Welcome

I am glad you're here! My name is Christine Kowalcky and I am a Clinical Psychologist, licensed in MA and OR, currently practicing in Massachusetts where I work with adults across the lifespan on a variety of issues. I earned a Master's degree from Boston College, a Doctoral degree from William James College, and have extensive specialty training in EMDR psychotherapy.

I am a second-career psychologist entering this field sixteen years ago, after spending nearly twenty years in higher education where I worked with undergraduate and graduate students of all ages (17-70) who had come to Boston from all over the world.

Welcome

I believe that the therapeutic relationship is at the center of any successful psychotherapy. It is the relationship that heals- period! But I have also learned that more is often needed to help clients get where they need and want to be.

In my practice of psychotherapy I listen deeply, but I am not a silent participant. We are in this together and in this process, a relationship takes shape and deepens. I work hard to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to talk about their challenges, hopes, strengths and goals. I am interactive, and often focus on insight development, stress reduction and the cultivation of self-compassion and empowerment. Additionally, I have specialty training in EMDR psychotherapy, an evidence-based trauma treatment.

I enjoy developing warm and trusting relationships with people. My hope is that you will experience psychotherapy as a partnership in which you feel engaged and empowered, believing that you are capable of growing and deeply influencing your life decisions and direction.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

~ Anais Nin, author

My Approach

I have helped people navigate life transitions (chosen or unchosen), grief/loss, unresolved trauma, family dysfunction and more. I offer therapy tailored to each client and draw from a variety of theoretical perspectives.

I am a trauma-informed therapist and thus integrate an awareness of trauma into every aspect of treatment. Trauma-informed therapy considers the complex impact that trauma can have on an individual and prioritizes a safe therapeutic space and the client's power to choose.

Specialties

Relationship Issues
Self esteem
Depression
Codependency
Women's Issues
Identity development
Life Transitions
Grief
Trauma & Abuse
Spirituality

Services

Working Together

EMDR Therapy

Taking the first step to initiate therapy is not always easy. People often seek therapy when they are experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship issues, big life transitions, illness, and/or trauma-related difficulties.

I draw on several different treatment modalities, (including psychodynamic therapy, skills development, EMDR and holistic practices) to best help my clients engage change and reach their goals.

I welcome hearing from you if you feel I might be a good match to help you reach your goals. I offer a free 20-minute consult that we can conduct by phone or via a HIPAA- compliant telehealth platform. This will give you some sense of what it would be like to meet with me, and that "sense" is a crucial element when choosing a therapist.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

When something disturbing happens it gets stored in the brain in a way that our human system feels that event is either going to happen again at any moment, or is happening now. When some event happens that may be similar or just has an element that reminds the system of that disturbing event, the brain reacts as if the original disturbing event is happening. Most often, individuals are not even aware that this is occurring within them.

EMDR helps to move the storage of that memory to a more functional part of the brain that can experience the event as actually being in the past. It is important to know that there is a real physical change happening with EMDR. The events that used to trigger the brain into over-reaction no longer have that effect. The person can now react to the present without the past interfering.

For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies. Learn more: EMDR therapy

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.

~ Anne Lamott, author

Scheduling & Sessions

I am currently holding sessions online. Over the past couple years I’ve found that working virtually has not compromised the quality of the therapeutic relationship or the effectiveness of any of the therapeutic techniques that I use. My clients have generally enjoyed the convenience, comfort, and safety of working remotely.

If you'd like to set up an initial meeting, please contact me directly (see below).

Fees & Insurance

Fees:

$220 per 50-minute session
$385 per 80-minute EMDR therapy session (note, private pay only; insurance companies will not pay for extended EMDR sessions).

Insurance:

I am in-network with Aetna, Harvard Pilgrim and UHC Student Resources commercial plans (this does not include MassHealth plans that utilize these companies). Insurance coverage varies widely. Please check your plan carefully to determine if you have deductibles, co-insurance, and/or copays.

I accept payment for my fees via Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Zelle and Health Savings Accounts.

Contact me

If you would like to discuss beginning psychotherapy, please call or email me. Include your phone number along with some good times to reach you. I will return your call within 48 hours/weekdays.

email: hello@kowalcky.sprucecare.com

phone: (781) 990-0518

No Surprises Act

Notice to Clients and Prospective Clients: Under the No Surprises Act, healthcare providers must give clients who do not have insurance or who do not plan to use their insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) for the total expected cost of psychological services within one business day of your service. I will provide you with a Good Faith Estimate before we begin treatment.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to the Good Faith Estimate or how to dispute a bill, please call (800) 985-3059 or visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.