Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA
If you've spent years pushing yourself to "just try harder"/"finally get it together," yet you’re still feeling overwhelmed, chronically behind, and like it’s never enough — you’re in the right place. You’re familiar with the exhausting cycle of being a perfectionistic people-pleaser, caught in overthinking and self-criticism. Others see you as accomplished; you feel one misstep away from revealing how scattered things actually are. You’re not looking for a passive listener or generic advice. You want someone who will truly see and accept you, compassionately challenge you, and help you stop chasing approval and start finding peace. I'm a doctorally-trained, board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner offering medication management (in Eng/Mandarin) and psychotherapy (in Eng). I specialize in ADHD, insomnia, women's mental health, and Asian American/first-generation experiences. My approach integrates evidence-based medicine with a holistic focus on aligning mind, body, and purpose. If you're seeking someone who takes the time to see the full picture, treats you as a whole person rather than a checklist of symptoms, and has both the clinical expertise and lived experience to truly understand where you're coming from — I warmly welcome you to reach out and see if we'd be a good fit.
Susan Lincoln is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who has focused her practice on facilitating wellness and healing, enhancing positive and productive relationships, and developing solutions to manage a variety of life stressors. As a therapist, Susan’s approach is to support ongoing personal growth and embrace life-long learning for individuals and families. Prior to joining Crooked Tree Counseling, Susan spent many years working with at-risk adolescents and worked for several years working in an outpatient clinic within a local teaching hospital. Susan has expertise and a strong focus in women’s health, victimization and recovery, survivorship, identity issues, life transitions, and self-care.
I specialize in working with clients who are experiencing a multitude of challenges, including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, disability/chronic illness, identity exploration, and challenges with self-esteem. This can include family/relationship issues, life transitions (including college/early adulthood), or identity formation. I specialize in working with neurodivergent individuals, especially women with ADHD. Supporting LGBTQ+ mental health from an intersectional lens is another focus. I also have an interest in working with clients who are exploring immigrant experience, family dynamics, and generational trauma. I previously worked in college counseling (at Wellesley College) and residential life (at Harvard College), so I'm well-attuned to the specific experiences and challenges of college student life! As a relational psychodynamic therapist, I believe that our experiences are shaped by our relationships with ourselves, other people, and the world at large. My work is informed by feminist, queer, disability, and critical race theory. I also integrate narrative therapy, which allows us to reimagine the stories we tell about ourselves and our lives. I am deeply attentive to how identity and marginalization can impact one's experiences and movement through the world. In my work, I strive for a trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, and socially just practice. I meet clients with curiosity, warmth, and nuance to explore their experiences, relationships, and challenges. My goal is to co-create a welcoming and supportive space in which clients can tell/retell their stories, appreciate their strengths, and work towards their goals
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.
Are you an anxious over thinker navigating relationships or a new career? Are you a people pleaser or highly self critical? I'm Aisling, a licensed therapist specializing in supporting women and adolescents dealing with anxiety, navigating life transitions, and healing from trauma. I hope to provide a space to explore all of those challenges with compassion, sensitivity, and sometimes humor. I view this work as the most important thing I could possibly be doing and I hope each client leaves this space feeling hopeful about themselves and the world around them. I work with adolescents and women to navigate a spectrum of anxiety disorders. In particular, I know how debilitating high functioning anxiety and perfectionism can be. I offer a place to explore the root of the anxiety, people pleasing behaviors, and develop healthy coping skills. I want to empower clients and help them see their own strengths.
We all want to be happy. More specifically, most people want to feel effective and confident, especially when it comes to relationships. We want to feel included, appreciated, and loved. Sometimes these things may seem out of reach, or you may be struggling with other challenges that leave you feeling stuck, discouraged, or helpless. Seeking support from someone with expertise relating to the human experience may be just what you need to feel more empowered and in control of your life. I am a clinical psychologist in private practice, providing behavioral health services to individuals, families, and groups in the Greater Boston area. My goal in a collaborative treatment is to work with you to identify areas of need and to utilize your unique strengths to develop, rediscover or refine ways of managing the obstacles that impede your growth. In a warm and caring environment, we will explore and expand your assets and skills to facilitate positive and adaptive change. Together we will cut the path that you choose toward a life that is increasingly meaningful and satisfying.
Welcome! I work with students who are looking for support in navigating life transitions and the unique stressors of being a student. If you are experiencing existential anxiety, stress, motivation issues or creative blocks, challenging relationships with family, friends, or partners, and issues balancing workload and social life, you are so not alone. Together we will process experiences that may be impacting you, learn how to create and maintain boundaries, and figure out what it means to thrive during this time of your life. Searching for a therapist is a big step to take and finding a good fit can be challenging. I offer free consultation calls to see if it feels like a good fit. No matter where you are in your process, let's talk!
