Kelly Cunha

I'm Kelly! I received my MSW from Boston University and am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts. I have been a School Social Worker for over 15 years and I teach graduate students at BU School of Social Work and provide professional development to various school districts. I love doing counseling and therapy and hope my passion and enthusiasm comes through. I have a poster in my office that says “Good morning. Eyes up. Hearts up. Mind sharp. Compassion on full blast. (sips coffee) Okay let’s go” a favorite tweet of mine from the inimitable Lin Manuel Miranda. This mantra reminds me that there is almost nothing we can’t do with a little compassion (and some coffee!). I am passionate about social justice and anti-bias work. I believe that humans do well when they can....and if they can't, that by providing support, guidance and unconditional positive regard we can get them back on track. My goal is to create a supportive environment where clients can grow, help them to build up lagging skills, teach coping strategies, and partner with clients on how to be their best selves. I use a variety of treatment modalities and have specialized certifications in the treatment of anxiety for children and adolescence.

I know that anxiety can feel like an insurmountable obstacle that takes over your life. I work with your child & you, their caregivers, from the first session to normalize the idea that stress & worry are natural, inevitable parts of life – and that knowing how to lean into discomfort is critical. I follow the work & approach of Lynn Lyons, a New Hampshire-based social worker & anxiety specialist because I have seen it work, over and over again. This approach looks like: psychoeducation about worry and the anxiety cycle, externalization of worry, learning to expect worry and what to say when worry shows up, strategies for adaptive thinking, building positive expectancy and resilience, and more. The focus is not on “getting rid” of thoughts, feelings, or sensations, but understanding them, at times expecting them, and—for both children and adults– learning how to manage them.

For other populations and areas of exploration, my approach is eclectic and trauma-informed. I draw from different treatment philosophies and orientations including but not limited to: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and more. Every person is unique, and their treatment is tailored to their specific needs and goals.

A central tenet of my professional ethos is a commitment to antiracism and anti bias and the delivery of services that are culturally informed and sensitive to the needs of diverse populations. Cultivating culturally competent care is a cornerstone in my practice as a social worker, reflecting a dedication to equity and inclusivity in mental health. In my job as a school social worker, I have had the honor of working with transgender youth and their families during various parts of their journey, partnering with experts in the LGBTQIA+ community to ensure appropriate care.

What is at the core of my approach is a meaningful therapeutic relationship where we feel that we matter to one another, and have the experience of mutually learning, growing, and empowering each other. I like my clients to leave feeling that they have more coping strategies than they came with and that the time they took out of their lives was worth it.