Existential Therapists in Boston, MA

I am a multicultural and bilingual clinical psychologist & psychotherapist in Massachusetts. I have 15 years of clinical experience in different countries and bring an unique cultural and social perspective to my clinical work. I offer individual psychotherapy to adolescents, young adults, and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, loneliness and isolation, life transitions and crisis, immigration, PTSD and trauma, impulsivity, relational and work problems, self-esteem, and identity issues. In my post doc in Cambridge I specialized in eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, others).

You should pat yourself on the back for taking this first step. Counseling may seem scary but continuing to push aside our struggles can be even scarier. I have extensive experience working with children, teens, adults, couples and families facing the challenges that many of us confront. I consider each client to be the expert of their own experience. I will offer empathy, validation, and a collaborative approach to each session. I am honored by the courage that each client has shown me in sharing their story and struggles. Life can bring us joy and pain- both are okay.

Life is tough. Do you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or out of rhythm by the complexity and challenges life may present? Do you struggle with any of the following issues: anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, unrealistic expectations, feelings of failure, low self-worth, lacking self-acceptance, emotional regulation, lifestyle management, or relational issues with spouse/partner/family/kids? Do you feel your life lacks meaning or purpose? If any of these issues resonate, I believe I can provide you the space to explore the conflicts within and help you find a pathway towards resolution.

I value the therapeutic alliance, striving for a collaborative, flexible, and safe journey as we work together on your unique path. I use a holistic approach, implementing both traditional psychology and spirituality/metaphysics to help achieve your goals, develop coping skills, gain insights, and build a sense of empowerment. Common areas explored in my practice revolve around themes such as anxiety/depression, grief, life purpose, relationships, existential meaning, healing, and much more.

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”--Unknown The decision to seek help is one that is often arrived at after long periods of suffering. We so often cling to what is familiar, even when what is familiar is causing us and those around us tremendous pain. We go to great lengths to avoid coming face to face with our vulnerability, and unknowingly prolong our suffering despite our best efforts to master it. For many of us, we simply do what we know, choosing the familiarity of pain over the inherently fear-inducing path of change. Simply stated--change is hard. While change is inevitably challenging, it does not have to be undertaken alone. Finding a qualified therapist to support you through this process can make a significant difference in both the outcome and the process.

With a warm, down-to-earth, and supportive style, I help clients work through challenges such as depression, anxiety, OCD, relationship difficulties, life transitions, academic and career concerns, and creative blocks. Whether we are working to help you become more flexible, mindful, and aware; reflecting on patterns that may be getting in your way; identifying sources of meaning and purpose in your life; or exploring aspects of your identity, my goal is to help you work through what brings you into therapy and to help you thrive.

I specialize in helping adults with stress, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, substance use, and other addictions. I also bring warmth and acceptance in supporting clients with the various pressures of life, such as work, relationships, family, school, health, and finances. Whether you are looking for a place to vent your frustrations, someone to bounce ideas off of, or specific tools and strategies to manage symptoms or difficult situations, I am here to listen, to support you with empathy and compassion, and to collaborate together to build upon your strengths.

How will I - a California trained LMFT – be more effective for you? Unlike many Massachusetts counselors based in the “medical model” I don’t treat symptoms, I treat systems. I’ll work with you and partners/spouses or family members, if you choose to include them, to identify not "What’s wrong with me?” but rather, “How'd I get here?” We’re all products of our childhood. I'll work with you to identify the faulty agreements forced upon you before you could defend yourself against them, co-discover alternate viewpoints about yourself and the world and then enact these new agreements to create a new life.

Dr. Kaivani works with adults, and her areas of interest include: Anxiety, depression, interpersonal challenges, trauma, difficult life transitions, acculturation/adjustment to immigration, creativity blocks, and issues of meaning and personal identity, especially around gender and sexuality. She believes in a therapeutic pluralism in which individually tailored treatments are drawn from several different therapy approaches. She primarily utilizes psychodynamic and existential perspectives with a trauma-informed and relational framework. Dr. Kaivani immigrated from Iran in 2010 and provides therapy in Farsi in addition to English.

We're more anxious right now than ever, trying to navigate everything that is happening in our lives and our world. It's easy to get out of balance, especially during this difficult time. It's hard to navigate our own lives and now we have other worries, many that feel beyond our control. Drawing on my experience and training in existential philosophy and contemporary psychodynamic therapy...a compassionate rigorous insistence on taking responsibility for oneself, we’ll try to make sense of all this, navigating habits and patterns you keep falling back on; finding connections to the things you feel are most important in your life.

Liberation Psychotherapy is a private LGBTQ-centered group therapy practice. Our foundational philosophy is based on the meaningful engagement between the therapist and client and achieved using Carl Rogers’ client-centered techniques of active-listening, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. Liberation Psychotherapy’s primary mission is to help clients explore their experiences thereby clients can heal and grow and embrace their strengths and resiliencies. To honor and respect the uniqueness of our clients, we subscribe broadly to a liberation and integrative model.

At Aviv, our mission is to create healing spaces where true emotional growth can happen. I will empower you to share your story, and will support you as you navigate your way in the world. In the context of a safe environment, we will work together to process through any current challenges that you may be facing and explore ways to move towards healing.

Psychological suffering exists on different levels and manifests in different ways, in psyche, body, interpersonally, socially, both consciously and unconsciously. Thankfully, there are many ways to address psychological struggle, ranging from the exploration of non-conscious intra-psychic and interpersonal dynamics underlying "symptoms" to the exploration of ways that we are alienated from community. This work is especially helpful when the source of our suffering is unclear. My work is social justice-informed and incorporates an understanding of how larger systems impact our lives. Facilitating empowerment is key in my work.

Accepting new clients - Hello, and welcome! At times life can be daunting and overwhelming, but it's also an ongoing learning experience. Therapy offers a space for you to understand and overcome the challenges of the past or the present. For almost 20 years I have gained experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups, first as a special education teacher and later as a therapist.

A guiding principle in my work is the belief that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is of the utmost importance. Neuroscientific literature supports the curative powers of deep empathic attunement (limbic resonance) and the brain/body's ability to heal. As such, in addition to attending to you with the same level of respectful presence that I would expect in a therapist, I use both cognitive/emotional and body/mind tools to assist you in your healing. I am certified in both Safe and Sound Protocol ( SSP) as well as a certified +Heart Math provider. I think you will find me warm, genuine, empathic, and knowledgeable.

I have over a decade of experience empowering individuals struggling with a variety of difficulties, including depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, and past trauma. My counseling style is warm, nonjudgemental, and direct.

The clients I see are often seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences, yearning for a meaningful connection and a sense of purpose. Their goals include achieving emotional stability, developing a coherent sense of self, and fostering healthy, fulfilling relationships. They desire a compassionate, open dialogue that empowers them to explore their inner world and transform their challenges into opportunities for personal growth and resilience.

I work with adults, groups, and couples, managing a range of personal and interpersonal challenges, from anxiety and depression, to addiction and major relationship dysfunction. If you are troubled by unsatisfying or unstable relationships with family members and/or partners, low self esteem, feeling stuck, concerns about your substance use, coping with transitions, spiritual or existential challenges, impulsive behavior, procrastination, or anxiety, you are welcome to contact me.

Therapy should address the specific needs of each client. Having trained in a variety of evidence-based practices and approaches, I work together with my clients to determine which approach works best for them, with the intent of addressing both symptoms and long-standing patterns of behavior. My approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and trauma-focused therapy.