Counselors in Boston MA, Quincy MA & New Haven CT
Through The Forest Counseling Offers In-Person and Telehealth Counseling Specializing in Mental Health & Behavioral Health
In-Person • Support Groups • All Ages • Telehealth
Black-Owned • Women-Led • LGBTQ-Friendly
“For clients to get the most out of each session, they should first feel comfortable not just with the therapist, but also with the surroundings. This plays a significant role in their overall improvement. Let us guide you to your destination of a healthier, happier life.”
Through The Forest Counseling Specializes In These Services
Anxiety is a mental and bodily state of anticipating the worst. It is characterized mentally by elevated alertness and apprehension twisted into excruciating worry, and physically by uncomfortable activation of several body systems—all to facilitate response to an unknown danger, real or imagined.
The cognitive thoughts of dread in expectation of a terrible outcome, as well as physical symptoms like jitteriness and a racing heart, are intended to cause discomfort. Anxiety is designed to draw your attention and motivate you to make the necessary changes to defend what you value. Anxiety is normal and can even be beneficial on occasion. Anxiety might be thought of as the price we humans pay for being able to imagine the future.
When anxiety turns into a disorder
However, chronic, pervasive, or exaggerated anxiety can impede daily life, whether at school, work, or with friends—a symptom of an anxiety disorder. Almost one-third of adults in the United States will experience uncontrollable anxiety at some point in their lives.
Anxiety is frequently associated with depression, and the two share many symptoms as well as many of the same brain pathways. Biology, as well as developmental experiences such as early trauma and parenting methods such as overprotection, can all contribute to anxiety vulnerability.
It is neither possible nor desirable to completely eradicate anxiety, as it performs an important role in keeping us alert and alive. The treatment is designed to keep anxiety under control. Anxiety can be successfully managed with counselling, medication, or both. Lifestyle changes, such as frequent exercise and deep breathing, are also crucial in anxiety management.
Read more about our anxiety counseling service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Bipolar disorder, often known as manic depression, is a continuously recurrent condition characterized by mood swings between mania and depression. Depression is by far the most common symptom of the condition. The manic phase is characterized by irritation, rage, and depression, with or without euphoria. When euphoria is present, it might appear as extraordinary energy and overconfidence, which can express as overspending or promiscuity, among other behaviors.
The disorder most commonly manifests itself in young adulthood, however, it can also manifest itself in children and adolescents. Misdiagnosis is prevalent; the disease is frequently misdiagnosed as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder. Certain individuals are undoubtedly predisposed to the disorder due to biological causes, and situations such as sleep deprivation can set off manic episodes.
Bipolar disorder is classified into two types: Bipolar I and Bipolar II. A major depressive episode may or may not be associated with bipolar I, although it is associated with bipolar II. People who have bipolar I have experienced at least one manic episode, which can be severe and necessitate hospitalization. People with bipolar II often experience a significant depressive episode that lasts at least two weeks, as well as hypomania, a mild to moderate mania that does not usually necessitate hospitalization.
Read more about our bipolar disorder therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Borderline personality disorder is characterized by impulsivity and instability. The phrase derives from being on the “border” of psychosis—those suffering from the condition appear to have a distorted perception of reality.
Relationships, emotions, and self-concept are all affected by instability. People with BPD, who are afraid of abandonment, cling to those close to them, want reassurance and reinforcement, and are agitated by seemingly minor changes. Emotion outbursts, severe mood swings, hopelessness, paranoia, self-harm, and suicidality can accompany emotional and self-concept turmoil; 10% of persons with the condition commit suicide.
BPD is most commonly diagnosed in youth or early adulthood. According to the NIMH, it affects approximately 1.6 percent of U.S. people, however other estimates bring the frequency closer to 6 percent.
Individuals and their loved ones can navigate the condition if they commit to treatment with patience and perseverance. Different types of therapy, including dialectical behavior therapy, and drugs to manage symptoms can help people with BPD live a more fulfilling life.
Read more about our borderline personality disorder therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Depression, the mood illness, may appear out of nowhere, or it may follow a defeat or personal loss, resulting in persistent emotions of despair, worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, pessimism, or guilt. Depression also has an impact on focus, motivation, and other areas of daily functioning.
Depression is the largest cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. More than 300 million people of all ages worldwide are affected by the condition. And the disorder’s prevalence is rising everywhere. Americans are preoccupied with happiness, but they are becoming progressively depressed: Around 15 million Americans suffer from the condition, with a growing percentage of them being young individuals.
Depression manifests itself in a variety of ways, ranging from serious depression to dysthymia and seasonal affective disorder. Bipolar disorder is also characterized by depressive periods.
Depression is a complicated disorder that affects numerous body systems, including the immune system, as either a cause or an effect. It interferes with appetite and interrupts sleep; in some situations, it produces weight loss; in others, it contributes to weight gain. Anxiety is frequently associated with depression. According to research, the two disorders not only co-occur but also overlap in vulnerability patterns.
