Therapists in Somerville, MA

People often find themselves looking for a therapist when their suffering becomes overwhelming or when their lives shift in a way that is difficult to adjust to. We can work together to help you get through stuck places and develop creative solutions that work for you. My approach is collaborative, warm and empathic, and my priority is to support you in connecting with people, ideas, and resources that will support your efforts to live a satisfying and meaningful life.

Have you been feeling sad, hopeless or as if life is overwhelming? Are you wondering if the anxiety and struggles of life will ever get better? I can help you focus on empowering yourself to make the best decisions for your life through hope, help and healing so that you can maintain a fulfilling and rewarding life even in the midst of varying challenges. I have skills in the areas related to depression, anxiety, other mood disorders, grief, suicidal thoughts, self harm, domestic violence and varying other traumas and experiences.

Awards - Best of Somerville for Therapy - 2019! As a psychotherapist I bring a depth of expertise to my work that has been sharpened by more than 30 years of clinical experience. The cornerstone of my therapeutic work is to help people become fully present in the Here and Now, free from dysfunctional roles, psychological distortions, trauma and body armoring. I use a variety of modalities including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Spiritual Psychology, Systems Oriented Therapy, Existential/Psychoanalytic Therapy, Meditation, Qi Gong Therapy and Body Oriented Psychotherapies. I work with individuals, couples and groups.

**Accepting New Clients-Immediate Openings for video and tele-counseling** The corona-virus has swooped in and changed the landscape of our daily lives. If you are experiencing acute stress related to this, I will be providing short term counseling as needed for anxiety that arises out of the uncertainty we all are now facing. At the same time, if you struggle with anxiety, depression or more serious mental health issues, I'm still here to help. Located in Davis Square, I bring 12 years of experience working in the mental health field and specialize in working with teenagers and adults.

**NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. Will update as status changes.** What does healing mean to you? As a humanistic therapist, I believe that healing is both a universal capacity and a profoundly personal process. My goal is to help you discover and expand your unique healing process, and to release the blocks that prevent you from realizing your potential. I have ten years’ experience in the mental health field, supporting clients in coping with depression, anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, difficulties with trust and self-esteem, life transitions, trauma, and a myriad of other challenges.

Philosophy is not simply an academic subject but an activity. Philosophical counseling is an alternative to psychological treatment in which the counselor and client explore the client's reasoning about the problems that have led him or her to seek therapy. Often we live by unexamined assumptions which we are unaware of making. These assumptions can keep us stuck by preventing inquiry into alternative perspectives. Identifying and critically examining our assumptions enables us to choose more consciously and live more confidently.

**I am not able to accept any new clients at this time.** Our limiting beliefs are not often truly our own, but that of a past wounded caregiver, the voice of difficult experiences, or societal norms. As a result, we often feel out of alignment with our morals, values, needs, and desires. The more stressed we are the more those limiting beliefs get louder. When we begin to do the deeper work to deconstruct our conditioning, we can step into taking more ownership of our lives and making decisions based on how our soul thrives-- not what someone else thinks we need to do or be.

My greatest passion throughout my career has always been working hard with people who want to change their lives. With a good therapeutic connection, the right tools, and motivation to increase the quality of your life, real change can and does happen. What I offer: *An open, safe, and completely non-judgemental space to work on anything and everything. There is no limit to what we can tackle. *A strengths based, compassionate, comprehensive DBT/CBT approach *Accountability. I am consistent about holding my clients accountable in an understanding way. Accountability combined with support and empathy is where change happens.

Currently, I offer telehealth (video/phone), and also safely in-person, including outdoor options.

I am a clinical social worker and sex therapist in Davis Square, Somerville with over 30 years of experience working with individuals and couples. I trained and worked for five years as a staff therapist at the Institute for Sexuality and Intimacy, formerly at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. I also have expertise with eating disorders, anxiety, performance issues and more. Clients say I am warm, compassionate and practical, and provide a comfortable, relaxed and safe environment. My approach is eclectic; I collaborate with each client to find the right treatment approach uniquely tailored to his/her/their needs.

(NOT Accepting new clients till August 2021). Life can be challenging at times and cause us to feel stuck, unhappy, and overwhelmed. We sometimes may feel confused and discouraged on how to improve our lives. In the midst of these difficult periods, we may benefit from having a supportive space to explore what makes us unhappy, challenge ourselves, gain insight, learn new skills, and explore new ways of being. I am happy to meet with you to figure out if I can be the person who can support you in this journey.

***At this time I am not able to accept new clients. I will update this page when openings become available.*** During this time of global anxiety I am available for teletherapy. Thankfully, most major insurance companies cover telemedicine, which is critical for maintaining connection and care as we face a period of isolation. In my work am dedicated to supporting clients who are facing challenges related to anxiety, depression, and mood regulation. I see therapy as an opportunity to identify goals and problem-solve the roadblocks that have stalled obtaining them.

All human beings deserve space to seek support, explore themselves deeply, and feel seen. I offer psychotherapy for adults, older adolescents, couples/partnerships, and families. I focus on building an attuned therapeutic relationship with my clients, in which one can feel safe enough to examine feelings, vulnerabilities, and struggles, and expand their capacity to live a fulfilling, empowered life. While I tailor treatment to individual needs and strengths, my approach is generally relational, trauma informed, and culturally and socially attuned, drawing from a variety of therapeutic models and theories. 

Currently I am working with couples who are seeking relationship help. The personality match, style of working, experience, availability and location are all aspects to consider when looking for a clinician for you or your family. When deciding to seek out psychotherapy support, people are propelled by intolerable feelings of anxiety, anger, loneliness and depression, or concerned about uncomfortable relationships with family, friends, or work, or are emerging from stressful situations, such as the loss of a job, a divorce, or life changes.

Feeling overwhelmed with juggling multiple stressors and different parts of your life? Coping with unexpected life changes is hard. Therapy can be a helpful avenue to help work through stressors and acknowledge parts of self that can be resilient even in times of significant stress. I am active and collaborative in my approach to therapy where I encourage the balance of acceptance and change. We will search for ways to integrate self-compassion while emphasizing action steps for shifting thoughts, behaviors and emotions to help reduce the current intensity of stressors.

I work with a wide variety of people at various stages of change. I’ve been part of the Harvard Medical School system for the past 6 years, and currently teach and supervise HMS trainees. I am trained primarily in psychodynamic therapy, though principles/interventions from other paradigms inform my work as well. Ultimately, the nature of therapy depends on the patient, what they are up against, and their goals. For this reason, the course of therapy is difficult to describe. But generally speaking, I would be a good fit for someone looking to understand and change established patterns, and to find relief from associated symptoms.

I have been a psychotherapist for 15 years. My practice specializes in helping men redefine their approach to relationships in a way that feels authentic, and in line with healthy male emotional development. I specialize in self-esteem, self-actualization, and helping men build and maintain attraction and intimacy. The foundation for male self-esteem begins in childhood and sets the foundation for men to share themselves in relationships, feel successful, and being a meaningful part of their children's lives. I also specialize in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in men and women, as well as recovery from abusive relationships.

The first step, recognizing that you need a therapist, is one of the hardest to face, I am here to help you with the rest. As your therapist my first and foremost goal is to create a safe space for you to explore, reflect and come to a greater understanding of your current circumstances. Therapy can contribute to an increased quality of life, balance, mental/emotional health, and an overall sense of well-being. I will work with you to establish goals in therapy based on your needs. I have extensive experience with survivors of trauma, sexual abuse, substance abuse, child maltreatment, parenting skills, and anger management