Therapists for college students near Boston College

You are told that college will be the best four years of your life. However, the reality is not living up to the expectation. For many, college is not the best four years of their life. What it is, however, is a period of tremendous self discovery and growth, often propelled by social and academic challenges. I am here to walk with you, side by side, through this journey. Graduate school presents another set of challenges as the pressure and intensity of both the workload and future career decisions come into play. Therapy is a dynamic conversation geared towards your needs-to be challenged, validated, empowered, or understood; every session is designed to meet you where you are both that day and in their overall therapeutic journey. I value the use of humor and authentic connection. I primarily utilize psychodynamic therapy, CBT, and attachment theory, all within a trauma informed lens. Current and past clients have highlighted that they valued my authenticity as a person and provider, that I created a non-judgmental, accepting, and empathetic space where they felt truly seen and cared for, and that our work together has been valuable and healing. Please reach out via email for an initial consultation.

Do you feel overwhelmed when facing life's obstacles? Have you tried to find ways to help yourself, but things have not improved, no matter what you do? Therapy can help you find new ways of dealing with life's challenges that have become too much to handle alone. Every person has a reservoir of strength inside. Through compassionate, supportive therapy, you can connect to your strengths to develop new ways of dealing with problems and complicated feelings, relationships, and transitions. I work with clients to understand the causes of their pain and difficulties. I offer different approaches to developing an effective strategy for internal and external struggles. I combine concrete skills for managing daily stressors with a process of self-understanding to achieve more profound long-term change. I am a licensed clinical social worker with extensive training in trauma-focused therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and internal family systems (IFS). I also use EMDR modality for some specific processing work. I have experience in providing therapy to people from diverse backgrounds - race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and more.

At Back Bay Mental Health, we connect best with college students from Boston and Cambridge who are juggling the intense pressures of school, social life, and figuring out who they are—all while facing mental health challenges that can make it feel impossible to keep up. Whether you’re a BU student burning out from late-night study sessions, a Harvard undergrad wrestling with anxiety that’s derailing your focus, or a BC student quietly struggling with depression after a tough semester, we get it. Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is built for students like you—smart, driven, and determined to thrive, but maybe feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or stuck right now. We work best with students who are ready to tackle issues like stress, mood swings, trauma, or even substance use that’s crept into their lives, without putting their college experience on hold. You might be someone who’s tired of pretending everything’s fine when it’s not, or who’s been hit hard by a breakup, a family crisis, or the weight of expectations—and needs a space to sort it all out. Our clients often share a desire to feel in control again, to find balance, and to get back to enjoying the things that matter, like acing that midterm or hanging out with friends without a cloud hanging over them. Located right in the heart of Back Bay, steps from the Babcock Street T stop, our IOP fits into your busy student life with flexible scheduling—think evening sessions that leave your days free for class or work. We’re here for the perfectionists who’ve hit a wall, the creatives battling self-doubt, or the athletes sidelined by stress. If you’re ready to take on your mental health with a team that gets the college grind and won’t judge where you’re at, we’d love to help you find your footing and thrive.

People often seek therapy when they feel overwhelmed by problems and disconnected from the values, relationships, and experiences that give meaning to their lives. I am excited about working together to help you claim agency in the face of life's problems so that you can become the primary author of your life's story. My background and training have focused on Narrative Therapy, which helps people stand up to problems and align themselves more closely with their values and beliefs. This approach also prioritizes separating personal identities from the problems that, for many people, have come to define their sense of self. I enjoy the process of supporting college students through the unique challenges and transitions that characterize this phase of life. My practice also welcomes people who identify as neurodivergent and/or belong to the LGBTQ+ community. If the challenges you're up against (such as anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and interpersonal/family conflict) are exerting too much control over you and your life, I invite you to contact me to schedule a free phone consultation.

Choosing the right therapist can make all the difference. Making the decision to seek out counseling is difficult enough. Crooked Tree Counseling is a group of psychotherapists who are committed to making the counseling experience a satisfying and successful one. From your first contact with us through your psychotherapy, we focus on creating positive working relationships from which healthy change can arise. We offer counseling, consultation and supervision. Located in Central Square Cambridge, MA we are easily accessible by the MBTA. If you are hoping to make a meaningful change in your life, and you are looking to work with an experienced psychotherapist as your guide, at Crooked Tree Counseling you can find the right person to help. We offer in-person & telehealth sessions!

