Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA
Leal Carter
My style is warm, empowering, and deeply collaborative. I work from the understanding that the therapeutic relationship itself is a powerful vehicle for healing, built on fostering genuine compassion and unconditional positive regard. I use an integrative approach tailored to clients’ unique needs, drawing from psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). My work is trauma-informed, integrating mindfulness, Liberation Health, and anti-oppressive frameworks, while emphasizing awareness and somatic experience. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, identity concerns, relationship and family dynamics, and college adjustment. I specialize in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and individuals navigating chronic illness. I offer an affirming space for diverse identities and relationship dynamics. In addition to a Master of Social Work, I have a Master of Education in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies and a background as a health and wellness/biology teacher, which provides me with a unique understanding of the challenges students encounter in educational environments.
Amy Paris
Join me in a collaborative focus on your mental health, designed to build resilience, improve the quality of life, and increase self-acceptance. I work with adults and young adults in individual psychotherapy on a short or long-term basis. I have a background in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy. I treat a range of presenting concerns, including relationship stress, life transitions, depression, anxiety, and trauma. I have experience in college mental health, early intervention in mental illness, and family therapy. I have a special interest in issues of diversity and inclusion, and exploring an individual’s unique relationship to a variety of their own personal intersecting identities.
Laura Aversa
I work primarily with young adults struggling with anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. These can include things like constant worry thoughts that impair sleep or are distracting in day-to-day life. Specific examples include feeling overly worried or fixated on things like doing perfectly in school or other activities, weight, food, or body image, and social media. You also may find yourself spending excessive amounts of time on these things to the detriment of other important values like friendships, hobbies, and things that make you happy. My approach to treatment is collaborative, warm, and goal-oriented. The types of therapy I use most in my practice are Dialectical Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral.
Angelica Rivera Williams
Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or family conflict? You don’t have to face it alone. I specialize in helping adults work through overwhelming emotions, painful family dynamics, and the lasting effects of difficult or abusive relationships. Together, we process complex trauma, build healthier boundaries, and foster resilience, healing, and growth. I’m a licensed Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts with over 10 years of experience. As a bilingual therapist (English & Spanish), I value the role that culture, identity, and lived experience play in shaping your mental health journey. My care is warm, collaborative, and culturally responsive, always tailored to your unique needs and goals. My approach is integrative, drawing from psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-informed care, mindfulness-based practices, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, and attachment-based therapy. This flexibility allows us to use the approaches and strategies that best fit your circumstances. I am in-network with BCBS, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, Tufts, and Optum. Let’s connect. I offer a free 15-minute consultation so you can share your needs, ask questions, and see if we’re a good fit.
Michael Ryzner-Basiewicz
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.
Alison Rhodes
I offer a warm, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to help you explore your thoughts, feelings, and inner experience, work through challenges, and create more freedom in how you live and relate. My aim is to support you in moving beyond old patterns and connecting more fully with the life you want. Our work is collaborative and tailored to you. I work with people navigating a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, family issues, loss, identity questions and many other challenges. I have a particular interest supporting individuals with histories of trauma, and those who grew up with someone with mental illness or addiction. At the heart of my practice is the belief that real healing happens when we meet our inner struggles with kindness and presence. My approach is holistic, honoring the connection between mind and body, and the broader social and cultural contexts that shape your experience. I value clients’ unique strengths and social justice. My work is based primarily in internal family systems therapy, narrative therapy, EMDR, and over twenty years of practicing, studying, and teaching yoga. I also weave in skills and perspectives from other therapeutic modalities to best meet each client's needs. Additionally, for those interested, I offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). This can be individually in my office, and I facilitate KAP groups and retreats. I received my Masters and PhD in Social Work from Boston College and completed postgraduate training at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Tufts University Counseling and Mental Health Services. I have experience working with adolescents and adults in community mental health, school, and university settings, and completed advanced training in EMDR, IFS (L1, L2, PA), and KAP. My work as a clinician is also informed by specialized training and clinical research that I have conducted in the areas of trauma and recovery, including the role of yoga in processes of healing. Prior to becoming a therapist I received my Bachelors Degree in Sociology from Brandeis University, my Masters degree in Arts in Education from Harvard University, and spent four years as a researcher exploring the role of the arts in personal and social transformation. The arts and creativity continue to be of significant interest to me in my work as a therapist.
