Raven Burrell

Most people come to therapy because they want to make changes in their life. Sometimes this can come with an unconscious message that there is something wrong or something missing. I have found that a deeper dive into the healing process often leads us to discover that we are complete as we are. In this light, any patterns or behavior that we desire to change are not to be “fixed” or “corrected,” but simply understood and integrated into our wholeness. This is the path I intend to walk with my clients.

I graduated with my Master’s in Mental Health and Counseling from Goddard College in Vermont. My concentration was in Expressive Arts Therapy, a technique that uses the art-making process as a therapeutic tool to know and understand aspects of ourselves through the act of creation and the mirror that our creative work can provide. My thesis focused on the intersection between Neurodiversity and LGBTQIA+ identities and how this intersection can inform a framework of Belonging as embodied praxis. My research in this area falls under a larger belief system that considers personal, social and collective liberation to be intertwined and interdependent. This informs the way I hold my client’s wounding as much as the pathways I see to healing.

My work is largely influenced by Carl Rogers who said “the curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” Holding a container of unconditional positive-regard is an integral part of my approach as a therapist. It is a personal and professional practice of mine to meet people where they are at with a sense of curiosity and care. I intend to bring a presence of radical acceptance and genuine respect to my sessions so that clients can find the space they need to discover their own truth. I am a strengths-based therapist, and like to work with my clients to notice the goodness in their life and personhood and enhance what is already working. My framework has also been heavily influenced by Attachment Theory and Internal family Systems, two areas where I continue to study.I have experience working in a rehab facility for adults in recovery from substance use. I found a deep affinity with the recovery community in this work and feel honored to walk that particular path of healing with clients. I also have years of experience working with youth in different capacities and most recently worked at the Counseling Center at Westfield State University. I have trained in several somatic-based practices such as EMDR, Focusing, yoga, and massage therapy. My training in these areas has led me to understand how the body stores trauma and adopt a trauma-informed lens in my work with clients.