Therapists for college students near 02138
Using an integrative approach, my therapeutic style is grounded in compassion, honesty, humor, and humility. I work with individuals of all ages, but specialize in working with college-age adults. Individual therapy sessions are provided for 45-minutes/session, usually scheduled on a weekly basis. These weekly sessions lay the foundation for a strong therapeutic relationship, help with learning new skills, and create important momentum so you can experience relief and reach your therapy goals. We will work together to acknowledge and understand your past experiences and begin to re-affirm your feelings of personal worth. I also provide full and partial psychological evaluations, diagnostic evaluations (ADHD, mood, anxiety, learning, autism, developmental disorders), and educational evaluations. Assessments can be structured to measure social functioning, personality, memory, language, learning, and attention, or to provide diagnostic clarity. Individualized recommendations provided will support and facilitate growth, helping to set the path for success.
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.
I am a licensed mental health practitioner with 13 years of experience and specialized certification in child and family forensics. I support individuals as they navigate trauma, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, intimate partner violence, forensic and legal challenges, and major life transitions. My approach cultivates self-awareness within the unique context of each client’s social identities, drawing on multidisciplinary methods such as CBT applied through a social justice lens. I tailor my techniques to individual needs, fostering a supportive and collaborative therapeutic relationship.
Over the past more than 10 years of practice in psychotherapy, I am always amazed by people’s resilience, their longing and efforts for something better. I feel privileged to be part of their journey. While I have worked in a variety of clinical settings, including 5 university counseling centers, I have deeply enjoyed working with college students and young adults during an important transitional period in their lives. I approach therapy from a strength-based, humanistic perspective which integrate Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), interpersonal process, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotional focused Therapy and mindfulness. I was born and grew up in China. Living in two different cultures has its own challenges and rewards. I learned to appreciate the richness of human experiences and cultures, also practice therapy through a multicultural lens. I am bilingual, provide psychotherapy both in English and Mandarin.
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.
If you’ve been finding yourself stuck in old patterns that you cannot change, perhaps struggling with feelings of inadequacy or fear of failure, you’ve come to the right place. The constant doubting and shaming of a strong inner critic can prevent us from entering new relationships, pursuing our interests and goals, and convince us that it’s not safe to allow anyone to get to know our true selves. Choosing to confront these themes in therapy takes courage and vulnerability, and represents the first step in a decision to prioritize your mental health. I will work with you to explore the themes that brought you to therapy, and develop the self-compassion to show up more authentically in your life. My therapeutic style is compassionate, sometimes humorous, and client-led. I center my work around Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach, and I often pull from relational or psychodynamic modalities as well. I work with adolescents and adults of all backgrounds, and I specialize in working with those who identify as athletes or performers (musicians, actors, dancers, etc.) If you’re interested in starting therapy to address some of those old patterns or painful feelings, I hope you’ll take the time to consider if we would work well together.
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
I believe therapy is most meaningful when it feels deeply human, collaborative, and emotionally honest. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, capable, and deeply insightful, yet still find themselves caught in recurring patterns of anxiety, self-criticism, overwhelm, or disconnection from themselves. My approach is grounded in relational, psychodynamic, and somatic perspectives, with attention to the ways past experiences continue to shape our emotions, relationships, and sense of self. Together, we explore not only what you are feeling, but the patterns and protections that may once have helped you cope. I view therapy as an active relationship — one where we can slow down, stay curious, and make space for parts of your experience that may feel difficult to name or understand. My style is warm, engaged, and collaborative, while also helping clients deepen insight and reconnect with themselves more fully. I often work with concerns related to anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, identity development, life transitions, and relationship difficulties. Above all, I strive to create a space where you feel genuinely seen — not rushed, judged, or dismissed. I believe meaningful and lasting change emerges through the safety of a real therapeutic relationship.
It's hard to be successful as a college student when you are constantly worried, have that "sinking feeling" in your stomach, have difficulty managing your time and social commitments. These can be signs of anxiety and I can help with treatment that works. I also treat panic disorders, PTSD and other trauma related challenges. I can help you deal with perfectionism, performance anxiety, creativity struggles, environmental anxiety, gender identity, experience of sexual trauma, and attention related struggles. I also help improve male mental health journeys. My clients note they like my present and focused approach that does not leave them "floundering" in therapy. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you get better faster. I know you already have the capacity and the strength to change, and you are channeling it right now. Even if you don't feel that power we will help you connect to it. I have seen the transformation many times, the freedom and the full engagement in life that can follow after the most distressing anxiety symptoms are under control.
