New England Psychologist

New England Psychologist is home to independent journalism focused on psychologists and psychotherapists in the New England region. We publish new content every month. Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter to receive updates, or sign-up for a one-year paid subscription now in order to access all of our great content.



Ysabel Garcia, MPH

Ysabel Garcia brings cultural experiences to training

By Catherine Robertson Souter

When we talk about minority groups being under-served in mental health care, the focus tends to be on problems of limited access, a lack of diversity among providers or stigma around seeking care. What is mentioned less frequently, however, is the issue of the quality of the care received. According to a KFF/CNN survey published in May, people of color receive mental health care at lower rates than white people and report more unfair treatment by health care providers. For… Read more »

Practical Practice

Demystifying meditation in psychotherapy

By Ellen Anderson, Ph.D

People who seek therapy often want to get better at relaxing their body and mind. The concept is simple but not so easy to achieve under stressors such as dental surgery, childbirth, or the bread-and-butter challenges of daily life. Given our profession, it would be reasonable to expect that psychologists are the experts at meditation and relaxation, but alas, we do not have a lock on it. Meditation is a construct that is a bit slippery to pin down but… Read more »

The DSM: Is it time to evolve?

By Ellen Anderson, Ph.D

Clinicians rely on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) every day and many people refer to it as the “bible” of psychiatry. Upon searching the internet for the current price of the DSM V-TR, I unexpectedly encountered some humorous reviews on Goodreads. Some examples, “Terrible plot, no character development” as well as, “I was able to successfully diagnose my mom, dad, sister, and chihuahua. The latter being the most difficult to manage when it comes to behaviors and psychological needs.”… Read more »

Niche specialization: Is finding your niche important?

By Ellen Anderson, Ph.D

Is it necessary for independent practitioners to have an area of specialty practice? A quick review of popular sites such as the Psychology Today Therapist Directory gives the impression that most psychologists have one or more niche areas of practice. The range of specialty areas of focus is seemingly limitless and includes diagnoses such as OCD, ADHD, PTSD; symptoms such as self-harm, insomnia or sexual dysfunction or therapy; modalities such as individual, couples or family therapy; specific patient populations defined… Read more »

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