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Harborside Psych

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(508) 876-3448

Therapy for Newton, MA

Newton residents tend to ask hard questions before they commit to care: who is actually running the session, what approach they use, and whether it will hold up to scrutiny. That fits how we work. At Harborside, a licensed clinician sits down with you, learns what’s actually going on, and builds an approach around you rather than handing you a fixed protocol. Many of the people we hear from are also managing care for a parent or a teenager at the same time as their own, and want a practice that can be direct with them about what each situation actually needs.

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Therapy for people in Newton, MA

You do not need a diagnosis in hand to start. Some people reach out because a specific problem has been building for months. Others just know that something feels off and want a clinician’s read on it before deciding what to do next. Either way, the first conversation is about understanding your situation, not fitting you into a template.

Because care happens by video, you are not choosing a therapist based on who has a free slot closest to Newton Centre or Chestnut Hill. You are choosing based on who is the right fit for the work, and scheduling around your actual week.

How telehealth care actually works

Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care to people across the state by secure video. Here is what that looks like in practice.

  • What you need: a private space, a stable internet connection, and a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera. No special software or app download beyond a link we send you.
  • Session length: therapy sessions typically run 45 to 50 minutes. Medication management appointments are shorter after the initial evaluation.
  • How often you’re seen: this depends on what you’re working on. Some people start weekly and space sessions out over time. Others check in every few weeks. Your clinician will talk through a cadence that makes sense for your situation.
  • Prescriptions: if medication is part of your care, prescriptions are sent electronically to a pharmacy near you in Newton or wherever is most convenient, the same way a prescriber’s office would handle it in person.

The video format means the clinician you start with is the one you continue with. There is no handoff to whoever happens to be in the building that week.

What we treat

People come to us for anxiety that has started interfering with work or relationships, depression that has not lifted on its own, mood shifts that are hard to explain, trauma that keeps resurfacing, and eating disorders that need dedicated clinical attention. We also work with attention and focus difficulties, sleep problems tied to mental health, and the kind of chronic stress that builds up in high-pressure jobs and households juggling multiple people’s care needs. Some clients come in with a clear diagnosis already. Others come in without one and want an honest clinical opinion about what’s happening and what might help.

What the first appointment involves

Your first appointment is a full evaluation, not a quick intake form. Your clinician will ask about your history, what brought you in now, what you’ve already tried, and what you’re hoping is different. If medication is a possibility, that gets discussed openly, including what it would and would not involve. If therapy is the primary path, you and your clinician talk through which approach fits your situation and how you’ll know it’s working. You leave the first appointment with an actual plan, not a follow-up form to fill out later.

Who our clinicians are

Medication management and functional psychiatry at Harborside are performed by psychiatric nurse practitioners Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, who is also our clinical director, Emily Pardue, RN PMHNP-BC, and Kirstin Ritchie, RN PMHNP-BC. Each is qualified to evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe for mental health conditions. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are on our team page.

Therapy and eating disorder work are delivered by our licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR and a registered art therapist, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. Each brings a different clinical background, which is part of why we can match a client to a clinician rather than a clinician to a caseload.

What it costs

Harborside is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly for appointments. Current fees for an initial and a follow-up appointment are listed on our pricing page. If you have questions about cost, we can answer them before anything is booked.

Getting started

You can reach out to schedule a first appointment whenever you’re ready. There’s no referral needed. If you’re not sure whether therapy or medication management is the right starting point, tell us what’s going on and we’ll help you figure out where to begin. Care is available to residents across Newton and the rest of Massachusetts through our therapy services, and you can learn more about how we work with clients across the state on our Massachusetts telehealth page or our Inner Metro West region page. If anxiety is what’s bringing you in, our anxiety treatment page goes into more detail on how we approach it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is therapy with Harborside the same as seeing a psychiatrist?

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988. Harborside does not provide emergency or after-hours care.

This page is educational and is not medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. Reviewed by Hannah Legesse, LICSW. Last reviewed: {LAST_REVIEWED}.

[CITATION: Link to SAMHSA’s National Helpline or 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline page, to support the crisis resource information above.]

Most clients meet weekly or every other week, depending on what’s agreed with the therapist during the first few sessions.

No. Harborside is a private-pay practice. Clients with out-of-network mental health benefits can request a superbill to submit to their insurer for possible reimbursement.

That’s a reasonable place to start. Many clients begin therapy without a specific problem in mind, and the first session is built around figuring that out together.

Yes. Finding the right therapist sometimes takes more than one try, and raising it is a normal part of the process, not something awkward.

No. Therapy is ongoing, scheduled care, not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For crisis support, call or text 988.

If you need help right now

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988. Harborside Psychiatrics does not provide emergency or after-hours care.

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