I provide individual counseling for clients facing eating disorders/disordered eating, body image concerns, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, OCD, anxiety, some phobias, and for individuals who have experienced sexual trauma. I am licensed in Massachusetts and New York.
Am I The Right Therapist For You?
Finding the right fit is so important when working with a therapist. Therapy can be quite emotionally difficult; therapists will often challenge you, disagree with you, encourage you to accept things that are challenging, and support you in changing things that do not serve you. Therefore, it is ideal for you to work with someone you trust and respect.
My clients describe me as compassionate, validating, empowering, and direct. I am active and engaged in sessions, and use humor where appropriate. I believe in building strong relationships with my clients, while also being transparent about treatment goals and expectations.
When working with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns, I align with an intuitive eating & health at every size (HAES) approach. I believe that body respect and kindness – rather than weight loss – are the pillars to improving body image. I do not label foods as “good” or “bad,” and believe that treating foods as emotionally equivalent, even when they may not be nutritionally equivalent, can set you free from poor body image and disordered eating patterns. (Not only do I believe this, but it has been empirically validated in the research outlined in Health at Every Size!).
I am trained in the Family-Based Treatment approach, also known as the Maudsley Method, though do not use this approach with all eating disorder cases. I also incorporate aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). These are the primary modalities I use when treating other presentations, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD/acute stress disorder, as well. I am also trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which has been proven effective at reducing PTSD symptoms following a traumatic event.
Information regarding my psychotherapy rates & accepted insurance plans can be found here.
Erika Vargas, LMHC 