Preteen Therapists in Northampton, MA

Do you struggle with managing the challenges of everyday life because of overwhelming stress, anxiety, and/or depression? Are you constantly on edge, struggle to get out of bed due to fatigue, or stay up all night thinking about the past or future? Do you fear that you're not where you want to be in your life, and you're unsure as to how to get there? You're not alone and there is hope. On average, one in five adults and one in six children and adolescents, experience mental health struggles. Left untreated, mental health challenges can lead to financial loss, job instability, and relationship difficulties.

Do you need someone to listen to you and help you make sense of your experiences? Are your emotions overwhelming you? Do you feel misunderstood or unsupported? As a therapist I help people discover their own strength and confidence. You may be going through a difficult transition or feel like you are stuck in some way. Perhaps you have noticed a pattern in your behavior or relationships that you want to change.

I have over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist, art therapist, mental health advocate, and educator. My approach to therapy is fueled by compassion and curiosity, but is equally rooted in Relational-cultural Theory, Internal Family Systems, and Narrative Therapy – three perspectives which blend well with holistic wellbeing and deep healing. I work in a trauma- informed, healing-centered way and am sensitive to one’s intersectional identity. I draw on embodied approaches to wellbeing and work to support self-compassion, self-regulation, and to foster resilience in those I am privileged to accompany along their journeys.

NCYF offers a wide range of clinical options to children, teens, adults, and families. All of our clinical services are informed by evidence-based practices and services are delivered in a way that focuses on compassion and a respect for an individual's past trauma.

Currently, I am accepting new patients! I welcome college students returning home seeking therapy. I also welcome adults wanting cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, OCD, or eating disorders. I I am a clinical psychologist with 20+ years of experience providing psychological services to children, adolescents, young adults, and families. My areas of specialty include working with teenagers and children with anxiety, OCD, eating disorders. More recently, I have expanded my treatment services to provide therapy for adults with anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a background working with adults and children in a variety of settings. I have experience working with individuals that have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, and relationship issues. I am passionate about cultivating strong therapeutic relationships and supporting clients in making sense of their current troubles in the context of their life stories.

My name is Shanna (Shay-nah) McNamara and I love my job! I have been working in the social work field for 13 years, and have been a therapist for over 8 years. Being a therapist is one of the most rewarding things I have accomplished, and I strive to work collaboratively with my clients to ensure we are on track towards their identified goals. I always prioritize the clients desires and needs out of treatment, and remind my clients I am not “magic,” I am a human helping other humans with life’s messy struggles, one step at a time. My clients have said they appreciate my honest approach with humor and laughter along the way.

Life can present difficult feelings and experiences that become overwhelming. Therapy can be a way to manage these complicated feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety or just a general feeling of “stuckness”. I believe that everyone has the ability to unlock their potential and move forward.

We are living in unprecedented times filled with great challenge and incredible opportunity for growth. Global and personal events can leave us feeling isolated, disconnected, anxious and depressed. We search for meaning and purpose amidst the overwhelm of loss, transition, disease and chronic pain. Yet, this chaos can be the grit that moves us toward greater awareness and freedom. Support, connection, compassion and skilled guidance can help us forge new pathways in our lives, our brains and our bodies. We then have more capacity to reclaim our inherent joy, creativity and the power to build a positive light-filled future.

Sometimes personal turbulence makes it hard for us to weather the storms in our lives. When we have depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction to substances or simply addiction to negative patterns of thinking, therapy can help us to get on the right track. With nineteen years of experience, I can helpyou to focus and to find solutions . Many people are apprehensive about what therapy can do for them. There are many different modalities or approaches in therapy I can share with you, but I will begin by listening to you, without judgement. My goal is to get to know you as a person first and then, to provide you with input.

Are you standing at a crossroads tempted to turn around because you're not sure how to take your next step? Do the "what if" scenarios that cycle through your mind make it difficult for you to make decisions and fall asleep at night? Do you feel stuck daydreaming of the life you want certain that it will only ever be a place you imagine? Does all of this make it hard to get out of bed some days, full of dread when you finally do, and likely to isolate from those you love?

Thank you for your interest in my commitment to trauma-informed and culturally relevant services. As a BIPOC, Queer-identifying clinician, the therapeutic space for those struggling is near and dear to my heart. I believe in our shared ability to co-create meaning that will lead to greater insight, and ultimately positive changes in your life. Everything that shapes your perspective will be central to our work together. I work relationally by utilizing an intersectional, culturally-inclusive approach to address the complex realities of your relationship to race, gender, culture, neurodiversity, and sexuality.

Life can be challenging and asking for help takes courage. Engaging in therapy can lead to many benefits such as better communication skills, improved relationships, increased self-esteem, relief from many mental health conditions, and the ability to manage stress. Everyone’s journey is different, and this is why I use a patient-centered approach where we will work together to create an individualized plan that promotes your goals and needs.

Now Accepting Clients: I am Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who specializes in mental health treatment for adults, college students, and youth of all ages. For over 13 years I have worked in the mental health field throughout New England. Since obtaining my masters from Boston College, I have worked in various settings such as residential treatment facilities, community based work, inpatient hospital settings, schools and colleges. I have experience running groups, individual therapy, family therapy, training and supervising. I aim to break mental health stigma and challenge societal norms.

Are you acting in ways that no longer serve you but you can’t seem to make changes? Are you feeling anxious or depressed but can’t figure out the cause? At Handel Behavioral Health our therapists in Amherst are here to help you develop the tools and inner strengths to meet life’s challenges. Whether you’re looking for couples counseling, therapy for substance use disorder, therapy for trauma, therapy for anxiety, or many other mental health and life concerns, our trained psychologists and psychiatrists in Amherst are here for you. We offer online counseling in Massachusetts, and in-person therapy from our Prey street office.

Immediate Availability For New Clients. My goal as a therapist is to empower clients to seek and find their own personal truth. I believe the client is the expert of their experience and needs merely guidance and support to address their own issues. Do you feel you could benefit from a heart-felt presence and warmth, with an emphasis on the skill of listening? Are you desiring change and transformation? The body can sometimes tell the story that words cannot. If you desire healing through art, I incorporate art therapy, writing and movement-based experiences to support clients with accessing their own internal wisdom.

Through my own mental health journey and experience in the world I have found a passion for helping others gain an understanding of themselves and how they function in the world. I strive to create an open, trusting, and compassionate relationship with all of my clients. My goal is to help you understand your emotions in the larger contexts of your life, give them space, and learn skills to live with them. Together, we can work to find equilibrium in those big emotions and find strengths in your challenges. My intention for each session is for you to feel lighter and more prepared for any issues or struggles that come your way.

Tools For Success Counseling is committed to providing professional clinical treatment that addresses the social, emotional and behavioral needs of children, adults, and families in crisis. We work collaboratively with individuals served to help them advance toward improving the personal strengths and communication skills necessary for maintaining healthier more productive lives. Through conversation, we will explore your life situations, concerns, worries, hopes, and desires in a way unique to that which you have experienced previously