Therapists in Newton, MA

As a former teacher turned therapist, I have developed a strong counseling tool box. I specialize in supporting adolescents/teens and adults find ways to cope with trauma and loss, manage anxiety and depression, develop problem solving strategies and social skills, overcome substance abuse and low self-esteem, and manage family conflict. I am also able to help the individuals I work with to develop executive functioning and advocacy skills at school, home, and in the community. I utilize humor, unconditional positive regard, and curiosity to create a safe and productive space for you to grow.

As a licensed mental health clinician, my goal is to help guide you to a place of well-being and fulfillment. I have experience working with teenagers and adults of all ages in addressing struggles related to anxiety, depression, addiction, grief & loss, life transitions, and trauma. I am also interested in the role technology plays in one’s experience of mental health symptoms and have completed research on the impact of smartphone addiction in college age students.

Client: youth, adolescents, college population, adults. Concerns: substance misuse, autism, dual diagnosis, self-harm, suicidality, physical disability, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, LGBTQIA+, religious trauma, life transitions, divorce, legality concerns, and numerous others.

With over six years of clinical experience, I specialize in serving diverse communities, including adults, children, and families. Holding a PsyD in Clinical Psychology and a Master's in Mental Health Counseling from William James College, I've honed my skills at well-known Boston agencies, such as Commonwealth Mental Health and Wellness Center, Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, and the Brenner Center. I draw from evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy, allowing me to offer customized support to individuals from various cultural backgrounds.

I work with children, adolescents, young adults, parents, and families to help overcome a variety of stressors including anxiety, depression, impulse control and executive functioning issues like ADHD/language processing challenges, autism spectrum disorder, blended family struggles, academic challenges (from performance anxiety to IEPs and therapeutic schools), oppositional behaviors, and substance use. My clients describe me as warm, dedicated, and helpful. I tailor my approach to each client or family using an active-listening, strengths-based approach to build a trusting relationship and help clients identify and attain solutions that improve their functioning and relationships.

I work with children, adolescents, and adults who have often had unsuccessful prior treatment experiences. They feel that my knowledge and holistic approach to treatment will provide them with a healthier pathway forward in their life. Although I have a depth of experience to share with my patients I value learning from them on a daily basis. To facilitate change I employ a range of focused DBT and CBT strategies that I also teach to younger clinicians who train with my practice. I have maintained a professional home for 30 years at Harvard Medical School where I serve as a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry.

I have 20 years of experience as a clinical social worker and prior to that was a home-based family counselor. I view my role as helping the person clarify troubling life experiences, past and present, and to understand their responses to those experiences. These may include: difficult relationships and families, unresolvable ambiguity; agonies of adolescence; substance and alcohol abuse, or legacies of trauma and existential dilemmas. I believe each person contains the seeds of their own solution and I work to nurture that individual solution. This happens in a relationship where it becomes safe to "say anything."