Read more about our depression therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Eating disorders are mental illnesses defined by unhealthy, compulsive, or disordered eating habits. Anorexia nervosa (voluntary starvation), bulimia nervosa (binge-eating followed by purging), binge-eating disorder (binge-eating without purging), and other or undefined eating disorders are examples of eating disorders (disordered eating patterns that do not fit into another category).
Eating disorders are more common in affluent cultures than in less affluent cultures, but they are not limited to the wealthy. Although young women in their teens and twenties make up a disproportionate percentage of people diagnosed, anyone, including young males and older adults of any gender, might acquire an eating disorder. Eating disorders can become all-consuming, requiring those suffering from them to focus solely on eating (or not eating) to the detriment of much else in their lives.
Read more about our eating disorder therapy & treatments service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
According to research, people with generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder have heightened sensitivity to negative feedback and learn more under such settings. However, the parallels may end there. Generalized anxiety disorder can incorporate any worry in any of life’s key categories, including health, finances, and employment.
Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a specific worry—negative judgment by others—and it manifests only in social situations. Scientists now know that optimism and anxiety are linked. It has long been recognized that most people are fundamentally oriented toward a positive attitude in life. Recent research, however, indicates that this prejudice does not exist in studies that suffer from generalized anxiety. People who suffer from social anxiety, on the other hand, are generally optimistic.
Read more about our generalized anxiety counseling service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) manifests itself in a variety of ways, from hoarding to handwashing to constantly monitoring the stove. It is an anxiety disorder that traps people in a cycle of repeating thoughts and behavioral habits that can be completely incapacitating.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 2% of the population suffers from OCD, which is more than those who suffer from other mental diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and panic disorder. OCD can begin in childhood, but it is more common throughout adolescence or early adulthood. Scientists believe that unwanted, intrusive thoughts and compulsive activity patterns that placate those unwanted thoughts are caused by both a neurological predisposition and environmental variables.
Although the severity of the symptoms may wax and wane over time, the disorder is typically chronic, lasting years, if not decades. Both pharmaceutical and behavioral therapies, particularly Exposure and Response Prevention, have proven to be successful treatments for people with OCD, allowing them to live happy and fulfilling lives.
Read more about our OCD therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Individual counseling for friends, partners, and family of survivors: This individual counseling offers the support and help that friends, partners, or family members need to
According to the DSM-5, panic disorder is defined as sudden and repeated panic attacks—episodes of intense fear and discomfort that reach a peak within a few minutes—during which the individual experiences physical symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, breathlessness, vertigo, or abdominal distress, sometimes accompanied by the fear of losing control or dying. The symptoms may resemble those of a heart attack or other potentially fatal medical condition. Panic disorder is frequently diagnosed after other serious illnesses have been ruled out by medical tests or emergency department visits.
Panic disorder affects roughly 2% to 3% of American adolescents and adults, and it affects women twice as much as males. Panic attacks are common in young adulthood, although not everyone who has one panic attack develops the disorder.
Read more about our panic disorder therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stress-related disorder that can develop after witnessing or experiencing an incident or ordeal in which death or serious physical harm happened or was threatened. Military personnel, rescue workers, and survivors of shootings, bombings, violence, and rape are among those affected by the disorder. Through vicarious trauma, family members of victims can develop the disorder as well.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 6.8 percent of American adults develop PTSD during their lifetime. PTSD can strike anyone at any age, including children. Women are more likely than men to develop the disorder, and there is some indication that it runs in families. Depression, substance use disorder, and anxiety disorders are usually associated with PTSD. The likelihood of successful treatment increases when additional illnesses are correctly detected and addressed.
Read more about our PTSD therapy service. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Types of counseling modalities we offer clients
Strength-based therapy is a type of positive psychotherapy and counseling that focuses on your inherent strengths and resourcefulness rather than your inadequacies, failures, and flaws. This focus sets a positive mentality that helps you to build on your best traits, discover your strengths, improve your resilience, and shift your worldview to a more positive one. A positive attitude, in turn, might help you have more acceptable expectations of yourself and others.
Read more about our Strength-Based Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Family therapy comes in a variety of types. Structural Family Therapy (SFT) is one of the most widely used. Its emphasis is on the complete family, rather than trying to solve each individual’s issues first, then going on to group therapy. SFT therapists work to identify any habitual patterns, routines, or behaviors that may have a negative impact on family dynamics. They may seek to construct better routines within family structures in order to provide a vibrant, loving, and stable home life for all.
Read more about our Structural Family Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Trauma-focused therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on the specific emotional and mental health needs of children, adolescents, adult survivors, and families striving to overcome the damaging effects of early trauma. Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is particularly attentive to the unique problems of adolescents suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders as a result of abuse, violence, or sorrow. Because the client is usually a child, TF-CBT frequently includes non-offending parents or other caregivers in treatment and uses family therapy ideas.
Read more about our Trauma-Focused Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Grief counseling, also known as bereavement therapy, is a type of therapy designed to help you cope with loss, such as the death of a partner, family member, friend, colleague, or pet.
The death of a loved one can result in both emotional and physical pain, which can limit your capacity to operate. Working with a counselor, therapist, psychologist, or support group to handle your feelings is what grief counseling entails.
Grief counseling can help you manage the aftermath of a loss and make practical decisions, such as funeral arrangements, in the short term.
