Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA

The clients I work best with are those who are open to self-discovery and committed to enhancing their mental well-being. They’re ready to take actionable steps toward their goals and value a safe, supportive space where they can freely explore their thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Life has a way of surprising us — a loss, a betrayal, a diagnosis, or a path that no longer feels right. In these moments, it’s easy to feel unsteady or unsure how to move forward. I specialize in working with college students and young adults who are navigating these turning points and trying to find their footing again. With over 15 years of experience in counseling settings at Harvard and MIT, I offer a warm, supportive space where you can slow down, reflect, and feel understood. My approach is both insight-oriented and practical — helping you make sense of your experiences while building tools for meaningful change. Many of my clients are high-achieving individuals — often children of immigrants, or professionals in higher education and STEM — who appear put-together on the outside while quietly carrying stress, grief, or a sense that something isn’t quite working. If that sounds like you, I can help. Let's get started!

My approach to therapy is collaborative, positive and solution-focused, resilience approach, with a focus on overcoming negative experiences and beliefs through a combination of insight into your issues and practical strategies that will help dealing more effectively with issues in your life. I work with individuals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, dealing with life stressors. I specialize in working with people who have experienced various forms of trauma. Currently, I am a senior clinical staff at the University Counseling and Mental Health Service. I particularly enjoy working on issues related to social and cultural adjustment, diversity, intersectionality, and inclusion.

I believe in the power of relationships. We show ourselves, and become ourselves, through our relationships with others. I seek to provide a safe space for collaborative exploration of your thoughts and feelings, including those that may have been pushed aside. By working together to give voice to your desires and fears, and develop non-judgmental awareness of your inner conflicts, you can learn how to give yourself what you need and build resilience. I am a Licensed Psychologist, primarily trained in psychodynamic and family systems practices. specialized in working with adults struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, traumatic experiences, and acculturation/identity issues. I am bilingual (English-Spanish) and bicultural, and have an interest in multicultural clients' needs. I individualize/tailor my therapeutic approach to meet the needs and goals of each client, because this should be about you. Whether you yearn for peace, love, authenticity, balance, or even if you do not know what is missing in your life, please contact me to learn more about how therapy can help you find it.

People seek psychotherapy for different reasons. You may want to address symptoms of depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem, feelings of distress, vulnerability, or isolation. You may be searching for greater meaning, connection, authenticity, and empowerment in your daily interactions. Therapy can help reveal and change patterns that inhibit or undermine living the life you desire. In a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship, we can create conditions for growth, challenge ways of seeing, process painful experiences, and increase your awareness and acceptance of different parts of yourself. I take a relational therapeutic approach and integrate methods that promote insight, emotional awareness, and motivation for behavioral change. Through my training and education at Harvard and Boston Universities, I developed expertise in treating anxiety disorders, trauma and loss, and in helping people identify and strengthen their sources of resilience. It can be an uncomfortable endeavor to start therapy for the first time or again. Building comfort and trust in relationship is one of the first things you and I would work on together. I welcome your questions and input from the start and throughout the process. Please feel free to get in touch.

I specialize in working with adults who have achieved significant success in some domain, but still struggle to feel confident, connected, and/ or whole. Even when you've found academic or career related success, life can still feel empty. Feeling stuck or hopeless is a symptom of the problem. I can help you feel more alive and connected to all parts of your life I have 10 years experience and advanced training in insight oriented and relational psychotherapy. I believe in a curious, compassionate, and flexible approach, where I am an active participant in the conversation. I have a psychodynamic disposition, but am also very influenced by mindfulness and use an integrative approach where I can bring in interventions from multiple modalities if desired.

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.

Bret is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor working in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge, MA. Bret brings a history of working in diverse clinical settings to bear on the work he does with his clients. His range of experiences include in-patient psychiatric settings, partial hospitalization programs, college counseling centers, and the Massachusetts correctional system. He has worked with those seeking therapy for the first time, as well as folks who have experienced a lifetime of navigating the mental health system. Through each of those settings, one constant has remained in the work he has done, which is the conviction that healing only happens through the establishment of a meaningful and authentic therapeutic relationship. Bret’s eclectic history has enabled him to develop a rich and integrated approach to collaborating with the people he forms connections with in his work. In his private practice, Bret works with adults college-age and older. His abiding belief is that in his work he is not working with a diagnosis or a set of symptoms, but with a person with a unique set of complex challenges that have encouraged them to seek assistance from a caring professional. As such, he feels comfortable working with a broad spectrum of therapeutic concerns. However, given his work in corrections, Bret has developed a unique capacity to connect with those who may be skeptical of the therapeutic process or struggled to find success in other therapies. Additionally, Bret specializes in working with young men who have difficulty forming meaningful connections, finding effective ways to express their emotions, and managing impulsivity and aggression towards themself and others. Bret is currently available for in-person and online sessions

I'm a Columbia and Harvard-trained psychologist and specialize in treating anxiety, OCD, ADHD, depression, trauma, and more. I previously served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. As one of the only South Asian and Muslim psychologists in the U.S., including NYC and Boston, and a second-gen immigrant, I am committed to providing a safe and culturally informed space for individuals seeking a therapist who truly understands their unique cultural, religious, and personal experiences. To get started, schedule a free 15-minute call! The best way to reach me is via email.

