Therapists in Arlington, MA

Providing Massachusetts statewide services. Mental health issues are at an all time high. It's ok to ask for help. Please don't struggle alone. Dr. Chelmow has > 30 years in the mental health field - focusing on work, family, education, financial & social problems to quickly help reduce anxiety, depression, family issues & substance abuse. He has worked as a business executive & in governance. He has taught at Harvard Medical School, the University of Massachusetts, Cambridge College & Springfield College & written many articles on health care. He provides training to business on difficult work situations, stigma & multiculturalism.

My 20 years of working with adolescents and their families has taught me to approach clients with a non-judgmental, non-authoritative attitude. This helps clients take an honest look at their lives and identify what things need to change or be accepted. Meeting a client without preconceived expectations is critical because it gives me a chance to see the client from her/his own point of view. Also, I work very hard to not act too "therapisty," which is something that often hinders therapy with adolescent clients in particular (e.g., "How does that make you feel?").

I see patients searching for meaning and fulfillment in their lives, or wrestling with existential issues of loneliness, a sense of loss or mild to profound disconnection. Sometimes this coincides with anxiety, depression, trauma, difficulty relating to others, or a lack of comfort living in their own body.

I work with individuals, couples, and families to address concerns with relationships, identity, intimacy and sexuality, and spirituality, in addition to general psychological problems. My approach to therapy is active, relational, and result-oriented, encouraging clients take hold of their life and find the meaning that life holds for them. I have served as an instructor at Harvard Medical School and Psychologist at the Cambridge Health Alliance for more than 25 years. And have been serving on the Advisory Board of the Dr. Phil Show, since its inception. (See drchirban.com and swampscottpsychologicalassociates.com)

I feel my ideal client is one who is self-motivated in wanting to uncover what hides beneath their unresolved traumas, fears, and old survival modes.

For over 25 years, I have been providing psychotherapeutic and psychodiagnostic services for children, adolescents and adults. I work collaboratively with children, adolescents, parents and families in psychotherapy, parent consultation and family therapy and specialize in providing neuropsychological and psychological evaluations for children with learning, developmental and psychiatric difficulties and consulting with public and private schools about the needs of such children. I also specialize in providing psychotherapy services to children and families in the context of divorce, including post-divorce parent coordination services.

I appreciate your efforts to seek therapy and hope that this description serves as a useful introduction to my practice. My approach is client-centered, flexible, and integrative, meaning that I draw from multiple schools of theory and practice in treatment. I most frequently offer Cognitive Behavioral, Mindfulness-Based, Psychodynamic and Motivational treatments. I work with adolescents and adults, with particular interests in anxiety disorders, OCD, work-related stress and career coaching, substance use problems, learning differences, grief/bereavement counseling, and phase-of-life transitions.

I am full with a waitlist. I offer collaborative, warm, and interactive therapy to help people create meaningful change. Through therapy, you can jumpstart and sustain a process of growth and healing, reduce anxiety and depression, and develop the insight and commitment to stop harmful patterns that no longer serve you. I’m focused on helping people become more authentic in work and relationships, less stressed, and more connected to their values. My particular areas of interest are to help people lessen anxiety and recover from trauma.

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 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.

Feeling nervous or stressed is natural. When these feelings overwhelm us, we need someone to listen, to validate our concerns, and to help us get to the root of our problems with tools that will inspire hope, and help us regain control of our lives. I use Mindfulness Practices to help people sit with, and tolerate what comes up. I use Self-Compassion Practices to help soothe what ails you, and I often use CBT to organize our plan going forward. This gives you tools that you can use immediately, and strikes a fine balance between listening and responding.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety, mood, and behavioral disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. I have extensive experience helping individuals, families, and parents manage symptoms of social anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, phobias, generalized anxiety, BFRBs, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I earned my MA and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Suffolk University and completed my post-doctoral fellowship at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate.

Good therapy happens when clients feel respected and understood. I listen, talk, interpret, untangle - always drawing on my experience with intergenerational and relational issues - to address your individual needs. Together we can identify goals, overcome obstacles, and help you make positive change.

I am currently accepting new patients. I am a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders with young adults and adults. Clients and colleagues describe me as a thoughtful, warm professional with a good sense of humor. I tailor my approach to meet the individual needs of each client, and my goal is to provide a supportive atmosphere where we can work towards your goals effectively. My primary training is in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which I integrate with insight-oriented therapy and other evidence-based treatment modalities.

Each client seeks counseling for a variety of reasons. It may be to explore personal issues, improve relationships, seek out more meaningful work, change habits or lessen pain and increase pleasure. The importance of seeking out root causes, early conflicts, traumas and defenses may provide ways of moving forward. Whether one wants to look at early and present relationships, or love and work issues, therapy can be a way of working through substantial conflicts. By being open to various methods and committed to the work, and by seeking meaning and discovering strengths, you may find new ways of perceiving, feeling and behaving.

Welcome! I offer weekly and every other week individual therapy to adults that oscillates between supportive and challenging, and is always mindful of the therapeutic relationship and therapeutic alliance. Goals range from working through internal conflict, anxiety, and depression to dealing with the external world and interpersonal relationships. I will not tell you what you should do, though I will do my best to work through it with you and to help find and support your inner compass.

*NOW ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS* Brighter Life Therapy practice just hired additional highly talented and compassionate therapists who have availability. We are happy to work with your financial needs, as we offer a sliding scale fee while we wait for the newly hired therapists to be paneled with insurances.

Are you seeking to understand yourself better? Are you looking to make sense of your relationship dynamics? Do you wish things were better, but you don't know how to get there? You CAN feel empowered by an expanding of your understanding, gathering insight, and educating the choices you make in how you decide to live your life. I work with couples, and adults to help make sense of obstacles, understand how relationship histories effect life today, and become more comfortable with themselves. This is done in an atmosphere where you are accepted for who you are. We can discuss your goals.

The aim of my practice is to help reduce moments of suffering and discomfort while increasing moments of joy, connectedness and resilience. I focus on creating authentic, curious and challenging therapeutic relationships from which my clients and I explore and take on possible pathways to meaningful change. Shifting away from unhelpful patterns in our lives can be scary and overwhelming. I look forward to supporting you as you navigate the pain and joy that can come from the process of seeking positive change.

I understand the importance of developing resilience-to-change in order to effectively cope with major life transitions including losses and endings (divorce, retirement, serious medical illness) as well as beginnings (new relationships, marriage, birth of a child, starting a career). Without such resilience, life can feel overwhelming, self esteem becomes precarious, and mood can dip dramatically. As a licensed clinical psychologist, with more than 30 years experience, my clients value my warm, collaborative approach to relationship issues, executive stress, mid-life issues, inter-generational conflicts, and self-defeating behaviors that keep people stuck.