “I use the concept of art in a different way for people to express themselves, open up, and explore new worlds.”

Therapeutic activities play an important part in mental health treatment and are pivotal to patient recovery – not just as an outlet for expression, but to equip them with the tools they need to rebuild life skills.

“We’re looking at the whole person,” said Guylaine. “Physical health, mental health, coping skills, stress reduction – all these tools are things they can take with them. It’s not just art. It’s about expression, socialization skills, self-esteem, concentrating – things people struggle with when depressed.”

Participating in these therapeutic group activities also helps patients build bonds with one another, gaining support and feeling validated by others’ shared experiences and perspectives. “That’s how we build community,” said Guylaine. “When patients do things together, they realize they’re not alone and learn from each other.”

The Power of Communication and Teamwork

Guylaine emphasized that strong communication fuels the collaborative culture at Ramapo Ridge, enabling the team to effectively band together to provide informed, high-quality care with regular morning huddles, leadership meetings, and open-door policies. “The team knows it’s always okay to ask questions,” she said. “That shows us they care and want to make a difference.”

Effective communication among the interdisciplinary team plays a central role in Ramapo Ridge’s care model. “We use that holistic approach with our providers, social workers, pastoral care – the communication is seamless,” said Sofia. “Our patients trust that their concerns will be addressed by the whole team.”

“Everyone shares different facets of the patient,” said Guylaine. “We are all working on different parts to make that person whole.”

Building Trust and Prioritizing Peace

The environment at Ramapo Ridge is intentionally designed to provide a calming and nurturing setting for patients to gain peace, feel secure, and focus on their journey to wellness. “It’s not just a treatment environment,” said Sofia. “It’s a therapeutic space that fosters safety, where dignity is valued at the core of everything we do.”

“When they come here, they feel it, they sense it – they know that we care,” said Guylaine. “We want them to feel safe and comfortable, so that they can be vulnerable enough to get better.”

The team at Ramapo Ridge ensures patients feel comfortable by building trust, forming meaningful connections, and engaging often – always reassuring patients that deciding to take charge of their mental health is the best choice they can make.

“Talking to people and letting them know that it’s okay to get help – that’s something our team does right away,” said Guylaine. “By getting to know them, they trust you.”

Leaving With Hope

When patients leave Ramapo Ridge, the team hopes they take more with them than just their mental wellness.

“We want them to know how much we care, and that it’s okay to come back,” said Guylaine. “I always tell people – you’re better than everyone else in the world, because you’re saying, ‘I want to improve.’”

“We’re really empowering them with knowledge so that they feel like they’re on the right journey,” said Sofia. “Sometimes a lack of understanding is a barrier to recovery, but when we help them learn they have the tools to get better, they gain confidence.”

Guylaine shared one moment that epitomized the long-lasting impact compassionate care can have. “A patient we cared for came running to me years later, hugged me, and brought her three children the next day to say thank you. That impact warms our hearts.”

Learn More About Ramapo Ridge

Ramapo Ridge is dedicated to normalizing inpatient mental health treatment for all who need it by providing compassionate, gentle care in a welcoming, nonjudgmental setting. To learn more about Ramapo Ridge and how we can help you, please call (201) 733-3244 or visit ChristianHealthNJ.info/RamapoRidge.