Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA

Welcome I'm Melissa and I'm so glad you landed here! I work with young adults who are feeling overwhelmed by life’s challenges—whether it’s relationship struggles, a constant worry loop that you can't get out of, low mood, struggles with food and body image, or difficulty with change. If you're reading this, you might be feeling out of balance or disconnected from what’s meaningful to you. Maybe you’re not sure what’s meaningful right now. You could be stuck in old patterns that no longer serve you, unsure about your next steps, or just know something feels "off" without being able to explain why. Or maybe you just need a safe space to explore it all. Whatever you're experiencing, it’s all valid—and it’s all welcome here.

When people come to treatment with problems, it is important to remember that they are trying to cope with them in the best way they can. With that in mind, I offer a reflective and engaging partnership with my clients, working toward the goal of helping them to be autonomous, authentic and compassionate in a world that can be extremely stressful. Although my work is solidly grounded in psychodynamic, cognitive/learning, and systems theories, my approach is client-centered, practical and strengths-based. I bring honesty, warmth, and humor to the therapy relationship. I am LGBTQ affirmative and invested in doing cross-cultural therapy which is culturally sensitive. I have a dog, Bracket, who works with me, and I have been doing AAT since 2002. There is a growing body of research which suggests that AAT (Animal-Assisted Therapy) can be helpful with a range of diagnoses, including Depression, PTSD, and Autistic Spectrum. Many therapists know little about online games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life. They may dismiss it as unimportant, or assume it is a problem. I am a gamer-affirmative therapist, meaning I’m more interested in understanding your in-world experience and activity than pathologizing it.

Hi! I’m a warm, person-centered therapist who tailors each session to your unique needs. I primarily draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and interpersonal therapy — but more importantly, I meet you where you are. Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. You’re the expert in your story, and we’ll work together to develop tools, process challenges, and celebrate growth, big or small. I specialize in supporting adolescents and young adults managing academic pressure, identity concerns, anxiety, and trauma. I also offer comprehensive psychological assessments to help students access accommodations in college — like extended time or alternative testing settings.

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.

I have loved working with students since 1987. The process of discovering one’s authentic self can be exhilarating and the rewards are exponential. My approach focuses on strengths, augmenting the health that is already present. Learning how to see one’s self (and the world) in this way is a courageous and creative process. By recognizing patterns in relating — to one’s self and others— there’s a clearer sense of what’s precious to you, what gets in the way, and how you can realistically be your best self. While I have experience with the whole range of human problems, I work well with folks who enjoy being playful and creative. I think laughing together in therapy is essential, for many reasons. My formal training is in intensive individual and family therapy specializing in trauma and adolescence. From 1994-2000 I ran the trauma service and psychology training on the adolescent unit at McLean Hospital, teaching and training Harvard residents and post-docs. I am psychoanalytically trained (PhD from University of Michigan, and I’m a graduate of Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute), but I have a deep appreciation for mind-body holistic health, I have also been a professional dancer and artist— which is probably why I favor creativity as the best coping strategy. You should probably know my dog is my co-pilot. Lucky, my goldendoodle, works with me and really loves his job, but if you'd rather we work alone that's ok too.

I use an integrative, psychodynamically grounded approach with an interpersonal, decolonized, and social justice lens. My work is rooted in a passion for making healing and self-understanding more accessible, especially for multi-marginalized communities. I believe the therapeutic relationship is central to change and prioritize collaboration, dignity, and empowerment. In psychological assessment, I take a client-centered approach that honors testing as a tool for insight and expanding access to care. I work with adults navigating identity development, trauma/complex PTSD, mood/anxiety disorders, life transitions, college adjustment, relational and family concerns, personality disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD. As a neurodivergent clinician, I enjoy supporting neurodivergent clients through unmasking and embracing the authentic self. I have worked in a variety of settings, including outpatient, school-based, inpatient and forensic settings. My background in forensic psychology, multi-method assessment, and research challenging stigma of specific marginalized populations informs my clinical approach, which embraces and honors the complexity of each person's lived experience.

How may I help you? I am a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, board-certified, working in Coolidge Corner, Brookline providing psychiatric diagnostic assessment, medication management, and consultation. I offer Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday appointments 7 am-6 pm. I started my career as a school-based-support-team social worker in the South Bronx. I became increasingly interested in a Mind-Body practice and began teaching Yoga, fitness, and Pilates. This journey led me back to school where I earned an MSN and certified as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. My goal is to help you to increase joy and diminish suffering. I am a generalist working with adults. My clinical practice is client-centered, based on training, experience, and recommendations set forth by evidence-based care. I treat the symptoms, use medications conservatively. I encourage using workbooks as an adjunct or alternative to medication. Modern life presents many choices and challenges. Genetic and environmental stress, COVID-19 can be overwhelming. I offer my professional expertise to help you navigate through these challenges with awareness, compassion, and mindfulness. My sincere intention is to assist you in improving the quality of your relationships, work, and life. Please let me help.

