Andrea Carusona Psychotherapy, LMHC

Psychology was the first course in high school that I found truly captivating; learning about the mind, body, and behavior helped me better understand some of my own challenges at the time and started me down a path to turn my natural interpersonal skills into clinical skills. I received my master's in holistic mental health counseling psychology from Lesley University. Afterward, I worked as an in-home therapist for an outpatient clinic and, simultaneously, as a research assistant. In this research position, I provided neurofeedback as a treatment for complex PTSD and conducted clinical interviews for a study on developmental trauma. I then worked at an adolescent trauma-informed residential treatment center before working as a therapist in a sober living facility.

As a psychotherapist, my goal is to hold space for a range of clients and clinical issues by focusing on safety, gaining trust, exploring curiosity, and extending compassion. My approach is trauma-informed and usually unstructured with some gentle reframing, guidance, or psychoeducation. When we can be curious and open-hearted with ourselves, shifts occur. In my practice, I work hard to create a climate that promotes growth through genuineness, acceptance, and empathetic understanding.

I'm currently involved in an IFS training that has given me a greater understanding of the model and access to future trainings. I participate in a weekly small group supervision with colleagues I have known for many years. This collaboration with other trauma-informed providers has been an invaluable source of support and growth for me.

I'm very excited by the movement toward depathologizing mental health struggles. I'm an advocate for less focus on symptoms and more focus on root causes. I'm interested in studying more in the field of nutrition and mental health, as well as moderation management for substance use disorders.

I was involved as a research assistant in several studies on treatments for C-PTSD and developmental trauma. This work and the professional connections I made shaped the future of my career and how I think about the mind-body experience, memory, interpersonal relationships, child development….really, everything.