Therapists in Northampton, MA

"It is a joy to be hidden, but a disaster not to be found". Donald W. Winnicott

I am an LGBTQAI sex educator and a psychotherapist, and I am an AASECT certified sex therapist. I was clinically trained at the Smith School for Social Work and the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society in New York City. I lived in New York City for over a decade and during that time founded the advocacy and education organization, Translate Gender, Inc. I utilize a transfeminist therapeutic approach in working with LGBTQ adolescents, individuals, and families. My interests include working with couples, polyamorous relationships, BDSM relationships, as well as working with those in alternative family structures.

Life is hard and life can be beautiful. Your symptoms perfectly reflect your distress. Gentleness, curiosity and developing awareness create a foundation for healing. Life need not be situations and feelings that keep repeating. I work to create positive ways of relating to yourself and others. Real change is possible with respect, courage and an open heart. I am not a managed care therapist - my commitment is to lasting change. I work with heterosexual, non-binary and LGBTQA+ individuals and couples. I also specialize in working with end of life, grief and loss, autism and deaf and hard of hearing issues.

When your relationship is in crisis, your whole life is in crisis. Is there anything more ungrounding than a rocky connection between two people? If your marriage or partnership isn’t working, you know all too well the dis-ease of not being on the same page. At worst, you feel hopeless. Receiving specialized help and guidance is the most effective way to move through this painfully discordant time. My hand-picked therapists and I specialize exclusively in treating couples using evidence-informed gold-standard models, including Gottman Method Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Pragmatic Experiential Therapy.

*I am not able to accept new clients at this time.* By listening deeply, providing insight, coaching and support we collaborate to move past self-defeating patterns that interfere with your living well. As a seasoned psychotherapist and life coach with 30 years experience I believe in each person's singular life path and inherent capacity to heal and grow. Drawing on mindfulness and body-based wisdom we focus your strengths to transform fear into hope, confusion into direction. I work well with people who are stuck emotionally in themselves or in their relationships; people who have experienced trauma; people desiring change.

I specialize in relationships and sexuality. That includes addressing themes such as attachment wounds, conflict/conflict avoidance, differences in communication, infidelity, gaps in desire, low desire, difficulty communicating about sex, ENM, polyamory, etc. And to be explicit: LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC folks are most welcome. Couples sessions are 75 minutes and cost is out of pocket only. Please email to get on my waitlist. Do not leave a voicemail.

I have been working as a therapist since 1997. As a marriage and family therapist, I work with couples, families, as well as individuals.

I am a psychotherapist specializing in adult and couple therapy. Clinical consultation and life coaching are other areas of expertise. I maintain a private practice in Northampton MA which is easily accessible from Interstate 91. With over 30 years of experience I consider the interrelationship between the mind and body paramount. Specific areas of expertise include anxiety, trauma, stress management, parenting, relationship issues, LGBTQI+, trans, educational issues, health behavior, military personnel, and clinical consultation. Evidence-based modalities employed include: EMDR, EFT, and Motivational Interviewing.

I support individuals and couples in understanding negative patterns of relating and developing more adaptive coping strategies to manage life's stressors. I do so using an eclectic approach that is carefully considered in collaboration with each client. I use the therapeutic relationship as a primary tool to help clients understand dynamics in relationships outside of therapy. I strive to create an environment that allows for levity, humor, and playfulness as we work together to make sense of your problems and overcome them. I work hard with my clients, and I enjoy engaging with clients who show up ready to work.

My approach to therapy is not limited to any one direction or technique. I work to stay open to and curious about each person's unfolding story. I listen closely to nuance and I look for underlying patterns, towards understanding what keeps people stuck. I am comfortable working with great adversity and extreme pain.

I am a therapist working in downtown Northampton providing strength-based, goal oriented psychotherapy. My office is handicapped accessible and convenient to public transportation. I offer evening and weekend times and work with people of all ages individually, in couples and with family members. I am also a founder of Northampton Center for DBT, which offers DBT skills training classes in downtown Northampton (kristenjoyce.com/dbt-skills-classes/).