Supportive Minds was founded by two clinicians passionate about providing community- and empowerment-oriented mental health services. We are a new specialty addictions/high-risk behaviors outpatient group practice that offers inclusive, harm-reduction-oriented addiction and mental health services. We service adult and adolescent populations that include traditionally vulnerable and underserved populations. We offer confidential and safe mental health services that are flexible and customized to our clients in the community, in our office space, or virtually on telehealth. We are trained in various evidence-based clinical models of care. We are a minority-owned business and proud to serve the people of Massachusetts. We at Supportive Minds, PLLC believe in creating entry points for access to high-quality mental health services, especially for vulnerable populations (BIPOC, LGBTQ, and women). We believe in providing evidence-based harm-reduction-oriented treatment and support for high-risk behaviors. We believe in our duty to care and see ourselves in the suffering of others so that we may collectively listen, understand, and when possible, offer support toward empowerment and change.

I am committed to creating a collaborative and open-minded atmosphere where you can come to know yourself more fully. People often seek psychotherapy when they feel overwhelmed and have reached a breaking point. They want to feel more grounded in who they are and the choices they make. Therapy offers a dedicated space to identify, understand and eventually transform painful experiences that have lead to suffering and frustration. My approach is warm and engaged. I have experience working in varied settings (inpatient units, partial programs, and community clinics) and with adults from all walks of life many of whom have lived through various traumatic experiences. I particularly enjoy working with graduate students and first gen college students navigating life transitions. I deeply respect the courage it takes to come to therapy and I welcome hearing from you.

I specialize in working with teens, college students, and young adults who are struggling to connect with their authentic selves. My clients often present with relational conflicts, low self-worth, anxiety, or attachment trauma. My approach is relaxed and relational, combining psychodynamic and strengths based methods to go beyond quick fixes to help clients identify root causes that may be limiting their personal growth or contributing to emotional distress. As a therapist, I believe that healing begins in the context of a safe, attuned relationship. I work with clients to build a deep and secure therapeutic connection - one rooted in trust and emotional safety. I have experience working in various mental health settings, including community mental health, hospitals, colleges, and alternative school placements. Above all, I’m human - both in and out of the therapy room. I show up as my full, authentic self, and I invite my clients to do the same. If you are seeking relational and supportive therapy, I would love to connect!

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.”

Hello, I’m Ruolin Xie, an outpatient therapist at Orange Door Collaborative. Since earning my Master’s degree in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis in 2016, I have provided psychotherapy and clinical support to individuals and families of diverse ages and cultural backgrounds. My clinical specialties include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), grief and loss, LGBTQ+ concerns, interpersonal and relational challenges, parenting stress, and cultural adjustment issues. In my practice, I strive to create an affirming, empowering, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, strength-based, and client-centered therapeutic space. I dedicate myself to bringing both compassionate presence and active collaboration, offering skill-building where appropriate, while actively listening to each person’s unique experiences. My approach integrates neuroscience-informed methods with a holistic mind-body philosophy, allowing for tailored treatment plans that support both effective symptom relief and meaningful, long-term healing. I offer both short-term therapy for immediate needs and longer-term therapy for trauma recovery and self-exploration. I am trained in a range of evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). As a multilingual clinician, I offer therapy in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. A quote that continues to resonate with me is from Leonard Cohen: “There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.” While I don’t seek to romanticize suffering — pain can be disorienting and deeply isolating—I believe that with skilled support, it is possible to uncover the human resilience, self-authenticity, and fierce self-compassion that emerge through healing. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to help you explore whether working together feels like the right fit. Please feel free to reach out by phone or email—I'd be honored to support you on your path.

Sara is an experienced practitioner offering individual therapy for adults and adolescents. She helps individuals understand how past experiences affect thinking and choices in the present. Her approach also offers skills to manage difficult emotions, increase flexibility and build balanced relationships so clients can move their lives in the direction they want. Treatment will prioritize the understanding that individual needs and experiences occur at the intersection of gendered, sexual, racial, class, ethnic, spiritual and ideological identities. The reality that every brain and body works differently is also centered in treatment.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Therapy serves as an opportunity to be curious – to explore the patterns and narratives we carry, repeat, and, at times, feel bound by. Through gentle curiosity, we create space for healing and give ourselves the opportunity to blossom into more authentic versions of ourselves. My therapeutic approach is grounded in psychodynamic and attachment theories. With compassion and warmth, I listen closely to the unique story of your life, honoring the experiences that have shaped how you relate to yourself and others. Together, we will untangle these experiences and cultivate hope that life can improve in ways that feel deeply meaningful. I offer individual psychotherapy to adults and older adults with a variety of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, grief, bereavement, trauma, relational difficulties, and identity exploration. Importantly, I strive to remain mindful of the nuanced ways our identities shape our experiences and influence how we move through the world. I have specialized training in geropsychology and am passionate about helping adults navigate the complexities of aging, later-in-life transitions, caregiving, existential concerns, and ageism. My experience also includes working in college counseling centers, memory disorder clinics, community mental health, and with veterans.

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.

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!

I actively engage with my clients to help them identify and articulate their distress. We work together to discover the counter-productive behaviors and thought patterns leading to this distress. We then work together again on challenging and changing those thoughts and actions. You can expect a therapy experience that is engaged, solution focused, and interactive.