Find a therapist in Massachusetts — covered by insurance

I’ve been working with women, children and families for over 15 years in individual counseling, group settings, and program development. My expertise lies in helping people understand their own emotional experience, to use words not violence, to cope, to reduce impulsive and compulsive behavior, to advocate for themselves.

I believe to live fully, we must feel. Intensely. Viscerally. Freely. To feel pride and pain, joy and frustration. To taste the freedoms of life, as well as its restraints. To reconcile thoughts, actions and emotions that are often at odds. To square all of this with culture, beliefs, and history. To live fully is when a sense of equity, equality and balance is awakened. To live fully is to gain perspective and know that you can weather all of it, and not be overcome by these complexities, but learn to integrate them, for a full life.

I am a Latinx provider with a special interest in trauma and stressor related disorders. I have 10 years of experience in outpatient and residential settings. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults and their families.

It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak, and another to hear - Thoreau

I strive to help clients by being curious, kind, reliable, and insightful. This is how I believe therapy helps people to grow, and to ultimately feel better about themselves and their lives.

I primarily work through a psychodynamic lens, focusing on a client's emotional life, exploring connections between a client's past and present, and addressing internal conflicts. I also use ideas found in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy such as exploring thought patterns and negative core beliefs.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, and Board-Certified Dance Movement Therapist, I believe prioritizing mental health is key to having a healthy and successful life. I’ve been counseling for 19 years, but in the last decade, I have shifted my main focus to female clients aged 18 and up who are struggling with anxiety and trauma.

I have always known I wanted to be a therapist. From a young age I was empathic, patient, validating, comforting, flexible, and trustworthy. I believe that these were attributes that my friends and family seek me out for advice or to vent.

I studied psychology at Ithaca College and then worked for 4 years in foster care and group homes in NJ and NYC. Then, I moved to Boston and got my masters in mental health counseling at UMass Boston. Since graduating, I have worked in a wide variety of mental health environments; programs, schools, community based mental health, and virtual therapy platforms.

I am someone who is passionate about helping others and making everyone I meet feel heard, seen, and empowered.

Seeking help can feel overwhelming, and finding the right provider matters. I provide a warm, welcoming space where clients can feel heard, respected, and supported. I worked in community health for several years as a bilingual nurse practitioner and place great value in providing culturally competent care.

Healing Across the Lifespan: A Partnership in Mental Wellness

Choosing a mental health provider is a deeply personal decision. You aren’t just looking for a prescriber; you are looking for a witness to your story, an expert in the biological complexities of the brain, and a partner in your recovery.

My name is Jessica Stanley, and I am a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). My journey to this practice has been defined by a unique duality: the macro view of a healthcare executive and the micro focus of a dedicated clinician. Before opening the doors to this practice, I served as the Clinical Director for a large-scale healthcare organization. In that role, I was responsible for the oversight of complex systems, the mentorship of large clinical teams, and the implementation of evidence-based protocols across diverse populations.

While my time in leadership allowed me to impact mental health at a systemic level, my true passion has always remained in the quiet, transformative moments of the exam room. I have returned to full-time clinical practice to bring that high-level expertise back to where it matters most: the individual human experience.

Mental health does not exist in a vacuum, nor does it look the same at age seven as it does at seventy. I specialize in treating patients across the entire lifespan. Whether I am working with a child struggling to navigate their first years of school, an adolescent facing the pressures of identity formation, or an adult managing the heavy mantle of career and family, my approach remains the same: comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence based.

Areas of Specialization

I am trained to treat a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions including:

ADHD & Neurodivergence

Anxiety Disorders

Depression

PTSD & Trauma Recovery

I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner with advanced training in diagnosing and treating mental health as well as medical conditions across the lifespan. I earned my graduate degree in psychiatric nursing and have worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings, giving me a broad perspective on mental health care. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma-related conditions, and ADHD. I work with adults and adolescents, and I’m experienced in supporting individuals navigating different mental health conditions.

My therapeutic method is tailored to fit your temperament and individual experience. You may be facing a combination of personal, social, and institutional adversity. Discomfort may be unavoidable, but you are not alone; I can help you transform hardship or tragedy into resilience. My process is effective; it evolves as you do. If you experience negative feelings like inadequacy, grief, or shame, I can help you understand the origin of the discomfort and make changes toward ease. Sometimes, worry can be helpful; other times, anxiety and depression lie to us. Having worked in both economically-strained and prosperous communities, I have seen the impact of trauma and neglect on various people. I also understand being a white male can insulate me against the prejudice and discrimination commonly experienced by people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community; I trust my client’s experiences and take responsibility for my blind spots.