I am an experienced psychologist who works well with undergraduate and graduate students. Together we can create a road map for how you would want to more fully live your live. I can help with anxiety, mood, self-esteem and attentional issues. I am particularly interested in working with students who are first generation college students and/or students who are from diverse backgrounds. I collaborate with other providers if requested so you get the best possible care.
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.
Perhaps everyone around you thinks you have it all together. Maybe you’re doing it all and managing a smile in the process. But, on the inside, is it chaos? Perhaps you landed here because you’re not just managing to do lists, but fighting that voice in your head that tells you you’re doing it all wrong, and that you’re not good enough. You’re working on boundaries, trying to communicate effectively and desperately trying to connect with those around you while trying to be the best at everything – Are you juggling ALL. THE. TIME? Exhausted, have nothing left to give, and no time for you? Well, not anymore. I’m glad you found me. It’s time to change your worry into hope and fears into strength. You want to mean it when you smile and feel peace when you rest. You want to practice this thing they call self-care and create a balance in your life without the guilt. You want to have meaningful relationships and feel confident in who you are and the path you’re on. I can help. With the ability to reach out anytime, access to secure portal with messaging options, and web based video sessions, you can finally find the time to make yourself a priority from the comfort of your home. I provide web based and self care therapy and coaching for individuals and couples who find themselves in a challenging time and are looking for a Bridge to healthyself.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
I work from a relational-cultural, psychodynamic lens rooted in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and liberation-centered therapeutic work. Within a trusting relationship, we will adapt our work to your needs, which may involve use of techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, intersectional feminist therapy, narrative therapy, expressive arts therapy, and/or grief counseling. Mutuality is the essence of my work; in relationships between people, people and nature, and people and their socio-cultural-political landscape. Intentionally focused on de-pathologizing our human experiences, I work with adults navigating relational dynamics, anxiety/mood disorders, complex/interpersonal/institutional/systemic trauma, queer-trans and ethno-racial identity development, grief, transitions, immigration, body image, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and economic stressors, in context. I have worked extensively with survivors (aged 18-72) of gender-based violence in India and the US. Consensual resource-sharing, political education, therapeutic self-disclosure, seeking feedback, and reflecting on our interpersonal dynamics will be embedded within my therapeutic work, which will be adapted to your personal needs from one session to another.
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 am a culturally sensitive mental health counselor with long years of college teaching experience. I have been working with international students and immigrant families for 12 years in culturally diverse communities. My clients and colleagues describe me as a warm, intuitive, creative and culturally sensitive professional with a good sense of humor. I have been approaching my students and clients as storytellers and feeling fortunate to be part of their narratives. I love helping young adults to cope with social, emotional, psychological and academic issues and supporting them to gain control and feel happy within their lives.
Are you a diamond in the rough? I provide social psychologically informed therapy that looks concentratedly at each client's various emotions in context, how and why emotions arise in relationships and what they have to tell us. I help clients look at their complex feelings related to self, break ups, loss of connection, and unresolved grief or anger, and their positive feelings. I try to help clients persist at these times to discover unrealized strengths, better connections. I work with a sense of humor, realism and practicality. I hope my clients can feel secure and increasingly present, and make smarter, more conscious choices. I am a Licensed Psychologist. My education consists of a B.A. from Brown University, an M.L.A. in Social Psychology from Harvard University, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.
People come to see me when they feel stuck and have had enough. I help parents help their children; help couples and families get closer and happier; and in general help people successfully resolve issues such as: stress, anxiety, adjustment to new life circumstances (relocation, family changes), relationship issues (divorce, extra-marital affairs, conflict), and dealing with difficult family members. I work with individuals and families dealing with medical conditions that can be affected by stress (Gastrointestinal issues, pain, sleep disturbances). I also work with people interested in specific skill building such as: stress/anxiety management, assertiveness and dealing with conflict, communication, and more.
** Telehealth and In-Person appointments.** We all long for our experiences, feelings, and needs to be seen, recognized, and honored. I bring to our work deep respect for your concerns and suffering. I place the therapeutic relationship at the heart of our work together which I approach with curiosity and empathy. I am most interested in what your unique experience is, and I aim to listen deeply on our road toward understanding. A safe-enough space will help us to transform your patterns of experience that interfere with your ability to be compassionate with yourself, to build meaningful relationships, and to work and play creatively, in other words, to live a fulfilling life. I am humbled by the complexity of human existence and feel honored to work with individuals from different racial and cultural backgrounds, sexual and gender identities, as well as spiritual and religious affiliations. In addition to my private practice, I am an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School (part-time) and supervise psychology interns and psychiatrist fellows. I served as the co-chair of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology Graduate Student Committee helping young clinicians explore and develop their professional identities.
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.