Obsessive-compulsive disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Amherst, MA

With over 15 years of nursing experience, my passion for psychiatry began early in my nursing career as I witnessed patients transform their lives through healing, self-discovery, and resilience. It is profoundly humbling meeting someone at their lowest point and having the privilege of walking alongside them as they do the work to become their best selves.

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I work with adults ages 18 to 60 from all walks of life, with a special focus on individuals who are often overlooked, misunderstood, or silently struggling. Many of the people I work with appear “put together” on the outside—successful, dependable, and strong—while internally feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or barely holding it together.

I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, to immigrant parents from Haiti, and my cultural background plays an important role in who I am as a provider. Being deeply connected to both Haitian and American cultures has given me a broad perspective and a deep appreciation for cultural identity, family systems, and the shared human experience. At the core, struggle looks very similar across cultures—and everyone deserves care that is respectful, culturally responsive, and compassionate.

As a therapist, my goal is to provide empathy and compassion in an emotionally safe environment. I am passionate about helping people through the most difficult challenges life may have. I work with people to build their self-worth, ease emotional pain, and help regain a sense of enjoyment in their life as they once had. I envision helping people recognize their strengths, then build on their strengths, to help them to become more self-confident, happy and aware.

I provide a proven mind-body integrated approach that helps adults heal from the impact of trauma, addiction, anxiety, interpersonal problems, self-hate, and more. I am a lifelong learner with vast training and experience in internal family systems (IFS), yoga, polyvagal theory, mindfulness, and self-compassion. I bring a nonjudgmental, compassionate, and open-minded to work with my people.

I am Dr. Maribel Aheran, a neurodivergent, licensed mental health therapist and Certified Autism Specialist dedicated to helping individuals finally get answers. Drawing from my background as a K-12 special education staffing coordinator and counselor, I specialize in adult Autism and ADHD evaluations. Every day, I assess, identify, plan, educate, and build strong therapeutic alliances. Moving past "the tip of the iceberg," I use advanced pattern recognition and differential diagnosis to find underlying issues, equipping clients with targeted psychoeducation and the exact tools they need.