LICSW, 29 years of experience
Frequently rebooked
I received my Master of Social Work from Simmons in 1996 and reside in Massachusetts. My entire career has been community and relationship based. I have worked in therapeutic schools, with elders at risk, the early head start program. I am a licensed social worker in Massachusetts and Maryland. The past 15 years I spent working with families and clients in the community who were managing chronic mental illness while trying to maintain as much independence as possible. I am a family member, a professional, a community member who values the creation of a trusting, confidential, and professionally bound client /social worker relationship.
I look at a first meeting as therapeutically business. Let's first help each other make sure we have attended to the business items put forth by our professional contract. And we will determine where and how you want to begin. If you don't know then I'll ask some questions so we can determine a pace, tone and communication pattern that may work for us recognizing that we are at the beginning of building a trusting therapeutic relationship. You may have written some things on your intake that you'd like to expand upon or clarify immediately. Perhaps you have some questions for me too.
I am committed to my own professional and personal growth which enhances my professional perspective. Folks have told me I am easy to talk to and they appreciate my ability to listen, compassionately question and help them set manageable short term, mid term and long terms goals using my professional training and our shared understanding of your situation. I am have years of experience modeling professional boundaries within the therapeutic relationship to help folks see that boundary setting for themselves can be done compassionately.
I believe I have the capacity to help those who are willing or want to consider as we develop our therapist/client relationship what it might feel like to work within a framework that "...grant [s] ... the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference" (a version of quote attributed to R. Niebur) No matter the treatment model I find that looking at "willingness " creates a baseline for a discussion of a client's place as the center of all of the other overlapping life systems. I am not trained in a spiritual model but welcome a client's perspective and experience towards my self education and professional ability to help clients feel comfortable bringing those experiences into our meetings.
My professional career has been mostly community based - home visits, , walks and talks, schools, and facilities. I believe in the BioPsychoSocial Model of health and want to work to build a trusting therapeutic partnership with you so we can determine how to help you find the clarity, momentum, peace, understanding ,acceptance (you fill in the word ) that prompted you to ask for some help. For the past 16 years I worked with adults and families navigating chronic mental illness within the community (building on my earlier career experiences and community work with elders, youth , and families at risk). Covid taught me the value of "zooming" when an in person connection was not possible. I have been identifying the pros and cons of zoom from a community based perspective and have adapted and incorporated "zoom" as a connection method in my professional model. I value the therapeutic benefits technology allows but will from a systems perspective want to explore your (the clients) in person circles of support.
The tenants of my professional code of ethics are my guide as we will work to develop and determine our therapist/client communication style. Trust is earned so at your pace let's see if I am a good fit to help you reach your goals.
I find it very helpful to adapt CBT strategies towards a personal approach when navigating all the other systems that overlap with our personal development goals. Personally and professionally I find it helpful to look at he 'now' and determine how to shape some short term, mid term and long term goals.
Let's identify those people, those agencies, those systems that have been positive for you and build on what you already know about yourself. I am offering to provide a safe confidential perspective/lens as you talk through your "now and then" with an aim towards developing your next steps forward.
4 ratings with written reviews
August 12, 2025
Marla Ker is an excellent therapist! She has helped me gain confidence, and inspired me to take care of myself and live a good life.
May 21, 2025
Loooved my session! She was engaged in the conversation and kept it geared towards solutions and helping me to understand my feelings. I look forward to our next session.
May 7, 2025
I came to therapy skeptical and feeling untethered after a major life change. From the start, Marla Ker, was warm, perceptive and inviting. She never judged my situation or how I felt about it and she picked up things I couldn’t quite express. She offered thoughtful actionable tools that helped me feel more grounded. Her insight and kindness have had a meaningful impact. If you’re hesitant about therapy, she creates a space that feels safe, supportive and encouraging.