Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Waterbury, CT covered by Aetna

Hello, I’m Cara, a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree in social work. My approach is warm, down‐to‐earth, and collaborative. I believe therapy works best when it feels genuine and human. Together, we’ll explore your experiences, build on your strengths, and use practical, evidence‐based tools like coping strategies, mindset shifts, and boundary work. I make space for humor and real connection, combining these skills with deeper exploration of patterns, self‐compassion, and emotional insight to support lasting, meaningful change.

I specialize in helping adults with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, trauma, and complex trauma.

** My practice currently prioritizes clients in the Mid-Hudson Valley and those in direct service and helping professions, such as therapists, teachers, first responders, veterans, healthcare workers, and essential and frontline workers. **

If you've done the work and still feel stuck, anxious, or not like yourself, you're not doing it wrong. Often the nervous system is simply doing what it learned to do to keep you safe.

I'm an LCSW licensed in New York and Connecticut, with eight years of experience rooted in crisis work. I've worked with families facing hardship and people in corporate and executive careers, and I have experience in disaster mental health and in critical incident stress management for first responders. I understand people under the highest levels of stress, both personally, as I was one of those people, and professionally.

I don't believe trauma has to be something we simply live with, or something that defines us. What overwhelms one nervous system may not overwhelm another, so trauma looks different for every person. When we look at ourselves through a nervous system lens, instead of "trauma happened to me and now I'm broken," we start to see a nervous system that adapted to survive, and one that can learn to do something new.

A self-regulation approach asks, "How do I calm myself down?" A capacity approach asks, "How can I build a nervous system that doesn't need to be calmed down every time life gets hard?" That second question is where I work. I start with the body and emotional experience before cognitive understanding, which helps us reach what's hard to put into words and often leads to real shifts.

If you've ever felt like your brain works a little differently — constantly moving, questioning, or feeling things more deeply than you know what to do with — you're not alone, and you're in the right place. I work with children, teenagers, and young adults who are navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and the pressures that come with just trying to figure life out. Many of my clients arrive feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, or stuck in cycles of self-doubt and exhaustion. Whatever brings you here, I want you to know that what you're experiencing makes sense — and things really can get better.

Currently accepting new clients. Are you seeking a natural path to healing and vitality in your life? It's my passion to help you live your one wild and precious life to its fullest. I help clients remember who they are, how to find their power and learn how to bring it as a gift to the world. Through the process of personal exploration, healing in nature and building healthy relationships, I can help you experience more vitality, purpose and meaning in your life.

I believe we all carry an inner resilience that can be activated and drawn on when life gets hard. My job is to understand how you see yourself and how you see what is in front of you, and then work alongside you from there. I see adults navigating depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief, and substance use, as well as people looking for a

steady and nonjudgmental place to work through whatever they are carrying. If that sounds like where you are, reach out.

1. With 30 years of experience in behavioral health, I am an LICSW licensed in MA, CT, and RI. I hold a Master's Degree from Columbia University. My expertise includes providing evidence-based treatment and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to adults and couples.

I regularly work with individuals facing a variety of life's diverse challenges including anxiety/ panic, family-of-origin concerns, depression, maternal mental health, transition to parenthood, trauma, grief/ loss, sexual issues, and career related concerns. I also have a specialization in sex and relationship therapy. Please note, I do not provide couple or family therapy services on insurance as these forms of therapy are not recognized by insurances. If you'd like couple or family services, I provide out of network services and can also provide a sliding scale based on your income/ genuine financial need.

My clients are often seeking a combination of clarity, coping skills, and in general -- more ease and happiness in their daily life. I also have a unique specialization in "relationship therapy for one" where we unpack what might be keeping you stuck or unhappy when it comes to your overall relationship health/ satisfaction.

I have been a licensed therapist for over a decade and received my training at state of the art educational institutes including Syracuse University and other hospital and outpatient centers across NY and Manhattan. I have also sought out ongoing participation in professional clinical consultation groups with some of the most influential therapists and thought leaders of our time. These varied and diverse professional training experiences enable me to provide the best possible care to each client I serve. In addition, I also provide training and mentorship for new therapists looking to specialize in sex and relationship health.

Prior to becoming a psychotherapist I was exactly where you are now reaching out for support. You don't have to go through this alone. I have a Master's Degree in Holistic Counseling and I am also a licensed Mental Health Counselor with 20 years experience working with anxiety, depression, loss and trauma. Therapy helped me to understand myself and cope with my situation. It also led me to my education which, taught me that seeing yourself as a whole gives you more options to choose from when things go wrong. By combining the two I can better support what you most need so you can move forward with purpose and see that there is life beyond coping.

I understand how exhausting it can feel to be caught in the same patterns or unsure how to help someone you care about. I offer a calm, approachable, and nonjudgmental space where you can feel heard and supported. We will work together at a pace that feels right for you. Reach out when you are ready to begin.

Emotions can be overwhelming, especially when coupled with difficult memories from your past. Along with poor sleep, brain fog, and no energy, it can seem impossible to cope. Many people struggle with these symptoms whether it’s from depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, or difficult life transitions. Life can be hard and we all need help sometimes. I'm here to help you figure out what works best for you.

Terence Ching, PhD (he/him) is a Yale-, Dartmouth-, and UConn-trained clinical psychologist licensed in CT.

Dr. Ching has vast academic and clinical expertise in mood, anxiety, and trauma-based disorders, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dr. Ching is also an Instructor on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. There, he leads psychedelic clinical trials (namely, psilocybin) for OCD, depression, and other disorders in the Yale Program for Psychedelic Science. There, Dr. Ching assumes the role of Director of Psychedelic Training, pioneering the training and supervision of numerous facilitators who work with study participants in psychedelic dosing sessions.

In the psychedelic therapy space, Dr. Ching is an extensively published global leader in culturally attuned, queer- and trans-affirming, and ethically rigorous care of individuals experiencing altered states of consciousness.

Lastly, Dr. Ching is an internationally sought after scientific speaker. He has significant consulting experience in various aspects of psychedelic research and practice, having trained hundreds of study therapists for multiple companies who have achieved FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation in their drug development programs.