Ilana Sichel
At the heart of psychotherapy is accompaniment through one’s inner world. Current difficulties, past struggles, individual and familial traumas, hidden hopes and dreams – all of this will be central to making sense of your present and building toward your future. Starting psychotherapy can feel intimidating, but the benefits can be huge: deeper self-understanding, more meaningful and authentic relationships, reduced depression and anxiety, increased self-confidence. I have worked with a diverse swath of undergrad and graduate students in college counseling centers, and have studied and taught at private and public universities across the country. My specializations include relationship struggles, family conflict and crisis, identity development, career direction, academic concerns, gender and sexuality, trauma, spirituality, creativity, chronic illness, immigration, and LGBTQIA+ issues in teens and adults. I am committed to meeting you where you are at in the therapeutic process, and I welcome exploration of racial, sexual, and gender identities. I am a Harvard Medical School Psychiatry fellow trained in psychodynamic, relational, cognitive behavioral, and mindfulness-based therapies, but I believe a strong sense of connection is the most important element in seeking a therapist. I encourage you to reach out to a number of practitioners to find a good match. I look forward to hearing from you.
1A Wellness
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.
Susan Meagher
I provide consultation and treatment services to adolescent and adult clients for a variety of concerns ranging from daily stressors to clinical depression, anxiety, and loss. In my work with students, I have particular expertise in challenges arising from academics (e.g., self-doubt, procrastination, perfectionism), relationship issues, and chronic medical conditions. My approach is integrative rooted in cognitive-behavioral, relational, and mindfulness-based models; I work collaboratively to find an approach that best serves a client's needs, values, and goals. I would describe my style was warm, interactive, and pragmatic. Please visit www.drsusanmeagher.com to learn more about me and my practice.
Bediha Ipekci, PhD, LLC
I am a licensed psychologist in private practice in Brookline, Massachusetts. I work with adults navigating life transitions, cultural transitions, relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, trauma, and questions related to identity, belonging, and self-understanding. My work is informed by multiculturally informed contemporary psychoanalytic thinking and a commitment to creating a thoughtful, collaborative, and emotionally attuned therapeutic relationship. I approach therapy with patience, curiosity, and a strong commitment to the therapeutic relationship. I understand that trust develops over time, and I aim to offer a space where thoughts, emotions, and relational patterns can be explored openly and at a comfortable pace.
Erin Maidman
As an associate psychotherapist at Soultality Center for Psychotherapy, I primarily work with adolescents and adults struggling with OCD, anxiety, and complex trauma. I also have experience supporting clients with depression, relationship issues, identity exploration, and chronic suicidality.
Alma Mente Therapy, LLC
The students I work best with often share common experiences and needs. Many of them are facing the pressures of academic demands, juggling coursework, exams, and deadlines while also trying to balance personal responsibilities and relationships. They may be experiencing feelings of stress, anxiety, or overwhelm as they navigate transitions, uncertainties, and expectations. What sets my practice apart is my genuine commitment to creating a safe and supportive space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and concerns without judgment. I understand that seeking help can feel daunting, so I strive to foster a warm and welcoming environment where you feel heard, valued, and understood. Whether you're struggling with academic stress, relationship issues, self-doubt, or anything in between, I'm here to support you every step of the way. Together, we'll work collaboratively to identify your goals, explore your strengths, and develop personalized strategies to help you thrive in all areas of your life. If you're ready to take the first step toward a happier, healthier you, I invite you to reach out. Let's embark on this journey of self-discovery and growth together. You don't have to face your challenges alone—I'm here to help you every step of the way.
Paola Garcia
Therapy is a deeply personal and vulnerable process that requires trust to flourish. I strive to create a safe, accepting, and collaborative space for you to come as you are, using the therapeutic relationship and attunement to foster trust. I tailor treatment to your unique needs and treatment goals using a compassionate, trauma-informed lens, drawing from a psychodynamic orientation, integrated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and mindfulness-based approaches. I support adults navigating anxiety disorders, mood disorders, loneliness, grief, loss, complex trauma, identity development, relational / attachment-based issues, and life transitions. I also have extensive experience working with individuals of diverse backgrounds, including non-citizen and LGBTQ populations. My experience growing up as a Latina between the U.S and abroad has strengthened my curiosity for those whose lived experiences differ from my own. It has cultivated a deep empathy and desire to honor the richness of their stories in therapy. I prioritize creating a space for all parts of the self to be seen and understood.
