Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA
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.
Life is a journey of continual self-discovery, filled with challenges, stressors, and moments of adjustment. Sometimes, these demands become overwhelming, and navigating them alone can feel overwhelming. As a therapist, I offer client-centered psychotherapy and consultation services for adults. My expertise lies in assisting individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, stressful life situations, relationship difficulties, and adjustments to life changes. Grounded in developmental, cognitive-behavioral, narrative, and internal family systems (IFS) theories, my approach is focused on the client, practical, and strength-based.
Hello. If you are are struggling with depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, negative self-image, perfectionism, relationship difficulty, family conflict, or the question of how to stay steady, focused, and peaceful during this turbulent time, I will listen and work with you from a variety of therapeutic approaches so you may gain stability and self-acceptance and feel fully and meaningfully engaged in your life. I look forward to hearing from you.
Dr. Shelby Ortega is a clinical psychologist serving the North Shore and Metro Boston areas via Cambridge and Salem office locations. My approach is one characterized by warmth, humor, and the welcoming of diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives. I believe in tailoring the treatment to the unique needs of my clients and providing a safe space that is equally supportive and challenging. I offer individual psychotherapy for adolescents and adults, as well as couples therapy, clinical supervision, and consultation services. I enjoy working with people from all walks of life, and make every effort to help those I work with feel welcomed, engaged, supported, and respected. I work to provide a safe therapeutic frame that is inclusive of social and cultural context, and therefore, welcome discussions of issues related to oppression, privilege, and of course, intersectionality of complex identity statuses. My private practice work is enriched by my academic scholarship and teaching experiences. I believe this work is an asset to my role as a practitioner and I work to extend this benefit to the patients I serve. My specific interests and areas of expertise include the following: Anxiety, Depression and Mood Disorders Relationship and Intimacy Difficulties Identity Exploration Recovery from Trauma and Loss I have extensive training in multicultural mental health, identity development, adult attachment relationships and intimacy, and have also completed two fellowships in psychodynamic psychotherapy at Harvard Medical School. Presently, I serve as a Teaching Associate in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a Psychological and Educational Consultant with Jernigan & Associates, LLC, and as an Advisory Board Member for the Psychology Department at Regis College.
I have immediate availability in my schedule! I love to help my clients gain insight into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, build new skills, and use that enhanced self-awareness and skill to make meaningful changes in their lives. I take a strengths-based and collaborative approach that draws from a range of therapeutic modalities and is responsive to your needs and desires. I aim to bring warmth, humor, and authenticity to the therapeutic relationship. I love to work with college students and am a former counselor for the non-profit Bottom Line, where I supported first generation college students through any and all challenges that arose on their journey towards graduation and career readiness. I also enjoy working with people who are anywhere on their journey towards becoming parents or who are searching for greater wellness as parents.
Therapy can help you find relief from distress and free up the “stuck” places in your life, the ways of relating to yourself and others that can feel self-defeating, limiting or out of your control. This can lead to distress that may come in many forms: anxiety, anger, emptiness, detachment. Yet these experiences are not only a source of suffering, they are also a message that speaks to desires, conflicts, and pain. Together, we work to understand all this and place it in the context of where you come from and the world you live in now. The goal is relief from ways of being that cause distress, and to move toward ways that feel expressive of who you are, how you want to live, and what you want your relationships to be. I work with individuals and relationships and specialize in a range of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, difficulties in relationships, psychosis, and issues related to gender, sexual, or racial identity.
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.
Psychotherapy offers more than just healing -- it can help us discover new & forgotten strengths, fortify our relationships with ourselves & others, and build satisfying lives. I believe that a trusting and collaborative relationship is at the root of all meaningful work. To that end, I strive to create a warm, non-judgmental and safe space in therapy that facilitates effective partnership between us. We will work together to help you find emotional relief, access your authentic self, cultivate meaningful & healthy relationships and to be an effective advocate for yourself. I have worked with teenagers, adults and families, helping them overcome depression, anxiety & relational conflict, process grief & loss, manage trauma sequelae, grapple with issues of gender & sexuality, deal with challenges related to acculturation as well as life transitions. I offer support and understanding to people from all cultural backgrounds. My clinical approach is eclectic and rooted in several therapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic, mindfulness-based, trauma-informed, DBT and IFS. I believe therapy is a collaborative process, and so, together we will find the techniques most suitable for you. To accommodate busy schedules, I offer weekend times. I also offer services in Hindi.
Finding a good therapy match is crucial to bringing about the change that you desire in your life. Working with someone where you feel seen, understood and challenged in a non-threatening way creates the safety to explore the unknown and grow into your full potential. I have been in private practice for 16 years and I trained and worked at Tufts University Counseling Center for 4 years. In the wise words of author Sharon Salzberg, "If I opened my heart and mind big enough to take in the suffering, then there would be healing- not because the suffering itself is redemptive or healing, but because of the opening I was cultivating in the face of it."
It can be extremely hard to navigate through life with all of the stressors we face on a daily basis. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and various challenges in college. It would be my great pleasure to work with you and to help you on your journey of growth and discovery.
