Adults Therapists in Wayland, MA

I welcome children, teen-agers and their parents, adults, couples and families to my practice. In individual, couple or play therapy, I focus on relationships: to other people, to our pasts, to our bodies, and to our thoughts and feelings. My goal is to establish a safe setting where together we can identify and work on challenging issues in your life with curiosity, understanding and compassion, while helping you to appreciate and make use of the unique resources and strengths that you bring to our work.

About Me and the Weaver Center Team: ME: Having been diagnosed with dyslexia, attention deficit, memory and organization problems in 1962 at Mass General Hospital in Boston and with the term for my disorder was Minimal Brain Damage (MBD) and Reading Retardation, some thought the hopes for me were going to be very complicated at the very least. so I have created an amazing group of highly trained and skilled professionals to work in a multidisciplinary center, the Weaver Center www.weavercenter.org please visit us

I have extensive experience and skills with adults dealing with many different challenges and life circumstances. My approach is active, collaborative, and sensitive to each individual's needs and goals, provided within a caring and supportive environment. In a goal focused and collaborative way I help my clients understand and modify ineffective habitual relationships and behavioral patterns. I seek to help clients better understand themselves in the context of their histories.

Alexandra Vlahakes, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Massachusetts. Her specialties include helping adolescents and adults struggling with depression and anxiety, PTSD and trauma-related disorders, bipolar disorder, and people struggling with emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal issues. Dr. Vlahakes takes a particular interest in working with persons struggling with borderline personality, as well as consulting for dissociative disorders. Dr. Vlahakes also provides supervision for license-eligible practitioners as the Director of Clinical Training for Brighter Life Therapy, PLLC.

Are thoughts about your life's stressors getting in the way of your goals? Are you struggling to get through the day without thinking about food or your body? If you are reading this, you may be contemplating taking that first step to receive support. Setting up an initial therapy appointment can be scary; I hope to ease the stress of the process, while working with you to achieve your therapeutic goals.

Perhaps you feel discouraged and are seeking therapy because you have tried to make changes but haven’t noticed a difference. Maybe you continue to be impacted by overwhelming events from the past. You could be reaching out because you’re experiencing anxiety, sadness, disconnection from others, or difficulty with navigating life transitions and managing stress. Maybe you’ve noticed your child is having a hard time and are reaching out on their behalf. You may want to build up your self esteem and have more fulfilling relationships, or to feel more connected to yourself, to grow, and to enjoy life.

Successful navigation of life's challenges is easier with support. Perhaps you are facing new developmental stages or life transitions, struggling with anxiety or depressed mood, worried about your child or other family member, dealing with trauma or loss, or managing challenging relationships. I offer individual therapy for teens and adults as well as parenting support and family therapy. I create a safe environment for clients to identify goals, take emotional risks and set out on individualized paths toward reaching goals and maximizing full potential. I bring warmth and compassion to each therapeutic encounter and relationship.

We all go through challenging times and it takes a great deal of courage to face these challenges and move forward. My passion is working with adults of all ages who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, a life transition, a loss or an illness. I work with each of my clients to identify tools and strategies that they can use to address these difficulties, feel better, and lead a more fulfilling life in whatever way they hope to. I believe that each person has inner strength and resilience that they can increase, and that you are stronger than you think.

I have 35+ years of experience assisting adults of all ages with a wide variety of personal and interpersonal concerns. My counseling style is interactive and engaging, and I borrow from a variety of therapeutic perspectives. I'm broadly trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, including relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and mindfulness approaches. I'm well practiced in treating anxiety-related and depressive concerns, and in addressing issues of family, relationships, and the complexities around life's transitions. I have decades of experience in multi-cultural counseling.

Creativity & Compassion, Mindful Awareness, Health & Resiliency. These are the guiding principles I use to teach people skills to address difficulties in the present, gain a healthier perspective about the past, disengage from fear of the future, embrace & find pleasure in the life that is here. I offer personalized support to women, young adults, & teens struggling with circumstantial, developmental, or health-related transitions.

I have over 12 years of experience working with children, teens, adults and families on ADHD and many other issues. I specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, anxiety and depression, services I provided for 9.5 years at the internationally recognized ADHD clinic, the Hallowell Center. I provide parent coaching for managing children, adolescents and young adults in the course of our busy lives. I work hard to find pragmatic solutions that meet the individual needs of my clients.

I work with adults on a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, life/career transitions, and relationship problems. My interactive, direct and collaborative style helps clients understand the cause of their issues and gives them practical tools to alleviate symptoms. While I tailor my therapeutic approach to each patient, I draw most heavily from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which is a well-researched approach to effectively treat many presenting concerns.

Are you a pregnant or postpartum mom having a hard time during this period? An adolescent going away to college? Moving to a new school or a new city? All of these life transitions can bring excitement but it can also bring up doubt, stress, loneliness, frustration and many other unexpected emotions and feelings. These emotions can be hard to deal with and I'm glad you are taking the first step to inner peace and total wellness. You have decided to work on the most important person in your life YOU There are things you know could be better & they truly can! Let me help you find balance and reestablish hope for better days ahead.

Does your teen have worries and negative thoughts or feelings related to school, home or peers? I can help. With over 25 years of experience working with pre-teens, adolescents and adults, I have worked extensively with several schools in the Boston Metrowest area. I understand the intricacies of the home/school connection and am adept at partnering with parents to facilitate collaboration with all providers in the child’s environment. I have successfully worked with adolescents and families to address a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, and ADD/ADHD.

Gretchen Witt is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in the states of Massachusetts and New York. Her prior clinical experience includes working with adults (ages 18 to 80+) encountering divorce, job loss, bereavement, physiological changes linked with aging, gender-identity transition, and diagnosis with chronic diseases, young adults (age 18+) who are leaving home for the first time to enter college or choose a career path, and more.

I strive to create a comfortable and accepting therapeutic relationship.  I focus on you, your needs and goals, with the assistance of evidence based therapy including client centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, LGBTQ affirming therapy and more. I have experience working with multiple ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations and orientations. I bring a sense of hope to all of my clients.

Melissa Hinds is a Resident Licensed Mental Health Clinician with 3 years of experience and a concentration in psychodynamic approaches. She works with adults and seniors who are experiencing concerns involving depression, anxiety, family and couples counseling, behavioral problems, anger management, as well as mood and personality disorders. As a queer-identified Afro-Caribbean woman of color, Melissa understands the importance of cultural competency. She has expertise in working with populations diverse in race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, spiritual practices, sexual orientation, gender identity, and political affiliations.

As a therapist, I know that hope is obtainable despite feelings or depression or anxiety. Imagining life with hope and happiness can be challenging, but it is possible to achieve. I utilize a strength-based approach with multiple behavioral health techniques and therapies to personalize care of couples or individuals. I help identify and achieve goals while making a connection and developing positive growth and well-being. I enjoy working with adults of all ages, couples, and families.

My clients are typically teens (15+), adults or seniors (65+) struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, and life transitions. I am trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)- the gold standard treatment for OCD. In addition, I have experience and a special interest in working with individuals or their loved ones as they navigate significant illness, grief/loss or other issues stemming from receiving complex medical care. I believe that as the patient, you are in the drivers’ seat, and I am helping you read the map. There are multiple routes we can take, and together we will find the best one for you.