Client-Driven, Process-Oriented Coaching for: Life Transitions; Relationship & Career Issues; LEGAL Prep; Search for Deeper Meaning in Life; Healers’ Healing Groups, Loss of a Person, Pet, Dream. Individual and Group Coaching. Solo +1 for Relationship Coaching. Healing Healers Groups: limited to 4 clients – 4 sessions. Have you received a Subpoena for a deposition or trial testimony? I offer Legal Prep coaching to help you navigate the treacherous waters of your clients' litigation (I'm a lawyer and a clinical social worker in my other professional paths). Learn to center/ground SELF in a litigious situation.

Thank you for considering my profile. I am licensed both as a Mental Health Counseler and a Marriage and Family Therapist. A guiding belief in my work is an unconditional regard for the individual value of each person. I have a variety of training (Pyschodynamic, cognitive behavioral, relational EFT, EMDR etc.)and use an ecelectic approach. I have been working with children and their families in a varity of settings, for almost 30 years. I have extensive experience working with a variety of diagnosis. I also have a bachelor degree in working with Young Children with Special Needs.

*EMAIL IS PREFERRED CONTACT METHOD FOR FIRST TIME CLIENTS* I specialize in treating post-traumatic stress, anxiety disorders, and depression. My work is dedicated to helping people through stressful circumstances and changing self-defeating habits; also helping people to handle difficult transitions-divorce, grief, trauma, career and financial change. You may be stuck, but you are not broken. I whole-heartedly believe that we all have the capacity to liberate ourselves from unhealthy patterns, to heal, and to grow. I am deeply honored to help people on this journey.

What if conflict became something that could bring you & your partner(s) closer together? It's my passion to support couples & polycules in improving communication, navigating relationship dynamics, & resolving conflicts with love. As a queer Trans Woman with lived experience, it's also my specialty to uplift LGBTQIA+ individuals on their journeys with identity, transitions, & creating meaningful, love-filed lives. Across the spectrum of human identities, I'm trusted to support & empower people in their problem-solving processes. Many of my clients simply need help finding the tools & insight to move through a difficult situation.

I am a somatic psychotherapist specializing in body-based healing. I enjoy working with clients who want to step out of disempowering narratives and embrace their own capacity. I have 20+ years of experience working with many populations and conditions. Recently I have specialized in couples therapy using the Developmental Model and Attachment work. I only work with a limited number of couples at this time, but these approaches deeply inform my work, even with individuals. I have recently narrowed my practice to focus on clients in acute need or looking to do more focused chapters of work or growth vs ongoing maintenance therapy.

Ready to take the first step towards a happier and more fulfilling life? It's time to prioritize your well-being and make a positive change. With therapy, you can embark on a transformative journey that can lead to: Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals, and values. Developing skills for improving your relationships. Finding resolution for the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy. Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety, depression, and other emotional pressures. Improving your communication and listening skills.

I blend alternative therapeutic models with the latest research in epigenetics, insights from ancient spiritual traditions, wisdom from earth-based living, and embodied rituals to create processes that shift your relationship to suffering, sorrow, or emotional challenges and open you into deeper connection with your true self and harmony with life. I am affirming of LGBTQ+, poly/ENM, and kink identities. I use anti-oppression, anti-racist, ecopsychology & trauma-informed frameworks to support individual and collective liberation.

I have been doing, teaching, and supervising psychotherapy continuously since 1969, and I still love it. I tailor my style to the needs of each person, drawing on Psychodynamic, Humanistic/Existential, Cognitive Behavioral, and Eye Movement Accelerated Resolution Therapies. I work with adults, seeking individual or couples therapy. And I am experienced with the full range of issues, from simple phobias to major affective and thought disorders. I believe patient-therapist match is extremely important and for that reason offer free initial, in person consultations. My office is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and offers privacy, convenient parking, and pleasant surroundings.