Laura Werner Larsen, PhD, LICSW
Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis
We – as humans – at times get anxious, sad or blocked. Major life transitions, such as life stage or relationship changes; marriage and parenthood; career and identity crises; or loss and grief, can leave us questioning ourselves as well as our sense of direction and purpose. Other times, we may yearn for change but feel trapped, stagnant or lack trust in our ability to create change. What may have worked before simply isn't working any more.
Psychotherapy can help through creating space around the suffering so that new possibilities for living can be found. Good therapy helps you expand your curiosity and open-mindedness about yourself – who you have been, who you are, and who you would like to be – and so makes it easier to identify what needs to change and how to best go about it. I combine an actively curious, accepting and collaborative approach with a secure therapeutic framework to help people navigate change and enhance their capacity to work, love, and play.
I offer flexible lunchtime and daytime psychotherapy and psychoanalysis appointments for Cambridge, Somerville and Boston professionals, academic faculty and graduate students. Currently I am seeing clients both at my Cambridge office and via telehealth appointments.
Education and Training
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Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, 2022, Adult Psychoanalyst
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American Psychoanalytic Association, 2015–2016, Fellow
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Program for Psychotherapy/Cambridge Health Alliance, 2014–2016, Postgraduate Fellow
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Smith College School for Social Work, 2014, Master of Social Work
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Harvard University, 2010–2012, Visiting Scholar
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University of Chicago, 2008–2010, Postdoctoral Fellow
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University of Helsinki, 2007, Doctor of Social Sciences
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LICSW (MA): 120029
Specialties
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Anxiety and OCD
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Depression
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Cross-cultural Issues
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Life Transitions
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Identity
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Relationship Issues
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Self Esteem
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Stress
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Perfectionism
I am a cross-cultural, multilingual (English, Finnish, German, Swedish) licensed psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. I completed postgraduate training in psychodynamic psychotherapy at a Harvard teaching hospital, and psychoanalytic training at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, where I now teach and supervise. I am a member of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) and the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA).
Before clinical work, I did academic research and taught in Europe and the United States. My experience living and working in four countries has made me especially attuned to issues having to do with life transitions, and the negotiations involved in cross-cultural lives and relationships.
Contact Me
If you have questions about starting therapy or would like to make an appointment, please feel free to contact me. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Please note that email is not a fully secure form of communication and should only be used for scheduling and brief, non-emergency communications.
Tel: 617-902-0919
Fax: 857-957-9662