Pam Bolarinho, LICSW

Pam Bolarinho, LICSW, brings twenty years of social work experience to people facing major life stress and change. She communicates in English and Portuguese and aims to make sessions direct and practical. Her background includes leadership in acute care and work with community partners.

People often come to Pam for help with anxiety, depression, bipolar symptoms, addiction, grief, relationship strain, and the stress of parenting or career transitions. She also supports concerns tied to trauma, attachment, body image, and blended family issues. Pam uses clear, goal-focused conversations to help people manage emotions and make decisions.

Pam trained at Bridgewater State University, where she earned a Master of Social Work and served as class representative. She then worked at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and ran clinical programs in inpatient psychiatric and acute medical settings. Her experience spans direct care, program development, and leadership roles.

In recent years she helped launch a co-response program with a local police department to provide behavioral health support in the community. That work involved partnering with hospitals, community agencies, and behavioral health organizations to reduce unnecessary emergency visits.

In sessions Pam takes a client-centered, strength-based stance and combines practical techniques from cognitive behavioral, narrative, motivational, and solution-focused approaches. She aims to help people build coping skills, clarify goals, and find better ways to respond to life stressors.

How therapeutic approaches fit into online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead so the person feels heard and understood; it is useful for people coping with stress, grief, and relationship strain. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses practical exercises to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change unhelpful habits. Motivational Interviewing helps people clarify their own reasons for change and can support challenges like addictions or making lifestyle shifts.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the person to choose methods that match current goals, needs, and preferences. This means trying techniques, reviewing what helps, and adjusting the plan together as progress is made.

Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, and offering appointments that work around work or caregiving schedules. It also lets people keep treatment going during transitions, while the therapist uses the chosen approaches to help build skills and tackle immediate challenges.