Therapists for college students near Boston College
My therapeutic approach is relational and psychodynamic in nature, grounded in the belief that healing occurs through meaningful, authentic connection. I aim to create a warm, compassionate, and collaborative space where you can feel understood and supported. Together, we can explore how past experiences, relationships, culture, identity, and unconscious patterns shape how you show up in the world. My work is attachment-informed, trauma-informed, and attentive to each client’s unique lived experience. I also strive to incorporate a strengths-based approach to help you live your most fulfilling life. I provide individual and couples therapy to adults navigating depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, relational trauma, identity exploration, life transitions, and college adjustment. I welcome working with clients across a wide range of identities and backgrounds and have a particular interest in supporting LGBTQ+ and queer individuals. I am a queer-identified clinician with experience in outpatient, college counseling, hospitals, and substance use treatment center settings. I have a significant background in research on attachment, unconscious relational patterns, and the use of psychological assessment to clarify diagnostic concerns, guide treatment and increase insight/self-knowledge.
I am a Harvard-trained physician who practiced Neurology for 25 years before completing a post-graduate psychotherapy fellowship to allow me to help others in a different way. This major life change informs my work as a psychotherapist. No matter where along our life’s path we find ourselves, and no matter how distressed, stuck or trapped we feel, we can always come to know ourselves more fully and to make changes in the service of a more satisfying, meaningful and fulfilling life. I practice a flexible style of psychotherapy tailored to each unique person or couple. Some prefer a shorter-term, more active therapy that focuses on making changes in the here and now. Others benefit from a longer-term, more self-directed exploration in a safe and supportive environment. Although my focus is on helping people meet their goals through therapy, I offer the option to prescribe adjunctive medication when needed. My aim is always to understand each person’s unique life experiences, beliefs, values and goals and to work with each person to promote enhanced self-understanding and freedom of choice in the service of a life that feels satisfying and meaningful. When working with a couple, my aim is to help the couple work through current relationship difficulties and, if both partners are invested in maintaining the relationship, to help them create a partnership where each feels safe, secure, valued and cared for.
About Me / Specialties I am a licensed psychologist specializing in treating adolescents and young adults with OCD, anxiety (including social anxiety, panic, phobias, and generalized anxiety), and related conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, tics, and excoriation disorder. I provide evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I see clients in-person in Cambridge, MA and virtually throughout Massachusetts and Texas. I also work with parents, offering coaching to help support their teen or young adult while reducing family accommodations. My goal is to create a compassionate, collaborative space where we take mental health seriously—but not ourselves too seriously. A little humor can go a long way in therapy! Treatment Approach I tailor treatment to each individual, often addressing co-occurring concerns like depression, eating issues, or trauma alongside anxiety or OCD. Using ERP, CBT, ACT, and DBT strategies, I help students manage symptoms, regulate emotions, and make meaningful, lasting changes—all in a supportive and approachable way. Training & Experience I earned my PhD from the University of Virginia, completed my clinical internship at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for OCD and Related Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where I currently see therapy patients and conduct research on OCD spectrum disorders.
It’s far from easy, being in your late teens or early 20s. All eyes are on you, it would seem, as you feel like you’re expected to choose a career, form essential relationships and launch an “adult life”. You are leaving the original support of childhood, and your primary task is to gain life experience in order to know who you are and where you want to go. Yet college students feel burdened with the expectation to choose majors, excel academically and socially, and then to seamlessly emerge into the world of work with confidence and clarity. It’s no wonder young adults feel so much internal confusion around identity and their best path forward. In order to know who we are, we first have to have permission not to know. Social media and the accompanying social comparison, intense competition around college acceptance and then the job market all create an atmosphere that fosters self-critical perfectionism as opposed to self-acceptance and discovery. We help college students address common struggles during this life stage such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image issues, family of origin issues, identity development, sexuality and relationships, trauma, and spirituality. Every person is different. That's why our clinicians are trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, EMDR, Emotion Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. 1A Wellness is an integrative practice, whereby clinicians have multiple specialties to choose from when working with clients. At 1A Wellness, we are driven to provide exceptional therapy so that clients can transform their lives. Our clinicians understand how to heal pain and how to help clients move forward so that they can make enduring changes and live fuller lives. We cannot change the past. But by investing in therapy, clients can reclaim their lives and change the future. This is our mission.
