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Pam Bolarinho

Pam Bolarinho

LICSW · Massachusetts

Compassionate LICSW focused on practical healing

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  • Patient-centered
  • Strength-based
  • Trauma-informed

About Pam

Pam Bolarinho is a licensed clinical social worker with two decades of experience. She brings a calm, practical style to sessions and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, and relationship struggles. Pam speaks English and Portuguese and draws on long experience in clinical and leadership roles in Massachusetts.

Her career began in community social work and includes time with Healthy Families and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Bridgewater State University and later held clinical leadership roles in inpatient psychiatric care and acute medical hospital social work. She has also served as a program director working on community-based responses to behavioral health needs.

Pam uses patient-centered and strength-based work as a foundation. She combines that with approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to help people notice patterns, try new coping steps, and build practical routines. Motivational Interviewing is part of her style when clients want help finding direction or making changes.

Much of her recent work has involved coordination with community partners, police co-response programs, and regional behavioral health initiatives. That experience informs how she thinks about systems, access to services, and community supports. She also has a focused interest in adoption and foster care and related attachment questions.

Clients can expect straightforward conversation, clear goals, and collaborative problem solving. Pam aims to help people find manageable ways to feel steadier and move forward from stressful or traumatic experiences.

How Pam’s Approaches Work Online

Pam often uses Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening carefully and following the client’s pace. That approach helps when someone needs a trusting place to sort feelings and make decisions.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at thoughts and behaviors to find small, practical changes that reduce anxiety or lift mood. Solution-Focused Therapy is part of her toolkit too and concentrates on setting clear, achievable goals and trying concrete steps between sessions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. She will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, preferences, and the problems they want to address. That process can shift as progress is made or new priorities appear.

Session logistics should be confirmed before booking since specific formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into busy days, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so sessions happen during a lunch break or between errands. Check current session options to confirm how meetings will be scheduled and conducted.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepression

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

Adoption and foster careAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessMidlife crisisMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDParanoiaPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

20+ years

Credentials

Massachusetts

Languages

English, Portuguese

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Pam commonly address?

She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting challenges, and complications from trauma and abuse.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her style is patient-centered and strength-based. She blends practical problem solving with attention to a person's strengths and goals.

What kind of background does she bring to sessions?

Pam has over 20 years in social work, including leadership roles in acute care and inpatient psychiatry and early work with community family programs.

Where is she based and what are her credentials?

She practices in Massachusetts and holds an MA and LICSW credential as a clinical social worker.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese.

Can I work with her from another country?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

How are session costs handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin the process?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

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