I have been working as a therapist in private practice for over 20 years. My specialties include working with trauma, life transitions, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and body image struggles.

I am a psychotherapist and psychiatrist with decades of experience helping people overcome depression, anxiety, relationship issues and other life problems. I see patients weekly in my office for insight-oriented and cognitive behavioral therapy. Please contact me if you are interested in doing deep work to improve your life. Please be aware that the following are outside my practice area: ADD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, acute suicidality, addiction problems, sexual trauma, and patients who have been psychiatrically hospitalized. I prescribe medication as needed for patients who are in therapy with me, but I don't do medication management alone. In general, I see women ages 20-40. I have many years' experience working with students. I graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, and I am Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology. Looking forward to hearing from you!

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.

My collaborative therapeutic approach is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focusing on helping clients understand and shift their thought and behavior patterns. I integrate psychodynamic principles to explore how relationships shape sense of self, understanding of others, and present patterns. My work is guided by a multicultural humility lens, recognizing how culture and systems of power, privilege, and oppression influence mental health and meaning. I aim to create a flexible, individualized space where clients can pause, feel, and prioritize what matters most, grounded in respect, empathy, trust, and collaboration. I work with adults navigating mood/anxiety disorders, grief, identity development, relationships, college adjustment, and other life stressors. I also specialize in providing culturally-responsive care to BIPOC clients navigating acculturation- or discrimination-related stress. I work collaboratively to support clients through periods of heightened distress. My research focuses on suicidality, mood/anxiety disorders, and BIPOC resilience. I have trained in inpatient and residential programs, hospital outpatient care, and university counseling settings. I have experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills coaching. I am a Black American woman, first-generation student, and proud New Orleans native.

We grow in relationships when we feel seen, responded to, and appreciated. My goal is to build a therapeutic connection together that enables you to work on challenges you are facing while also empowering you to feel more connected to yourself and others. I provide a curious, caring, collaborative presence in the hopes that our sessions offer a space to take a breath, experience your feelings, and explore. My therapeutic approach is grounded in relational cultural therapy and psychodynamic therapy. I also incorporate narrative, cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing in my work. I support clients experiencing mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, family and relationship issues, ADHD, grief, and identity exploration. I have experience working with college students, including first generation and international students, and educators. I welcome all clients including BIPOC, queer, trans, and gender-expansive individuals. I am a former educator and work from a strengths-based and trauma-informed perspective. I draw on attachment theory and systems theory to understand clients’ experiences in the full context of their lives, including how our identities, needs, and experiences are connected to our communities, cultures, and the broader forces that shape our well-being.

About my practice: I strive to offer clients with a warm and collaborative environment to help them cope with issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, academic/job-related stress, chronic health concerns (including navigating complex medical systems), and life transitions. I understand that people are doing the best they can, while simultaneously wanting to change. While I enjoy working with people from all backgrounds, many people who seek me out identify as people of color and/or have inter-racial or trans-national families. In addition, I frequently see clients with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. I help clients consider ways to draw upon existing strengths as they cope with various forms of marginalization. My approach: My style is collaborative, and I integrate multiple approaches, depending on a client's needs and preferences. I draw from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based therapies. I help clients consider their patterns of relating to themselves and others that are leaving them feeling stuck. In addition, I offer clients skills to shift their relationship with distressing thoughts and feelings, so they can better engage in their lives. Fees: About me: After earning a master's degree in Human Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I completed my doctoral studies at University of Massachusetts Boston. My postdoctoral training at McLean Hospital, a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital, focused on exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Most of my work has been in school settings, including college counseling centers, because I love working with students. If you have questions, please feel free reach out!

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.

We specialize in young adults using science based therapies from a strength based perspective. Typically, we'll utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and we'll cater our therapy approach based on a person's needs. We work with all walks of life, families, couples, and marriages. We believe hope is possible and work towards bettering a person's life.

