Miranda Powell, LCSW      

Individual and Family Therapist

Kids and Families

When I work with children, my hope is to help them, and their families, to develop insight into the problematic patterns that have arisen in their relationships. I treat children with respect, remembering that while they are not adults, they are people. Kids have their own experiences, perspectives, and ways of relating. To help them change, a therapist must be able to “enter into” the child’s mental and emotional world. One of the main challenges in working with kids is that they cannot make the changes in their own environment that will help them support and sustain change; they rely on their parents for this. For this reason, I partner with parents -- who are always their child’s primary “therapist” -- to modify their environment and routines in ways that will be supportive of change outside of the therapy hour.

My understanding of relationships is based in attachment theory, which says that our patterns of relating to significant others are formed early and are persistent throughout our lives. Parents can offer their child a pattern of relating that will let them grow into happy, healthy adults with fulfilling relationships. When working with a child client, I primarily use play therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, and family therapy techniques. I believe this combination of techniques is the best recipe for change that is as rapid and lasting as possible.

Adults

With adults, I work from a client-directed and collaborative perspective. I use CBT, DBT, and solution-focused techniques but do not adhere strictly to any one approach. The primary predictor of change in therapy is the relationship between the client and therapist, and I work to engage authentically with clients. My goal is to help you be who you most deeply are and want to be, and to help you get past the obstacles that have kept you from that in the past. I enjoy working with people who are struggling with the aftereffects of difficult childhoods, with clients diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and with people seeking to improve their parenting.

A Note on Neurodivergence 

I particularly enjoy working with clients (both adults and children) who are neurodivergent (e.g., autistic or having ADHD), and work from a neurodivergence-affirming perspective. That is, I believe that these conditions are differences rather than deficits. While these conditions pose many challenges in living in a world designed for neurotypical people, and often co-occur with conditions like anxiety or depression, they are not themselves disorders. I follow the autism community in rejecting ABA approaches to treatment as coercive and potentially abusive.

My Background

I have been in the mental health field for nearly 20 years, working with populations ranging from children with emotional and behavioral disorders to adults with severe mental illness in the criminal justice system. I have enjoyed working with all of these populations, and enjoy working with a wide variety of clients in private practice.

I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, and my master’s in social work with a clinical focus from the Catholic University of America. My post-graduate training and study has focused on attachment, trauma, sexual reactivity and aggression in children, and autism.

Stacy Simmons, LPC   

Adult, Child, Adolescent, & Family Therapist

My goal is to provide a warm, safe, accepting environment for individuals and families to grow and rebuild hope for the future. I believe that each individual has their own unique strengths and I tailor therapeutic services to build upon these gifts and differences. I find several factors contribute to life challenges and stress including family history, social situations and internal thoughts and emotions. As a therapist, my goal is to help you identify these factors and find the tools that work for you.

I offer individual and family therapy for adults, children and adolescents facing a number of challenges and mood disturbances. I specialize in treating complex trauma/PTSD, anxiety, and mood disorders. My work with children often focuses on attachment issues and behavioral disturbances including aggression, self-harm, suicidal gestures, and impulsivity.

I attended Pacific University from August of 2008 to August of 2010 where I received a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. During my studies I focused on evidence based treatments and assessment strategies for adults, children, adolescents, and families with extensive training in anxiety disorders and complex trauma. Other courses focused on social, cultural, and biological foundations of mental health disorders and treatment strategies including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Behavioral Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. I have facilitated multiple DBT informed groups and skills training sessions for women and teenagers struggling with mood dysregulation and I have years of experience working in diverse community mental health settings.