Our counselors provide therapy in Brookline, MA

I'm Sarah, LCSW (she/her), with a background in anti-poverty, child welfare, and family systems work. Much of my professional experience includes supporting individuals and families navigating financial stress, caregiving roles, system involvement, and intergenerational challenges. I often work with young people and adults who are feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or disconnected while seeking stability, advocacy, and more sustainable paths forward for themselves and their families. 

My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and systems-aware. I draw from family systems and strengths-based frameworks, centering safety, collaboration, and self- and community-care. I help clients reflect on patterns, navigate complex systems, and build practical tools rooted in their values and lived experience. 

So many people arrive in therapy carrying stress shaped by systems, relationships, and responsibility. I work to create a space where you feel supported, understood, and encouraged to take the next step at your own pace. 

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and an Organizational Psychologist with 24 years of experience in the field. I completed my master’s degree in Counseling at Valparaiso University and my doctorate in Organizational Psychology (PhD) at Walden University. In addition to my counseling practice, I am also an adjunct professor in a health studies department, where I teach courses in holistic medicine, human sexuality, stress management, and statistics. While I offer counseling and talk therapy services, I do not currently offer psychological testing.

I began my counseling career in 1995 with the Aliveness Project in Gary, Indiana, where I worked with the LGBTQ+ community, providing outreach and prevention services. I also helped Spanish-speaking communities in Chicago before deciding to return to graduate school after questioning my abilities at the time.

I agree with Freud’s belief that everyone should be able to love and work. We should love our work and understand love. When a person experiences an imbalance in either of these areas, stress can arise. Over time, prolonged stress can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression. My goal is to help individuals find balance in these areas to foster a good life.

Evelyn Burdick is a resident in counseling, seeking her LMHC. She enjoys working with individuals of all ages to meet their counseling goals and assist them as they move through difficult life adjustments and navigate complex emotions and experiences.

Evelyn completed her Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling at the State University of New York at Oswego. Evelyn primarily operates from a strong person-centered foundation, but utilizes other approaches and techniques as well including those rooted in narrative therapy, and Gestalt, Adlerian, and feminist theories.

If you think that utilizing counseling as a tool towards healing is right for you, schedule an appointment with Evelyn today.

Meridith Nicholaev is a dedicated Mental Health Counselor seeking her licensure. She has 2 years of experience working with clients of diverse backgrounds and diagnoses at inpatient units and community-based programs. Her passion is to provide therapeutic care to adults seeking relief from anxiety, addiction, adjustment disorders, stress, and communication challenges. She believes building trust and rapport must be the cornerstone of any good therapeutic relationship to foster a supportive and safe environment. Anything can be said freely and without judgment and be met with warmth and empathy.

Meridith is a graduate of the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis with a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. Believing that every person is unique and has individual needs, Meridith incorporates a psychodynamic method, utilizing motivational interviewing with a humanistic, person-centered approach.

People deserve to feel seen and heard, and it's a privilege to be the one who listens and bears witness. It takes courage to seek treatment. If you are ready to take the next step, schedule an appointment with Meridith today.

Analisa is a Licensed Independent Certified Social Worker in Boston, MA. She specializes in treating individuals who struggle with addiction, codependency, and complex trauma. Analisa empowers her clients to step into their strength and healing using a holistic and humanistic perspective. She is excited to work with motivated individuals from all walks of life. As an advocate for social justice, Analisa recognizes the intersectionality that exists between race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, faith, and socioeconomic status with individual treatment concerns. She prioritizes emotional safety for her clients by implementing trauma-informed care.

Analisa graduated from Boston College in 2017 with her Masters of Social Work with a clinical focus in Mental Health. Analisa worked as an individual and group therapist in a Partial Hospitalization Program where she treated a wide variety of mental health issues including mood, personality, panic, substance use, and thought disorders. 

Analisa’s therapeutic practice is guided by the principle that “our past informs our present." She is passionate about helping clients create lasting change by exploring attachment styles and addressing maladaptive coping and relational patterns head-on. Her therapeutic toolbelt includes a wide variety of modalities such as CBT, DBT, sand play, art therapy, mindfulness practices, EFT, IFS, animal-assisted therapy, and somatic healing. Analisa is a big proponent for movement meditation and releasing pain and trauma that gets stored in the body. She provides short-term and long-term therapy via telehealth for clients to achieve discovery, insight, and empowerment.

Whether you are brand new to therapy or have been in therapy for years, Analisa will meet you with compassion and a fresh perspective. If you wish to cultivate greater self-esteem and self-confidence and improve your coping strategies, you are in the right place! Analisa can help you to gain emotional freedom from your past and clarity for your future.

Sahar is a dedicated mental health counselor with 4 years of experience in the dynamic field of mental health. Her passion for making a positive impact has led her to specialize in working with diverse populations, including children facing mental health challenges and individuals with dual diagnoses—specifically those grappling with substance use disorders alongside various other mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, trauma, and more. A firm believer in the inherent uniqueness of each individual, Sahar emphasizes the importance of tailoring her therapeutic interventions to meet the specific needs of her clients.

Sahar is a graduate of the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis with a Master's in Mental Health Counseling. Dedicated to inclusivity, Sahar uses a versatile approach that combines psychodynamic principles, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing. Her goal is to help clients lead fulfilling lives by addressing their unique challenges.

Life is a journey filled with challenges, and Sahar is deeply committed to providing empathetic support for those navigating its twists and turns. Driven by a strong motivation to assist her clients, Sahar endeavors to illuminate the roots of their challenges and guide them through the process of overcoming them.

I am Julie Lerner, a Licensed Psychotherapist with over 10 years of clinical experience offering in-person weekly sessions to adults ages 25–65. I specialize in working with folks navigating gender identity, sexuality, trauma, anxiety, and depression. I am especially passionate about supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and providing an affirming, inclusive, and culturally responsive therapeutic space. I have had the privilege of working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and intersectional identities with a wide range of lived experiences, diagnoses, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

My work is grounded in Humanistic and Existential Theories and integrates Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Solution-Focused Therapy, DBT, and CBT. I offer a collaborative, trauma-informed approach that is tailored to each person. Clients often describe my style as warm, grounded, and gently direct.

I aim to create a space where you can slow down, show up as you are, and feel supported in making sense of what feels difficult or unclear. Therapy with me is collaborative and steady, and I strive to meet you with care as we work through what brings you in. I would be honored to work with you if it feels like a good fit.