Hello, I'm Elana Cockburn Jones at Crooked Tree Counseling. I bring over ten years of experience supporting adolescents, young adults, and families through pivotal life transitions. I specialize in helping young adults navigate the challenges of growing up—whether it's managing anxiety, building confidence, or finding direction. I honor the complexity of each client’s identity and lived experience, creating a safe and affirming space that is compassionate, collaborative, and culturally responsive. My approach integrates CBT, ACT, solutions-focused, and a strengths-based lens to foster growth, self-awareness, clarity, and resilience. I work closely with families navigating the complexities and beauty of parenthood by strengthening your own regulation, communication skills, and meaningful connection with your children. I practice from an anti-racist, trauma-informed, and equity-centered lens. I received my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling with a School and Community Specialization from Lesley University. I currently work with older adolescents and adults of all ages. I look forward to hearing from you! Note that an intake coordinator from our practice will respond to you to schedule an initial consultation.-

Hello, I am Hope Notaro at Crooked Tree Counseling. I am a licensed mental health counselor who earned my bachelor and master's degrees at Lesley University. I have spent several years working in both school and community settings with children, teens, and young adults conducting both group and individual therapy. I approach counseling from a client centered and strengths based framework and draw from CBT and mindfulness based strategies. I see therapy as an opportunity for healing, growth, and developing insight about how people navigate their inner and outer worlds. I aim to create a compassionate and collaborative environment where you can identify and understand patterns in your past and present, explore and foster your sense of self, and develop coping skills for managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Please note that an intake coordinator from our group practice will respond to you to set up an initial consultation.-

Hello, I am Mandy Read at Crooked Tree Counseling. I am able to create a warm, comfortable space through active listening along with genuine curiosity to establish a feeling of ease within the therapeutic relationship. I aim to create a collaborative environment in which you are the expert of your own experiences. My presence in the room offers warmth and safety in a therapeutic space designed for meaningful exploration of past, present, and preferred future. Please note that an intake coordinator from our group practice will respond to you to set up an initial consultation.

I work from a feminist, attachment-informed, neurodiversity and queer affirming framework and incorporate relational, psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) approaches in my practice. We will explore how the different parts of your personality create patterns in your life, relationships and emotional dynamics that inhibit your capacity for love, authenticity, and peace. By compassionately witnessing how your parts have helped you survive, we will create a space for you to move towards a life free from the weight of trauma, oppression, shame, and grief. I work with adults and couples/polycules affected by mood/anxiety disorders, complex trauma/PTSD, identity concerns, life transitions, relationship challenges, neurodivergence (ADHD, ASD), and LGBTQ+ issues. I work with clients across a wide spectrum of presenting concerns and specialize in working with clients healing from complex trauma. I am a lesbian and neurodivergent clinician with extensive experience working with queer and neurodivergent clients. As a former domestic violence advocate, I appreciate the power of relationships to both heal and harm. I am certified in EMDR and trained in IFS (Level I and II), including training in Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO).

Hello! I am a psychotherapist in private practice in Cambridge, MA and at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. My practice is in psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a highly developed treatment model that helps us to fully resolve underlying causes of our distress, leading to meaningful and lasting changes in how we understand and relate to ourselves and the world around us. The aim is not only to resolve symptoms, but to go beyond, and help us develop a greater capacity for creativity, humor, relationships, and work. I often work with people who find themselves stuck in unsatisfying patterns of experience or feelings, that occur within their relationships, work, or internal worlds. Sometimes this involves helping people look at parts of themselves that are painful or unclear. Those who engage in psychotherapy and/or psychoanalysis, often find that old ways of feeling and being can change, and new patterns of experience can emerge.