I am an LGBTQ+ therapist supporting adults. Whether you are coming to therapy to make a change, make sense of yourself or past experiences, or simply want someone to listen to you, I provide a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space for you to explore your life, relationships and concerns. Whatever your goals, I will guide you through the process and together we will try to understand any repetitive patterns of unfulfilling behaviour and gain insight into how past experiences have come to shape present-day experiences. I also work full-time as a therapist supporting undergraduate and graduate students at Harvard University helping them navigate challenges associated with mental health, academics, and relationships. I believe the single most important aspect of successful therapy is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client. I therefore invite you to sit down with me in a relaxed way so we can talk. I can help you make better sense of your experiences, thoughts and feelings. Together we can discover meanings, recognise patterns, and explore options.
With over 10 years of experience, I feel deeply honored by the trust clients place in me when they open their hearts and share their inner world. I have experience with trauma, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relational problems. My passion for working with diverse populations led me to pursue the Global Mental Health: Immigration and Trauma Certificate from Harvard University. I strive to see my clients beyond their diagnoses and to raise awareness of the societal and cultural challenges that may prevent them from fulfilling their true potential I work best with high-achieving individuals who may appear successful outwardly but feel overwhelmed or uncertain internally. Many of my clients are immigrants or from multicultural backgrounds, navigating identity, belonging, and the pressures of academic or professional life, while also seeking to align their success with deeper meaning, purpose, and spirit
About Me / Specialties I am a licensed psychologist specializing in treating adolescents and young adults with OCD, anxiety (including social anxiety, panic, phobias, and generalized anxiety), and related conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, tics, and excoriation disorder. I provide evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I see clients in-person in Cambridge, MA and virtually throughout Massachusetts and Texas. I also work with parents, offering coaching to help support their teen or young adult while reducing family accommodations. My goal is to create a compassionate, collaborative space where we take mental health seriously—but not ourselves too seriously. A little humor can go a long way in therapy! Treatment Approach I tailor treatment to each individual, often addressing co-occurring concerns like depression, eating issues, or trauma alongside anxiety or OCD. Using ERP, CBT, ACT, and DBT strategies, I help students manage symptoms, regulate emotions, and make meaningful, lasting changes—all in a supportive and approachable way. Training & Experience I earned my PhD from the University of Virginia, completed my clinical internship at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for OCD and Related Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where I currently see therapy patients and conduct research on OCD spectrum disorders.
About my practice: I strive to offer clients with a warm and collaborative environment to help them cope with issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, academic/job-related stress, chronic health concerns (including navigating complex medical systems), and life transitions. I understand that people are doing the best they can, while simultaneously wanting to change. While I enjoy working with people from all backgrounds, many people who seek me out identify as people of color and/or have inter-racial or trans-national families. In addition, I frequently see clients with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. I help clients consider ways to draw upon existing strengths as they cope with various forms of marginalization. My approach: My style is collaborative, and I integrate multiple approaches, depending on a client's needs and preferences. I draw from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based therapies. I help clients consider their patterns of relating to themselves and others that are leaving them feeling stuck. In addition, I offer clients skills to shift their relationship with distressing thoughts and feelings, so they can better engage in their lives. Fees: About me: After earning a master's degree in Human Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I completed my doctoral studies at University of Massachusetts Boston. My postdoctoral training at McLean Hospital, a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital, focused on exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Most of my work has been in school settings, including college counseling centers, because I love working with students. If you have questions, please feel free reach out!
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Self Love Therapy LLC is a group of licensed mental health therapists and psychiatrists who will assist you on your journey to a better sense of self through psychoeducation on ways to cope with various mental health diagnoses, how to manage personal & professional struggles, & provide overall emotional support. We specialize in college students and have experience in helping students navigate all the different triumphs and challenges that college can bring. Finding love within yourself, for yourself, leads to a strong foundation that can support one’s growth and ability to cope with difficult life experiences. We aim to alleviate fear & apprehension about the therapeutic process through building genuine relationships with clients.
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.
Starting therapy can feel like a nerve-wracking process. To ease this, I prioritize developing a genuine connection so that you can feel seen, heard, and valued in session. I believe that therapy is not a "one size fits all" practice. We all have different personalities, different histories, and different needs. My eclectic style as a therapist draws upon multiple therapeutic approaches and theories to better tailor treatment to you and your individuality. If you are interested in therapy centered on compassion, connection, humor, and authenticity- I am here to help!
Are you trying to find the balance between academics and personal life? Stressed? Life transitions? Relationship Issues? etc. I have 35+ years of Clinical Experience and have worked with many Graduate Students. * psychologytoday, and good therapy
**Currently accepting new clients as of 6/22/26 ** I am a licensed psychologist in Massachusetts, and I provide individual therapy to adults experiencing depression, life transitions, grief and loss, relationship issues and internet/media addiction. I help people who are stressed, overwhelmed or feeling generally stuck to identify and overcome what is getting in the way of their happiness. My theoretical orientation is primarily humanistic with emphasis on client-centered Rogerian therapy. I also draw heavily from psychodynamic therapy, motivational interviewing, attachment theory and insight-oriented approaches. As therapy is an individual process, I tailor my approach to the needs of each person. I strive to provide a warm and comfortable space for self-reflection, with the goal of helping you to gain more insight into your life and find the courage to make changes. And I incorporate genuineness, unconditional positive regard and humor in my work. My goal is to make you feel heard and understood. I consider myself an ally and welcome all persons regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity or religious/spiritual affiliation. If you are struggling with something, you don’t have to go through it alone. Call or email me to book a free consultation. I would love to hear from you!