In the long term, it might help you accept your loved one’s loss and adjust to life without them.
Read more about our Grief Counseling (Bereavement Therapy) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client’s experience without diverting the conversation. The therapist’s role is to encourage and support the client, as well as to guide the therapeutic process without interfering with the client’s process of self-discovery.
Read more about our Person-Centered Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a way of short-term psychotherapy that focuses on current issues and is founded on the premise that how a way thinks and feels influences how he or she behaves. The emphasis is on problem-solving, and the goal is to change clients’ thought processes in order to change their reactions to tough situations. CBT can be used to treat a wide range of mental health issues and diseases.
Read more about our Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches clients new skills to manage uncomfortable emotions and reduce conflict in relationships. DBT focuses especially on giving therapeutic skills in four critical areas. To begin, mindfulness focuses on enhancing a person’s ability to accept and be present in the present moment. Second, rather than attempting to escape from negative emotion, distress tolerance aims to increase a person’s tolerance of it. Third, emotion regulation refers to tactics for dealing with and changing intense emotions that are producing problems in a person’s life. Fourth, interpersonal effectiveness refers to skills that enable a person to communicate with others in a confident, self-respecting, and relation ship-building way.
Podcast episodes:
Ep 2 – DBT, EMDR, Specialty Training, Spoken Languages
Read more about our Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a type of brief therapy that focuses on adult relationships and attachment/bonding. The therapist and clients examine patterns in the relationship and take steps to create a more secure bond and generate more trust in order to advance the relationship in a healthier, more positive path.
Read more about our Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a type of cognitive therapy that includes mindfulness techniques including meditation and breathing exercises. MBCT therapists employ these strategies to teach clients how to break free from negative thought patterns that can lead to a downward spiral into despair, allowing them to battle depression before it takes hold.
Read more about our Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Motivational interviewing is a type of counseling that assists people in resolving ambivalent feelings and insecurities in order to uncover the internal motivation needed to change their behavior. It is a realistic, compassionate, and short-term process that takes how tough it is to make life changes.
Read more about our Motivational Interviewing Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Multicultural therapy tackles the concerns of persons who are not in the majority because of their color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, income, disability, or other social characteristic. Minority-related issues, such as oppression, racism, and marginalization, are significant and acknowledged. The therapist is more culturally informed, and the emphasis is more on individualism than in other traditional therapy settings that take a more universal approach. Multicultural therapy is a type of talk therapy, but it may be paired with therapies that involve other activities, like as art or music, if these interventions might help clients communicate more effectively.
Read more about our Multicultural Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Narrative therapy is a type of therapy in which people are seen as separate from their problems. This gives clients some distance from the problem, allowing them to realize how it may be helping or protecting them more than it is hurting them. Individuals feel more empowered with this new viewpoint to change their thought patterns and behavior and “rewrite” their life story for a future that reflects who they are, what they are capable of, and what their purpose is, apart from their difficulties.
Read more about our Narrative Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
EMDR is a novel, unorthodox kind of psychotherapy that aims to reduce unpleasant feelings associated with traumatic memories. Unlike most forms of talk therapy, EMDR focuses on the unsettling emotions and symptoms that follow the traumatic event rather than the event itself. The therapist uses a hand motion approach to guide the client’s eye movements from side to side, similar to watching a pendulum swing. EMDR is a contentious technique because it is unclear how it works, with some psychologists believing it is ineffective. EMDR, on the other hand, has been demonstrated in some trials to be useful in treating some mental-health disorders.
Read more about our EMDR modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Although it is occasionally used with adults, play therapy is generally meant to help children ages 3 to 12 explore their lives and freely express repressed thoughts and emotions via play. Therapeutic play is typically conducted in a safe, comfortable playroom with minimal constraints or limits imposed on the kid, allowing for free expression and allowing the therapist to watch the child’s choices, decisions, and play style. The goal is to help children healthier ways to express themselves, to become more courteous and sympathetic, and to discover new and more positive ways to handle difficulties.
Read more about our Play Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Relational therapy, also known as relational-cultural therapy, is a therapeutic technique that is founded on the premise that having mutually gratifying relationships with others is essential for one’s emotional well-being. This type of psychotherapy takes social elements like as race, class, culture, and gender, and investigates the power struggles and other issues that arise as a result of these characteristics, as well as how they connect to the relationships in a person’s life.
Read more about our Relational Therapy (RLT) modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Unlike traditional kinds of therapy, which take time to evaluate problems, pathology, and past life events, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on finding solutions in the present and examining one’s hope for the future in time to find faster resolution of one’s difficulties. This strategy takes that you know what you need to do to enhance your own life and that you are capable of finding the best solutions with the right coaching and questioning.
Read more about our Solution-Focused Brief Therapy modality. If you want to book with a counselor, call us today at 1 (857) 299-1123
Insurance Plans
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Aetna
- Harvard Pilgrim
- United Healthcare
- Medicare
- Tufts (only few plans, always confirm with representative before scheduling the appointment)
EAP
- Health Advocate
- Innopsych
- Compsych
- Curalinc
- KGA
- Oncore Boston
- Northeastern University