Cindy Telingator
College can be an exciting time of growth, but it also brings unique pressures and challenges. Whether you’re navigating relationships, academic stress, identity questions, family dynamics, or the impact of trauma or loss, therapy can be a place to reflect, process, and move forward. I provide psychotherapy with a focus on resilience—helping you build on your strengths while exploring the experiences and emotions that may be holding you back. I also prescribe medications when appropriate, integrating therapy and medication to support your overall well-being. My approach is collaborative, warm, and grounded in humanistic and relational values. I’ve worked extensively with students and young adults, and I understand how transitional this stage of life can be. Therapy can help you understand yourself more deeply, cope with emotional challenges, and create meaningful change in your personal, academic, and professional life. My office is conveniently located just a short walk from the Red Line at Central Square, and easily accessible by bus. If you’re curious about starting therapy or wondering whether medication might be helpful, I’d be happy to talk with you about the next steps.
Nate Torrence
We don’t like uncertainty. It is tempting to grasp for the certainty of “everything is doomed” or “everything will be ok.” But a part of us remains unconvinced. It is hard to face the truth: I don’t know what is coming, only that my experience will keep changing and eventually end. There are many aspects of our experience that are hard to face. We aren’t meant to do this alone. I partner with my clients to walk together into this wilderness. I offer a kind, curious, nonjudgmental attention, with the intent of helping my clients to sort through thoughts, judgements, reactions, behaviors, and felt experience, so they can learn to care more skillfully for the parts of their experience that are outside of their control and to take decisive action in the areas of their life where they have agency. Over time, this relational practice builds solidity. It loosens the tight grip on “everything is doomed” or “everything will be ok,” and opens up “it will keep changing, and eventually end, and I trust in my capacity to feel and care for my experience, no matter what comes.”
Marisa Anderson
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.
Shirley Poyau, PhD
I specialize in working with adults, children, and families who have been impacted by trauma. I have experience in helping clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, dissociation, relationship difficulties, emotional and behavioral dysregulation, and other issues that often result from adverse experiences and traumatic stress. I practice a collaborative approach which honors my clients’ lived experience and allows their needs and our understanding of the challenges they face to shape the specific approaches we use in our work together. I use an integrative style which blends skills-based, relational, and trauma-focused interventions. I see goodness-of-fit as central to the treatment process, and I believe an authentic and trusting relationship is essential to effective therapy. I strive to bring cultural humility to my work, and offer honesty, warmth, humor and compassion to foster the safe environment needed to allow my clients to achieve true growth, healing and transformation. I am fluent in English and Haitian Creole.
Sam Lipschultz
Therapy can help you find relief from distress and free up the “stuck” places in your life, the ways of relating to yourself and others that can feel self-defeating, limiting or out of your control. This can lead to distress that may come in many forms: anxiety, anger, emptiness, detachment. Yet these experiences are not only a source of suffering, they are also a message that speaks to desires, conflicts, and pain. Together, we work to understand all this and place it in the context of where you come from and the world you live in now. The goal is relief from ways of being that cause distress, and to move toward ways that feel expressive of who you are, how you want to live, and what you want your relationships to be. I work with individuals and relationships and specialize in a range of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, difficulties in relationships, psychosis, and issues related to gender, sexual, or racial identity.
Richard Koch, PsyD
Therapy provides a space for you to process difficult feelings and situations. As a therapist, I help patients explore new ways of engaging with the world and with themselves. My goal is for patients to translate insights and skills into noticeable changes in their lives. My style balances pragmatism, humor, compassion, and curiosity. I treat a range of concerns, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcohol/substance use, relationship concerns, and life transitions. I draw on a range of theoretical approaches, emphasizing rootedness in the present moment and interpersonal connection.
Psychology & Diagnostics, PLLC
Hello College Students! My name is Andrew Taytslin, Psy.D., and I am a clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience conducting neuropsychological and psychological evaluations with individuals across the lifespan. One of my specialties is helping college students identify aspects of their cognitive and psychological functioning that can impact day-to-day life, such as school and academics, work, social/interpersonal functioning, and mental health. The evaluations I conduct are comprehensive, involving various cognitive and psychological tests, and yield a diagnostic report that reviews test results, a summary of findings (including diagnoses if indicated), and treatment recommendations. For college students who receive a diagnosis and require assistance in the school setting, reports also include recommendations that can be integrated into accommodation plans in coordination with your school’s services department(s).