Therapists for college students near Boston College

I work with older teens and young adults who are typically struggling with more than one thing that leads to feeling really big emotions. A common co-occurrence is ADHD/Anxiety, but it could be any combination - mood disorder and autism, social anxiety and feeling angry all the time...having more than one thing at a time makes it more difficult to figure out what to do about those big emotions, which is where I come in. I help figure out what's going on, what are some tools that can help those emotions, and how you can start recognizing when that surge of emotion is coming before it becomes unmanageable.

I am a practicing psychotherapist for the last 38 years. I have worked exhaustively with clients of all ages, especially 18 through adults in their senior years. My strengths of identifying the issue succinctly and creating, with the client, a plan of action. I generally do not see clients weekly, however if there is a crisis I will be available. My focus is based on Students who suffer from anxiety, depression, or ADHD. Career and relationship concerns. Please reach out and we can speak about your concerns.

Bernice Ruiz has over 18 years of dedicated service to children, youth, and families as an educator then mental health therapist. Her treatment approach is tailored to each clients' unique needs with a focus on depression, anxiety, relationship issues and school related-issues. She’s collaborated in delivering national suicide-prevention programming and has supported incarcerated mothers after release. As a first generation Haitian-American, she has a particular interest in supporting international students and other first/second-generation students address the stressors of navigating the education system.

Finding the right therapist with whom to create a strong therapeutic alliance is paramount to success. I work with my clients in a framework of compassion, honesty, trust and safety. Together we will identify your goals, empower you to change what you can in your life and to learn acceptance, not passive resignation, for that which you can not change. Carl Jung put it best, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become”. I work with individuals on a range of issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, past developmental issues and concerns regarding family and relationships. I vary the treatment approach to fit each client, using methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, strengths based, psychodynamic, solutions focused and mind body techniques. In alliance, we can help you get the life you want and deserve.

Hello! I'm glad you're here! Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed with school and life? Having a hard time finding balance in your life? I specialize in working with people dealing with many of the manifestations of anxiety. I focus my clinical work on people who are LGBTQIA, creatives; college students, people who are dealing with chronic health issues; and people in larger bodies through a fat liberation and HAES (Health At Every Size) lens; I strive to be an anti racist provider and I work hard to be transparent, learning from those who are not my clients, and highly accountable.

Empathic, client-centered, strengths-based licensed clinical social worker with twenty years of experience in providing collaborative trauma-informed care. I look forward to understanding your goals and values and offering the best of scientific and humanistic practice to help you reach desired outcomes. I have helped transition-age youth and adults address traumatic experience, loss, anxiety, depression, adjustment to psychiatric disability and other stressful life transitions. I have helped veterans adjust to life after deployment. EMDR trained

“I don’t want to feel like this any longer.” Or “I just want to feel better about myself and my life.” Many of my clients will say something like this. They feel stuck. Anxieties, sadness, pain and the fears of not being good enough only grow. They can point to many good things in their lives but somehow feeling fulfilled and happier isn’t happening. Feeling ashamed to admit even to themselves or others about how hard things are while self-doubt is settling in. Perfectionism, self-criticism and imposter syndrome can tear you down inside even if no one else knows it. Work, school and relationships require energy that is harder to find. The need to present well can be exhausting and at times even destructive. You may try to remind yourself to feel grateful or more positive but sometimes even that reinforces a feeling of shame that your life feels so difficult. The idea of showing up for yourself starts to feel impossible; connecting with friends, family or a partner feels difficult or simply out of reach. Sadness can show up as anger or withdrawing from activities you once enjoyed and withdrawing from people who care about you. As the need to numb yourself grows, alcohol or other addictive patterns may increase. Anxiety, sadness, shame, medical or physical trauma, perinatal challenges, perfectionism and self-criticism, bullying or pain from childhood and family issues, relationship patterns you want to change, sports performance injuries or difficulties, negative thoughts and feelings about yourself and low self-esteem can all have origins in trauma. Trauma may not be the word that is used. Sometimes we think traumatic experiences must be extremely dramatic but actually trauma is experienced by all of us at different times in our lives. Trauma is really anything in our past that is difficult to think about or feel, draining us emotionally. Having a stronger sense of yourself will allow you to respond to challenges with more freedom, as well as direct your life with goals and purpose. If you want to let go of stuff from your past but aren’t sure of how to move forward, I can help.

My main focus is EMDR. I specialize in working with individuals experiencing anxiety, trauma, and mood challenges. Whether you're struggling with anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, or OCD, or dealing with trauma (including PTSD or complex trauma), I'm here to support you in finding relief and healing. My approach is compassionate and collaborative, focusing on helping you feel more grounded, calm, and hopeful about your future. I also use CBT, DBT, IFS and other modalities to help you with the "stuck points" in your life. I have a long-standing interest in supporting people with relationship challenges, attachment issues, and narcissistic personality concerns. In addition, I have expertise in managing mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, and offer specialized care for individuals navigating their first episode, especially young adults and college students. I work closely with you to understand your unique experience and create a treatment plan that works for you. I’m here to help you explore new possibilities, heal at your own pace, and build a path toward greater peace and well-being.

September 2025 update: I have very limited availability for in-person sessions, but a little more availability for online sessions. I'll help you to become aware of your painful feelings and to learn to tolerate them, so that you're free to make choices instead of just reacting to life. I am a licensed, independent social worker. I have worked my way up to the management level of an agency, but interacting directly with clients is what I enjoy most. I have experience working with clients who have many different types of concerns, such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, addiction, and interpersonal problems. I tailor my treatment approaches to the needs and wants of my clients. (If you have some knowledge of treatment approaches, these approaches include psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and motivational interviewing approaches). Besides my Master's in Social Work, I also have a PhD in English, so I am particularly interested in helping clients to use their reading or writing as therapy.