My therapeutic approach is warm, gentle, collaborative, and compassionate. I use psychodynamic and person-centered approaches, along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), motivational interviewing and mindfulness. I work from a systems and relational lens, recognizing that our lives are shaped by developmental experiences, relationships, culture, lived experiences and the broader contexts in which we live and learn. I work collaboratively with clients to explore how these influences shape their sense of self and relationships. I work with adults of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. I support clients with mood disorders, anxiety, stress, trauma, grief, identity exploration, and relationship challenges. I especially enjoy working with young adults, immigrants/international clients, and people navigating family conflict, acculturation, and career or academic pressure. Growing up in a community-oriented culture in India, I learned the value of mutual support and interdependence, which continues to shape my therapeutic style. Together, we would explore both your inner self and the systems around you, identifying sources of strength and support within yourself, as well as within your relationships and communities.

Looking for support during a life change? Feeling stuck? Then let's talk. Clients say I bring calm attention, humor, & creativity to all my engagements and that I help them center, increase awareness, build resiliency practices, and recalibrate communication and routines that have gone off-track. I hold certifications in IFS, mindfulness, nature/outdoor guidance, coaching, EMDR along with somatic and expressive arts practices. I've worked in multicultural, medical and educational settings supporting people of all ages - from children-to-parents-to-elders. A unique part of what I offer is to meet outside for walk-and-talk sessions and to explore ways that Nature can be a resource in your healing and grounding process. Nature reminds us that stability during change is possible and that we are always connected to larger things in this world, seen and unseen. In the spirit of Rumi's quote "what you seek is seeking you," let's work together to move you toward whatever calling you forward.

My work focuses on increasing one’s awareness of—and investment in—all aspects of their wellness: emotional, mental, behavioral, physical, relational, and spiritual. Rather than working solely through the lens of specific pathologies or treatment modalities, I aim to evaluate how one’s personality, coping skills, learned behaviors, lifestyle choices, avoided experiences, self-concept, and relationships combine to either promote or impede overall wellness. As such, I provide an eclectic blend of therapy that is informed by third-wave cognitive and behavioral modalities, relational work, insight-oriented approaches, and a broad understanding of health and wellness. Philosophically and clinically, I am influenced by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), contemporary Western Buddhism, mindfulness, relational dynamics, Evolutionary Psychology, Existentialism, and Psychodynamics. I have received training from multiple sources in using ACT and ERP for the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders, am a member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and hold a certificate in Mindfulness & Psychotherapy from the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. I specialize in helping people whose anxiety manifests as obsessions, compulsions, rumination, phobias, intrusive thoughts, avoidance, or perfectionism. My approach is also effective for depression, chronic pain or other psychophysiological concerns; addictive or destructive behaviors; self-concept issues; and tough life transitions. In addition, I enjoy supporting those experiencing relational difficulties, romantic or sexual dissatisfaction, or working through men's issues. I work with many undergraduate and graduate students and am familiar with the lifestyle and unique challenges faced by these populations. I am also pleased to offer empathy and lived experience to those exploring the impacts of their Jewish ethnicity or upbringing. After receiving my undergraduate degree in Human Development from Binghamton University, I spent a few years as a high school educator, focusing on wellness education, sex and sexuality education, mindfulness education, harm reduction, and relational wellness. This path led me to a greater interest in mental health counseling and the decision to obtain a Master of Education in Counseling from Boston University, where I completed a clinical internship at The Groton School, an independent residential school in Massachusetts for grades 8-12. During this experience, I received supervision in the use of ACT and ERP to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, perfectionism, academic stress, adjustment challenges, and depression. After graduate school, I worked at Riverside Community Care’s Life Skills program in Somerville, a day treatment program for adolescents transitioning from psychiatric hospitalization back into their schools and communities. Following that, I became a counselor at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. These positions deepened my clinical experience across a wide range of presentations while strengthening my ability to work with individuals as members of larger relational networks—always focusing on access to resources, connections with peers and programming, and managing the demands of school, work, and life. Since January 2024, I have been working with Soultality and am pleased to offer my services to adolescents, young adults, and emerging adults in the community and across Massachusetts. In my free time, I am usually exercising (running, climbing, biking, jumping, crawling, lifting, etc), at the movie theater, cooking vegetarian feasts, dancing, cleaning and organizing my space, or spending time with friends.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

CampusCare Counseling is a group practice exclusively serving college students. Our clinicians have extensive experience in working with undergraduate and graduate students. We provide services that are informed by research on college mental health, developmental characteristics and needs of emerging adulthood (ages 18-29), trauma-informed approach, and sociocultural issues in mental health. We assist our clients by providing individual therapy, group therapy, and career services. We accept Student Health Insurance of Tufts University and Boston College.