Tailored, Evidence-Based Therapy for Adults in Massachusetts, Vermont
and Rhode Island
Trauma & Anxiety Therapy for High-Responsibility Adults
PE •CPT • CBT • ACT • Evidence-Based Care
Helping professionals, healthcare workers, and high-functioning adults who appear composed on the outside but feel overwhelmed on the inside.
You may look capable and composed to everyone around you — the person others rely on, the one who keeps things together — while privately carrying anxiety, chronic stress, or the long-term effects of trauma. Many of my clients are adults who function at a very high level externally, yet feel depleted, disconnected, or on the verge of burnout internally. If you’ve been coping by pushing through, staying productive, and never letting anything “drop,” but it’s no longer working, therapy can help you reset your nervous system, reduce reactivity, and feel more grounded in daily life.
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Who I Help
I work with adults who appear capable, responsible, and put-together — people others look to for stability — while privately feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in patterns that no longer feel sustainable. Many of my clients are professionals, healthcare workers, leaders, caregivers, or high-achieving adults who have spent years managing stress by pushing through, staying productive, or staying in “problem-solving mode.”
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You may not identify with the word “trauma,” yet you notice:
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You’re always bracing for something to go wrong
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You feel tense, on edge, or mentally “on alert”
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Your nervous system never really turns off
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You’re exhausted but can’t slow down
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Rest feels unsafe or unfamiliar​
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Others might describe you as “strong” or “the steady one,” but internally you’re carrying more than anyone knows.
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If you resonate with being highly capable on the outside but overwhelmed on the inside, you’re in the right place.
Dr. Lauren Brenner, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
What I Treat
I work with adults experiencing the long-term effects of stress — especially when the body and nervous system have stayed in “survival mode” for a long time. For many people, symptoms show up before the story makes sense.
You may notice:
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Chronic tension, worry, or restlessness
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Feeling on alert or unable to fully relax
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Difficulty slowing down or shutting your mind off
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Irritability, emotional exhaustion, or numbness
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Trouble sleeping or never feeling fully rested
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A sense of carrying more than you can name
Sometimes this comes from a clearly overwhelming event. Other times, it builds over years of responsibility, pressure, or not having space to fall apart. Many of my clients don’t think of their experience as “trauma” at first — they just know they can’t keep going the way they have been.
I also support clients recovering from medical events, health scares, pregnancy/postpartum stress, and experiences where the body felt unsafe before the mind could process what was happening.
How I Work
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Therapy with me is active, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based care. We don’t just talk about what’s hard — we work directly with the patterns keeping you stuck. Together, we slow down what’s happening internally so it feels less overwhelming, while building skills that help you feel more regulated and in control of your responses.
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I draw from treatments such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), CBT, and ACT to help you understand why symptoms are happening and what shifts will actually change the way you feel day-to-day. Sessions are structured enough to feel purposeful, but flexible enough to meet what’s coming up in real time.
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My role is to help you understand your nervous system, reduce reactivity, restore a sense of internal safety, and build habits that support long-term resilience — not just short-term coping.
Why Choose Brenner Psychological Associates
*Licensed clinical psychologist with extensive trauma therapy and PTSD treatment expertise. Doctoral training with specialized clinical research experience in trauma recovery
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*Personalized treatment using proven evidence-based therapies including CBT, CPT, PE, and ACT customized to your specific needs.
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*Specialized expertise working with performance-driven populations (including executives, healthcare professionals, educators and students, first responders, veterans and military service members including Special Operations Forces)
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*HIPAA-compliant online therapy platform offering flexible scheduling and complete privacy for your therapeutic sessions
*Located in Boston, MA. Licensed psychologist providing services throughout MA, RI, and VT
