Cara Ackerman, BA

pronouns: she|her|hers

Cara Ackerman joined Collaborative Insight Counseling Associates (CICA) as a Clinical Psychotherapist Intern in September 2022. Cara is offering individual therapy under the guidance of independently licensed CICA staff, including weekly supervision with Scott Thomson, LICSW and supplementary support from Raihaan Attawala, LMHC.

Cara aims to provide warm and compassionate care to adolescents and young adults to help them feel both grounded and empowered. She believes that everyone is doing the best that they can at any given moment, and everyone deserves the opportunity to explore new ways of thinking and coping to expand upon their potential to excel in the areas of their life that they value. She guides clients through exploring their personality and identities as well as their relationships with others and their communities to help clients feel at home within themselves and their surroundings.

She has experience in supporting individuals and groups in residential and various levels of outpatient settings. Throughout her time in these settings and at Columbia University, she has amassed experience in guiding clients while they navigate mood and anxiety disorders, feeding and eating disorders, and PTSD symptoms. She has also worked with clients experiencing personality disorders, attachment disorders, psychotic disorders, and those that engage in various forms of self-harm.

Her therapeutic approach is client-centered and she views her clients with unconditional positive regard. Her work stems from a blend of different approaches so that she can support individuals from all values, viewpoints, and preferences. She often utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy skills. Cara values incorporating all aspects of her clients’ identity to help support them, including gender, race, sexuality, religion and spirituality, and ability. She also enjoys utilizing various creative approaches including art and music based on clients’ interests.

Cara attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for her undergraduate degree, where she majored in psychology and sociology with a certificate in social work and social welfare. While at UMass, she completed clinical psychology research exploring the effects of aging, brain injuries, and mild cognitive impairment. After graduating, she worked full time in a group home for youths, which further fueled her passion for supporting adolescents and young adults. Cara is currently completing her her final year of MSW coursework at Columbia School of Social Work, and is now completing the second year of clinical training at CICA. Her clinical social work coursework entails an emphasis in health, mental health, and disabilities, which she hopes to build on in her clinical work at CICA.

Cara’s work will take place under the expert supervision of Liz Anderson, LICSW & stewardship of Raihaan Attawala, LMHC, allowing for the care she delivers to be significantly discounted, as compared to her independently licensed clinical counterparts within the practice.

Fun Facts: In her free time, Cara enjoys spending time in nature, creating all kinds of crafts, going on adventures, and baking! She is a life-long resident of Massachusetts whose favorite day of the year is when she is able to celebrate the Boston Marathon.

NEW CLIENTS

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EXISTING CLIENTS

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