Therapists for college students near Cambridge, MA

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.

My name is Jeff Kerner and I practice outpatient psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, where I serve on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. I recently opened a private outpatient practice to expand my availability outside the MGH system. I believe strongly in a patient-centered approach to developing a comprehensive and individualized mental health treatment plan that often includes medication management, therapy, and lifestyle modifications. Please reach out if you have concerns about your mental health.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) providing psychotherapy to individual adults, couples and groups. As a clinician, I prioritize collaboration, curiosity and inclusion. My treatment approach emphasizes a strong therapeutic relationship centered on your experiences and goals. I incorporate evidenced-based approaches into treatment that aligns with your needs -- including cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), psychodynamic, relational and solutions-focused methods. In addition to my private practice, I am a staff member in the Department of Psychiatry at a Boston hospital.

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.

College and graduate school can bring both exciting opportunities and overwhelming challenges. Whether you’re starting a new program and adjusting to multiple life transitions, navigating a new or ongoing ADHD diagnosis, managing stress, or working through relationship struggles, I aim to help provide a safe and supportive space to cultivate more clarity and resilience. As a therapist, I believe you are the expert of your own experience. My role is to collaborate with you, honoring your strengths while offering curiosity, compassion, and evidence-based tools. I provide a reflective space where you can explore challenges and gain insight, balanced with practical, solution-focused strategies you can use between sessions. My approach is strengths-based and growth-oriented—I aim to highlight what’s already working for you while supporting the changes you want to make. I know reaching out for therapy can feel like a lot, especially when you’re already juggling so much! I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to help see if we could be a good fit. You don’t have to figure this all out alone. I’d be honored to be a partner in your journey as you move toward a more balanced, intentional, and fulfilling future.

I am passionate about reducing stigma around mental health and creating a supportive space for all clients. I strongly believe in meeting clients where they are and collaborating with them to create an environment that is most conducive to meeting their therapeutic goals. Additionally, I value the importance of trust in the therapeutic relationship, and I strive to understand my clients’ identities and experiences while exploring their strengths. My passion is working with young adults experiencing anxiety, general stress, interpersonal relationship and family challenges, as well as work or school challenges. I like to work collaboratively with clients, and I welcome open feedback around the therapeutic relationship and process. I am committed to self-reflection and growing in this field to better serve my clients and community. If you think I may be a good fit for you, please reach out. I understand starting therapy can be challenging, and I am here to help with the process. Additionally, many clinicians in our small practice are accepting new clients, and I am happy to provide a referral if you feel I am not be the best match for you.

The treatment I provide is influenced by relational, attachment-based, and psychodynamic modalities. I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, life transitions, identity concerns, trauma, and stress related to work and relationships. I work with adults of all ages and backgrounds to address their presenting symptoms, as well as explore the underlying roots of these symptoms to establish long-term benefits. I believe therapy is most effective when there is a trusting and open therapeutic relationship, so we will work together to identify a meaningful approach to your care. I’m experienced in working with culturally diverse and LGBTQ populations. Prior to earning my degree in counseling, I worked with LGBTQ youth and young adults in the Boston community at a nonprofit organization dedicated to health education. I understand how difficult it can be to find a good match in therapy, I encourage you to contact me for an initial phone call, and we can discuss how we might work together.

Focus on anxiety, self-esteem, multicultural/diversity concerns, adjusting to college, life transitions, depression, sexual orientation/questioning, emotional well-being, men's issues, communication, interpersonal relationships, stress management, trauma informed, interactive and collaborative therapeutic approach.