I am a thoughtful, warm professional with a good sense of humor. My primary training is in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which I integrate with other treatment modalities. I tailor my approach to meet the individual needs of my clients. My aim is to provide a supportive atmosphere where clients can work towards their goals, while learning practical strategies and skills that offer relief. I have experience in treating a range of health issues, with particular specialization in the following areas: anxiety disorders (including OCD), depression, sleep disturbance, and coping with chronic medical issues (including pain disorders and gastrointestinal diseases). I also enjoy working with individuals going through significant transitions, such as adjustment to college.
Being a student in today's sociopolitical climate is incredibly challenging. As cognitive-behavioral and dialectical-behavioral therapists, we work with students who have wide-ranging concerns, including, but not limited to: anxiety, OCD, PTSD, fear of flying and other phobias, stress, depression, emotion dysregulation, self-harm, suicide, and general malaise. Our approach is collaborative and guided by core principles to help you harness your strengths in regaining control of your thoughts, feelings, and relationships. We will work closely with you to guide you towards the change you seek and life you envision. You will make lasting change towards your personal, academic, and professional goals when you work with us.
If you've spent years pushing yourself to "just try harder"/"finally get it together," yet you’re still feeling overwhelmed, chronically behind, and like it’s never enough — you’re in the right place. You’re familiar with the exhausting cycle of being a perfectionistic people-pleaser, caught in overthinking and self-criticism. Others see you as accomplished; you feel one misstep away from revealing how scattered things actually are. You’re not looking for a passive listener or generic advice. You want someone who will truly see and accept you, compassionately challenge you, and help you stop chasing approval and start finding peace. I'm a doctorally-trained, board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner offering medication management (in Eng/Mandarin) and psychotherapy (in Eng). I specialize in ADHD, insomnia, women's mental health, and Asian American/first-generation experiences. My approach integrates evidence-based medicine with a holistic focus on aligning mind, body, and purpose. If you're seeking someone who takes the time to see the full picture, treats you as a whole person rather than a checklist of symptoms, and has both the clinical expertise and lived experience to truly understand where you're coming from — I warmly welcome you to reach out and see if we'd be a good fit.
I offer psychodynamic therapy, which can alleviate psychological symptoms while creating a space to understand ourselves in new ways. This approach pays close attention to the smallest details of our lives, exploring our histories to better understand our struggles and desires. Symptoms are examined in the context of our lives and the forces that shape them. I view therapy as a conversation in which you can say anything. This may include speaking about your past, but it can also include dreams, fears, wishes, fantasies, or whatever else comes to mind. Together, we can be curious about what patterns emerge and what they may reveal. I provide individual therapy to individuals experiencing a range of issues, including trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, life transitions, college adjustment and relationship struggles. I have worked extensively with young adults who have experienced childhood trauma and serious mental illness. I also have expertise in the treatment of personality disorders. I enjoy working with clients of diverse identities and backgrounds and have worked in a variety of settings, including community mental health and inpatient settings. Much of my work has been with members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as with individuals underrepresented in therapy.
I look forward to working with students who are motivated to feel -- and live -- better, whether from depression, anxiety, attention difficulties or adjustment challenges.
I have loved working with students since 1987. The process of discovering one’s authentic self can be exhilarating and the rewards are exponential. My approach focuses on strengths, augmenting the health that is already present. Learning how to see one’s self (and the world) in this way is a courageous and creative process. By recognizing patterns in relating — to one’s self and others— there’s a clearer sense of what’s precious to you, what gets in the way, and how you can realistically be your best self. While I have experience with the whole range of human problems, I work well with folks who enjoy being playful and creative. I think laughing together in therapy is essential, for many reasons. My formal training is in intensive individual and family therapy specializing in trauma and adolescence. From 1994-2000 I ran the trauma service and psychology training on the adolescent unit at McLean Hospital, teaching and training Harvard residents and post-docs. I am psychoanalytically trained (PhD from University of Michigan, and I’m a graduate of Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute), but I have a deep appreciation for mind-body holistic health, I have also been a professional dancer and artist— which is probably why I favor creativity as the best coping strategy. You should probably know my dog is my co-pilot. Lucky, my goldendoodle, works with me and really loves his job, but if you'd rather we work alone that's ok too.
