Molly Toomey

I've been in the helping professions since 2010, working with clients of all different ages and backgrounds in their homes, schools, communities, and online. Many years of experience on the ground in the community—outside the walls of a private practice office—have shown me that mutual realness, trust, and meaningful connection in counseling are incredibly powerful tools for growth and healing. I use a mix of therapeutic approaches and perspectives to achieve that in my work with clients. -- Relational & psychodynamic. My counseling approach is informed by relational and psychodynamic therapy. This framework is supported by many years of research in psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and relational science. We'll work on building a genuine, trusting therapeutic relationship in which you feel safe and supported enough to show up as your authentic self, reflect, explore, experiment, make mistakes, learn, heal, and grow. We'll consider how your past relationships and life circumstances may have influenced you, and examine how you cope with difficulties today—without assuming or pathologizing. The sessions are meant as a "safer space" to gain insight on yourself and the situations or patterns in your life that have left you feeling stuck, and to experiment with new ways of communicating and relating. -- Trauma-informed. My knowledge of trauma, and years of working with people with complex trauma, inform how I approach our work together, from understanding your experiences and needs to which approaches and interventions I use to support you. It means I prioritize creating a safe and collaborative environment in session, with transparency and respect for your boundaries. -- Integrative. I integrate insight and interventions from other therapeutic approaches and theories as well. I most often draw inspiration from person-centered therapy, somatic work (mind-body connection), and "parts work". I also use psychoeducation (psychological education) to equip you with the information and tools you need to really understand your situation, be that a diagnosis or a mental or physical response to an illness or experience. I genuinely believe that knowledge is power, and many of us never had the opportunity to understand or connect with how our bodies and minds work. -- Affirming. My approach is affirming of your diverse identities and life experiences, from gender and sexuality to neurodiversity and kink. Many clinicians talk about being queer-affirming, trans-affirming, neuro-affirming, kink-affirming, and sex-positive—but what does it actually mean? To me, being affirming is an active process. It's recognizing, accepting, and respecting my clients' identities and lifestyles. It's also acknowledging systemic injustices, pathologizing, and erasure. And it involves actively working to create an inviting, supportive space for folks to be their full selves without judgment while gently dismantling internalized shame and stigma. -- Holistic & strengths-based. I regard each person holistically. Your psychological wellbeing is not just about emotions—it's connected to your physical wellness, your social circumstances, your cultural identities, work environment, income, ability to meet basic needs, oppressions or discrimination, and the laws and policies governing you. With this in mind, my work is resource-activating and strengths-based. We'll examine the strengths and wisdom you already have, figure out the gaps, and identify real resources to add to your mental health toolbox. -- Enriched by lived experience. Queer, neurodivergent (AuDHD), goth, alternative lifestyles and relationship practices—I connect personally with many identities and communities (you might connect with some of these, too!) and the experiences and perspectives I've gained have enriched my professional work as well. I won't share every detail about myself, but I will show up more fully and directly than old-school therapists or analysts. This is core to relational work: healing old wounds comes from working collaboratively, vulnerably, and authentically. Overall, I aim for the therapeutic space to be a comfortable, safer-feeling space where you feel able to show up in all your complexity and messiness—a space for deep talks and lighter ones, agreeing AND disagreeing, working through ruptures, and experiencing what it's like to be unconditionally accepted and valued. It is important to me to meet you where you're at in your journey and in any given session. I warmly welcome ugly feelings, ugly language, ugly-crying, and bad hair days. The important thing is showing up again.

I've been in the business of helping people since 2010. Through clinical social work, sex education and counseling, and community advocacy, I've helped hundreds of people of all ages move toward inner clarity, confidence, connection, and liberation. People I've worked with have shared feeling: - More clarity on their problems and possible solutions - Greater self-acceptance, pride in their identities - More confident and secure in their lives and relationships - More able to voice their wants and needs - More stable & able to safely handle deep sadness, stress, anxiety - More able to ask for help and to receive care - Deeply understood, calmer, happier, better Here's an overview of my professional experience and the communities I've served: 2025-present - Private practice 2024-2025 - Trauma-informed social work (group & 1:1) 2017-2021 - Community mental health: Psychotherapy, counseling, crisis intervention 2015-2016 - Clinical placement in individual/group psychotherapy, counseling, crisis intervention 2014-2015 - Clinical placement in group psychotherapy, individual counseling 2014-2020 - Program support for immigrant advocacy nonprofit 2013-2014 - Sex education, advocacy, sexual health counseling 2010-2012 - Sexuality education, community organizing My lived experience also deeply informs my work. I'm a queer, neurodivergent migrant with working-class roots and personal experience with alternative lifestyles and relationship structures—and a therapy client myself.

I have a clinical social work master's degree, clinical licensure in the U.S., years of supervised experiential training and postgraduate work, as well as professional development in mental health, sexual health, group work, and education. Here's an overview of my academic degrees and professional licensure/accreditation: 2025 - Clinical social work licensure in Connecticut (USA) (License # 15933) - active license to practice psychotherapy with residents of CT, USA 2024 - State recognition as social worker (Germany) 2021-2023 - Clinical social work licensure in Massachusetts (USA) 2017-2021 - Certified social work licensure in Massachusetts (USA) 2014-2016 - Master of Social Work, Clinical Social Work - Smith College School for Social Work (Northampton, MA, USA) 2006-2010 - Bachelor of Arts, Sociology - Amherst College (Amherst, MA, USA)