I'm a board-certified psychiatrist who works with students using therapy, medication, or both, depending on what's helpful at the time. My goal is to support people in feeling more like themselves and moving toward the life they want. I strive to create a space where students feel heard, validated and able to grow. Sometimes that means using medication to ease depression, anxiety, or ADHD. Other times, it means listening closely during a hard moment, creating space to mourn what could have been or looking more deeply at patterns that make life more difficult and finding ways to change them. My psychiatric training took place at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean hospital, both affiliated with Harvard Medical School. I then went on to teach residents and work at McLean for many years. I've trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy (understanding how early events shape us), DBT (building skills to manage intense emotions and reduce self-harm), and relational theory (exploring how healing happens through connection). I draw on these approaches together to find what best fits each person I work with. I am only in network with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Boston College's student insurance and the MGB Employees insurance. You can learn more about me at aaronfrenzmd.com

Heather Thompson-Brenner, Ph.D., is a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist and researcher in psychotherapy outcome. She uses the therapeutic methods that are best supported by research, in a warm, supportive environment. She has specialized training in exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, and narrative therapy. Intensive, short-term, and long-term options are available. Her specialties include anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, along with academic, relationship, and family issues. She frequently work with students, academics, and writers from Harvard, Boston University, Tufts, Northeastern, Lesley, and elsewhere.

Hi! My name is Sam Aston and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) at Crooked Tree Counseling, LLC in Cambridge, MA. I center my work on exploring the areas of meaning, uncertainty, and contradiction. I utilize a curious, non-judgmental, and embodied approach with a focus on your expectations and desires to assist you in better accepting, understanding and becoming who you want to be. To compliment this approach, I utilize ACT, CBT, existential, psychodynamic, and mindfulness therapies and invite clients to be shared collaborators on this journey. I have experience in college settings and in adult outpatient work focusing on anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation. I centers my research on the intersection of technology, community, and identity. I received a master's degree from Boston College. Note that an intake coordinator from our practice will respond to you to schedule an initial consultation. I have both in office and virtual openings!-

As a counselor, Val is passionate about creating a safe environment which fosters healthy vulnerability and honesty, so that clients can feel empowered to take ownership of their individual life goals and journeys. Val works primarily from a person-centered, systemic, and existential approach. She considers clients as a part of the broader life systems, and hopes to help clients gain and exercise self-advocacy tools to use throughout their daily lives. Val uses non-judgemental listening skills, humor, candor, and empathy to drive meaningful change within her clients throughout their time in therapy.

Emily earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Roger Williams University and her Master’s degree in Social Work from University of Connecticut (UCONN). She has experience working with children and families in Outpatient, Intensive Outpatient, and school settings. While working with clients, Emily utilizes various modalities, including Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Therapy is a very personal journey for children and their families and she takes a non-judgmental, empowering, and culturally and LGBTQ competent approach to provide a safe space for this incredibly important and life-changing work.

It's common to experience bouts of depression, and anxiety, withdrawal and feelings related to feeling other as you transition to college, or even if you've been there a while. People with ADHD and Autism really start to feel challenged during college. Everything from perfectionism to motivation issues can be triggered. And there is a strong undercurrent of social anxiety in our culture, which can also feel isolating. At Build The Self, we meet in person and online. We like to talk about how you're feeling and think with you about ways you can feel like more part of your community. We listen keenly to your concerns and help you understand them better through exploration, which often provides a decent amount of relief. Give us a call if you're having some trouble. We'd love to help.

At Cambridge Mental Health, we understand the unique pressures faced by the city’s top students, faculty, researchers, and professionals. Our premium psychiatric day treatment* program is thoughtfully designed to deliver the highest level of outpatient mental health care in a setting that reflects the professionalism, discretion, and insight our clients expect. Conveniently located near Harvard, MIT, and the heart of Cambridge’s innovation corridor.

I work as a psychologist at CampusCare Counseling, providing quality mental health services to young adults. My approach is collaborative, trauma-informed, relational, and psychodynamic, relying on building trust in a nonjudgmental space. I believe treatment should be rooted in each client’s unique strengths, relationships and communities. I operate from an anti-oppressive, feminist, disability-affirming, neurodiversity-affirming and intersectional lens. I draw on a wide range of modalities to tailor treatment for each individual, which often includes narrative therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, relational-cultural therapy (RCT), mindfulness, or expressive arts therapy.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.