Current Daytime Openings for New Clients- Telehealth Have you been feeling stressed, overwhelmed, overall stuck, or experiencing difficulties with a transition? I would look forward to the opportunity to help. I am here to listen, support, and offer you tools. As a licensed clinical psychologist, I am committed to helping you improve your quality of life. My approach is compassionate, warm, and collaborative. I specialize in anxiety, phobias, panic, acute/chronic health conditions, adjustment to college difficulties, relationship difficulties, depression, tobacco cessation, and parent guidance. I specialize in working with adults of all ages (ages 18+). Sessions are tailored to each client's treatment goals. I utilize cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, positive psychology, strength-based and acceptance and commitment techniques. Our sessions may include understanding the relationship between your thoughts, physical symptoms, coping responses, and emotions and implementation of tools that help you to feel better both in the short-term and long-term. Viewing clinician profiles can be overwhelming. I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation to answer any initial questions you may have and to assess if we feel I am a good fit. I offer therapy in English or Spanish, whichever is your preferred language. All clients representing a variety of sexual orientations, racial, or cultural backgrounds are welcome.
Hi there. I have been working as a therapist for about 9 years and I also work at AANE, a nonprofit that supports neurodivergent folks. I specialize in working with Autistic young adults, and I am particularly interested in helping all people navigate relationship issues, anxiety and struggles around self-acceptance, shame and perfectionism. I'm trained in DBT and that approach shapes my work with my clients and also my own life :) I know the process of looking for a therapist can be daunting and draining. Finding a good fit is important. Don't hesitate to reach out with questions!
Phoenix Rising Centers breaks barriers in mental health care for BIPOC, QTPoC, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Through trauma-informed, anti-racist, and culturally rooted practices, we empower healing, growth, and resilience while confronting systemic inequities.
Together, we can evaluate where your personality, coping skills, behaviors, lifestyle, and relational habits come together either to promote or impede your health. I am passionate about helping people who suffer from obsessions, compulsions, intrusive thoughts, avoidance, perfectionism, and other such unhelpful behaviors. My attention to all-around health is useful for working with those experiencing depression or problematic substance use. In addition, I enjoy supporting those experiencing relational or familial difficulties, romantic/sexual dissatisfaction, or working through issues at the intersection of gender and culture. Our work will be tailored to your unique goals and personality. Using interventions from ACT, ERP, CBT, and mindfulness, I will help you to act in sustainable, value-aligned ways by changing how you relate to your thoughts and emotions. Psychodynamic, existential, spiritual, and holistic health frameworks will provide additional support to our work together. With humor, insight, compassion, and skill, I can help you recognize where you get in your own way and establish new modes of being. Utilizing lived experience and a commitment to transparent, collaborative therapy, I provide a comfortable space for suffering to be aired out and reimagined. I would be honored to walk with you on your journey.
I’m Colleen Madden, PMHNP, specializing in medication management for college students. Whether it’s ADHD, anxiety, or mood concerns, I’ll help you find the right support—without judgment and with your busy schedule in mind. Virtual visits. Afternoon and evening hours available. A safe, understanding space to help you feel like yourself again.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Dr. Shelby Ortega is a clinical psychologist serving the North Shore and Metro Boston areas via Cambridge and Salem office locations. My approach is one characterized by warmth, humor, and the welcoming of diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives. I believe in tailoring the treatment to the unique needs of my clients and providing a safe space that is equally supportive and challenging. I offer individual psychotherapy for adolescents and adults, as well as couples therapy, clinical supervision, and consultation services. I enjoy working with people from all walks of life, and make every effort to help those I work with feel welcomed, engaged, supported, and respected. I work to provide a safe therapeutic frame that is inclusive of social and cultural context, and therefore, welcome discussions of issues related to oppression, privilege, and of course, intersectionality of complex identity statuses. My private practice work is enriched by my academic scholarship and teaching experiences. I believe this work is an asset to my role as a practitioner and I work to extend this benefit to the patients I serve. My specific interests and areas of expertise include the following: Anxiety, Depression and Mood Disorders Relationship and Intimacy Difficulties Identity Exploration Recovery from Trauma and Loss I have extensive training in multicultural mental health, identity development, adult attachment relationships and intimacy, and have also completed two fellowships in psychodynamic psychotherapy at Harvard Medical School. Presently, I serve as a Teaching Associate in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a Psychological and Educational Consultant with Jernigan & Associates, LLC, and as an Advisory Board Member for the Psychology Department at Regis College.
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.”
I am passionate about reducing stigma around mental health and creating a supportive space for all clients. I strongly believe in meeting clients where they are and collaborating with them to create an environment that is most conducive to meeting their therapeutic goals. Additionally, I value the importance of trust in the therapeutic relationship, and I strive to understand my clients’ identities and experiences while exploring their strengths. My passion is working with young adults experiencing anxiety, general stress, interpersonal relationship and family challenges, as well as work or school challenges. I like to work collaboratively with clients, and I welcome open feedback around the therapeutic relationship and process. I am committed to self-reflection and growing in this field to better serve my clients and community. If you think I may be a good fit for you, please reach out. I understand starting therapy can be challenging, and I am here to help with the process. Additionally, many clinicians in our small practice are accepting new clients, and I am happy to provide a referral if you feel I am not be the best match for you.
My expertise is working with college students as I've worked at MIT for 22 and a half years at the MIT MH Counseling Service. Have worked with students from the US and all over the worlds on a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, academic challenges, sexual identity, cultural adjustment and relationships issues.
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.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.