I specialize in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapy; these approaches are particularly suited for such issues as coping with losses, reducing self-criticism, increasing relationship fulfillment and bolstering creativity. Often, I work with people whose prior therapy experience(s) was symptom-oriented or brief but who found themselves wondering if there is something more. I also often work with people in academia, such as graduate students and post-docs. I am particularly passionate about graduate student mental health and am aware of the unique stressors often faced by doctoral students, as well as the factors that make it more challenging to reach out for support. I am aware of the ways that concerns pertaining to identity, belonging and family of origin often begin to come to the fore when one finds themselves in a new environment and/or a new academic/professional endeavor.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Therapy is a healing tool that can bring us closer to understanding our cognitive and behavioral reactions to the world around us. Addressing issues in a safe, therapeutic relationship can help us to understand, change and adapt to new thoughts and behavior patterns, confront past issues with compassion and kindness toward ourselves and others. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. I have over 20 years of experience helping people manage crises, navigate life transitions, and finding a deeper connection to themselves and those they care about. I provide individual and couples therapy to adults. My areas of specialty include concerns related to relationships, attachment, trauma/PTSD, dissociation, mood & anxiety disorders, self-esteem, eating issues, parenting and college counseling. I also work with clients who would like to use psychotherapy to improve their general quality of life. My clients describe me as genuine, active, flexible and attentive to their needs. I enjoy my work tremendously and consider it an honor to support and assist my clients via psychotherapy.

These days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed — anxious, angry, stuck, or just plain exhausted. If that’s where you are, you’re not alone. And your experience matters. Just because others are struggling too doesn’t make your pain any less real. Maybe your mind won’t stop racing. Maybe you feel out of control, trapped in old patterns, or unsure how to move forward. I’ve worked with many people navigating these same waters — helping them find steadier ground, soften anxiety and anger, and reconnect with their creativity, clarity, and relationships. In therapy, you don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to perform. You just have to show up as you are. I offer a grounded, compassionate space where we move at your pace. You bring what’s real — and together, we explore it with honesty and care. Whether you’re looking for support, growth, or space to breathe, our work is about learning to relate to yourself differently — with more freedom, more awareness, and more trust in your own way forward.

As a Harvard-trained adult psychiatrist, I am trained and experienced in various medication and therapy modalities, enabling me to tailor your care to suit your unique needs and aspirations. My approach revolves around embracing an ecological perspective, acknowledging the intricate interconnections we share within our communities and the natural world, recognizing their profound influence they have on mental health and well-being. Therapy expertise includes working with those navigating experiences as gender or sexual minorities, life transitions, interpersonal difficulties, and low self-esteem. In our work together, I am committed to fostering a nurturing environment that encourages you to freely explore and uncover your inner potential for growth. Taking this brave step towards personal development is significant, and I am here to provide a safe and supportive presence as your path unfolds.

As an Attachment based EMDR Certified Therapist I work well with high achieving young adults who feel unsatisfied in their relationships and struggle with health challenges.

Located in Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and Newton, MA, Life Changes Group is Greater Boston’s premier behavioral healthcare practice with a broad range of centralized and personalized therapeutic services. We are a comprehensive counseling, psychopharmacology, and consulting group dedicated to providing the highest standard of psychological care for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Our friendly and experienced team of doctors offers evidence-based practices for the treatment of psychiatric illness, neurocognitive assessment, educational testing, medication management, and group psychotherapy. Our team focuses on the integration of treatment, education, collaboration, and partnership to help individuals, couples, and families reach their goals and improve the quality of their lives. We recognize the importance of developing an approach that works for you and your specific needs.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I have been in private practice in the Boston/Cambridge area for 30 years working with adults and adolescents, couples and families. I work with clients utilizing a trauma informed lens as well as elements of liberation psychology and relational cultural theory. I feel all clinical work must begin with a thorough understanding of a client's multiple identities and how those identities interact within their communities and the larger culture. My work and my passion are embedded in a deep committment to social justice. I specialize in multicultural treatment, identity development, trauma, depression, anxiety, work issues, life transitions, parenting issues, adoption, fertility issues, gender issues and sexuality. I serve as the Director of the Brandeis Counseling Center at Brandeis University and in that role help students and faculty navigate academia. I see clients in my office at 1105 Mass Ave in Cambridge which is a 5-10 min walk from the Harvard T stop. I also offer off street parking on Remington Street across from 1105 Mass Ave. My hours are 6am-8am Mon-Fri, Thurs 5pm-10pm and Sat 7am-3pm.

Life is a journey and it presents us with struggles. Our minds are resilient and plastic, yet when we are blocked we may not appreciate this. I give my clients tools to help themselves adjust and adapt to their individual struggles, such as death of a love one, stress, relational breakups and a spectrum of traumas. I am a guide to help my clients resolve their temporary block.