Therapy helps people explore and experience both rough and celebrating moments, and I am with clients through this journey. My practice centers around creating a safe, non-judgmental space where anyone can reconnect with their inner strengths, as well as using skills from evidence-based practices. Through my experience of working with people from different backgrounds, I've developed deep trust in each individual's capacity for growth and self-direction. My work focuses on helping clients uncover their authentic motivations and cultivate confidence in their decision-making abilities. As an individual who comes from a different cultural and language background, I was able to connect with many who have similar struggles. I provide therapy to people aged from 13 to 40, using person-centered therapy paired with CBT/DBT, in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

Libby Flavin, MSW, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Van Dusen Nutrition®. Libby currently works full-time in the Needham office and sees clients for individual in person and virtual psychotherapy sessions. Libby’s mission is to provide a safe space for individuals to reclaim the aspects of their lives that an eating disorder has taken away from them. Her approach is authentic, non-judgmental, and honest. Libby believes in full recovery and that by trusting the process and bettering relationships with self and others, it is possible. Libby received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island. She then completed her MSW at Boston College, specializing in mental health. Libby’s clinical internships consisted of in-home therapy services, academic counseling, and eating disorders at both the partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient levels of care. Following her graduation from Boston College, Libby then went on to continue developing her skills in the treatment of eating disorders at Walden Behavioral Care in Braintree, MA where she ran group therapy, meal monitoring, and provided individual and family therapy to adolescents and young adults. Libby is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association.

PLEASE NOTE: currently, only Telehealth sessions are available. I am committed to helping individuals to find the best within themselves and to share that with those most important to them. Whether you are struggling with anxiety or depression, relationship difficulties (including "dating stress"), or life stresses, I always try to find what will be the most effective way to help you achieve your goals and live a happier, authentic, life, and to have real and meaningful relationships. My orientation is interpersonal, psychodynamic and emotionally focused.I am very active in the therapy relationship and work hard to help clients uncover the dysfunctional patterns that get in the way of genuine, healthy relationships, career goals and personal happiness. In addition to providing psychotherapy services, I offer Neurofeedback . The combination of psychotherapy and "brain training" can be a powerful and effective one, whether individuals are looking to cope with stress or are looking to attain peak performance in their field of endeavor.

WIth over 25 years of experience as a Clinical Social Worker, I have enjoyed working with young adults as they navigate many of life’s transitions. Listening to the stories of many students as they begin college or new chapters, I am aware of the “noise” that often contributes to self doubt and confusion. I specialize in navigating these challenges that often come with life transitions: the excitement as well as the uncertainty, anxiety, sadness and fears. I love to partner with college students to help reframe some of the thinking that leads to feeling stuck and feeling anxious. I support clients to trust and grow their inner resources and resilience while navigating the challenges as they face and transition to new life phases. Through a blend of empathy, active listening and evidence based techniques, I work to create a supportive space where clients can feel heard and they can safely explore their identities and feelings, manage stressors and develop coping strategies to thrive in a world that often feels unsettled.

We are a family centered group practice with clinicians who have different specialties. We are collaborative and work very well as a team. We're located in the heart of Lexington. We take major insurances. We are seeing people in person and via telehealth. We have availability currently.

I’m passionate about helping individuals create a life that feels authentic and fulfilling. With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Utah, I’m currently completing my Master of Social Work (MSW) at Simmons University. I work under the guidance of Sarah Murphy, an experienced counselor, to provide compassionate and effective support to my clients. I specialize in working with individuals experiencing Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I also have a strong interest in supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community, and I am committed to providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your feelings and challenges. I believe that therapy should be a collaborative process, and my goal is to help you develop the tools you need to navigate life’s difficulties, improve your mental well-being, and build a life that feels true to you. If you’re ready to take the next step in your journey toward healing and growth, I would love to work with you!

I believe that the client is the expert of their lived experience. I will partner with you to explore a variety of issues that may be holding you back from wellbeing and peace. This may include difficult beliefs, patterns and behaviors that you want to change, relationship issues, family issues academic stress, and anxiety. I am happy to have a free 15 minute consult to see if we could be a good fit. I am happy to meet for walks or sit outside on a bench in the Cambridgeport area for sessions!

The Awaken Mind Center team has years of healthcare experience and expertise in various areas of the healthcare system. This allows us to work with each individual to address each person's specific mental health needs. ● The Awaken Mind center team offers o Initial Evaluations o Medication Management (Psychopharmacology) o Second Opinion o Evaluation for Medicinal Marijuana o Genetic Testing o Life Coaching ● Individual staff and/or patients are more than welcome to contact Awaken Mind Center directly o www.awakenmindcenter.com o info@awakenmindcenter.com o Office phone: 617-729-2369 o Office Fax: 617-655-9316 o Office Hours: ▪ Admin: 8am-5pm M-F ▪ Provider Hours: Monday through Sunday 8am-8pm (varies by provider) o Address: ▪ 500 Grossman Drive #1132 Braintree, MA 02184 ● Awaken Mind Center accepts the following insurances (Commercial Plan only) o Aetna o Allways Health Partners/Mass General Brigham Health Plans o Blue Cross Blue Shield – BCBS o Cigna o Harvard Pilgrim o Optum Health o Tufts Health Commercial o United Health