I believe therapy is a creative process. I encourage free association in sessions to promote new ways of thinking and a wider range of feelings. I have experience treating mild to severe mental health diagnoses and can adapt my approach to the needs of each individual. As a practicing psychotherapist and a doctoral intern in psychoanalysis, I have a special interest in the unconscious life of my patients. I am available in-person or via Telehealth.
Looking Glass Counseling is a multi-disciplinary practice serving adults with a variety of mental health needs. We offer individual psychotherapy and support groups. We have therapists that specialize in trauma, perinatal mental health, addiction, eating disorders, OCD, LGBTQ+ clients, and grief & loss. We accept all Optum products, BCBS, Tufts commercial plans, Cigna & Aetna. We offer telehealth and also have office locations in Somerville & Medford. We are currently offering DBT Skills Training groups, a grief support group, and an ADHD support group. These groups are online, and do not meet medical necessity guidelines to be reimbursed by insurance.
When people come to treatment with problems, it is important to remember that they are trying to cope with them in the best way they can. With that in mind, I offer a reflective and engaging partnership with my clients, working toward the goal of helping them to be autonomous, authentic and compassionate in a world that can be extremely stressful. Although my work is solidly grounded in psychodynamic, cognitive/learning, and systems theories, my approach is client-centered, practical and strengths-based. I bring honesty, warmth, and humor to the therapy relationship. I am LGBTQ affirmative and invested in doing cross-cultural therapy which is culturally sensitive. I have a dog, Bracket, who works with me, and I have been doing AAT since 2002. There is a growing body of research which suggests that AAT (Animal-Assisted Therapy) can be helpful with a range of diagnoses, including Depression, PTSD, and Autistic Spectrum. Many therapists know little about online games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life. They may dismiss it as unimportant, or assume it is a problem. I am a gamer-affirmative therapist, meaning I’m more interested in understanding your in-world experience and activity than pathologizing it.
I have trained in college counseling, community and hospital settings and specialize in treatment interventions tailored to the needs of college-age students. I offer a flexible approach to psychotherapy including both an appreciation for how past experiences shape the present while also incorporating coping strategies to manage and change every day life in the short-term.
Welcome! My name is Sarah and I'm a licensed psychologist in Cambridge, MA. I work with students with concerns related to relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, identity development, and navigating big life transitions that come with college life. I provide in-person sessions in Harvard Square and telehealth throughout Massachusetts.
Dr. Adam Henderson is a board certified psychiatrist. He specializes in providing psychotherapy and medication management. He is on faculty at Harvard Medical School and works as a staff psychiatrist at McLean Hospital. He specializes in doing deep work with clients to help them understand themselves and recover from addiction issues, borderline personality, trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar and more. Adam works with clients new to therapy as well as clients who have tried numerous therapies and/or medications and haven't gotten the results they wanted. Adam has advanced training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) to treat clients with addictions and substance abuse and Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) to treat Borderline Personality. He also offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Adam's goal is to get you better so that you can "become your own therapist" and no longer need therapy.
We grow in relationships when we feel seen, responded to, and appreciated. My goal is to build a therapeutic connection together that enables you to work on challenges you are facing while also empowering you to feel more connected to yourself and others. I provide a curious, caring, collaborative presence in the hopes that our sessions offer a space to take a breath, experience your feelings, and explore. My therapeutic approach is grounded in relational cultural therapy and psychodynamic therapy. I also incorporate narrative, cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing in my work. I support clients experiencing mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, family and relationship issues, ADHD, grief, and identity exploration. I have experience working with college students, including first generation and international students, and educators. I welcome all clients including BIPOC, queer, trans, and gender-expansive individuals. I am a former educator and work from a strengths-based and trauma-informed perspective. I draw on attachment theory and systems theory to understand clients’ experiences in the full context of their lives, including how our identities, needs, and experiences are connected to our communities, cultures, and the broader forces that shape our well-being.
Marisa Anderson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has recently started work at Crooked Tree after many years of experience working with adolescents and adults in outpatient agencies within the Boston area. In her work with clients, Marisa incorporates both strength-based and cognitive behavioral therapies to help facilitate and support a better sense of self, healthy relationships, and stress management skills. Currently, Marisa also works as a school clinician at Beacon High School in Watertown. Marisa received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.