Paulina Fuentes Moad, Psy.D.

“In the dark times

Will there also be singing?

Yes, there will also be singing.

About the dark times.”

—Bertolt Brecht (1939)

PSYCHOTHERAPY

I offer short- and long-term psychotherapy to individuals 18+ who reside within Florida or Massachusetts. Currently, I only offer virtual sessions. In very rare circumstances I can provide care at the patient’s home/office as long as confidentiality and other conditions can be met. If that is an interest of yours please inquire about it.

Qualifications:

With over twenty years of experience, I am confident to say that I have been exposed to most forms of mental illness and conditions, and I am trained and educated to work with a wide range of concerns and diagnoses. I have been formally studying psychology and working with individuals of all ages in diverse settings under supervision since 2004 in Mexico at the undergraduate level (which compares to US’s graduate level); and since 2009 in Massachusetts at the doctoral and postdoctoral level. I became fully licensed in MA in 2019, and in FL in 2024. In addition to all the pre- and- postdoctoral training and certifications required to hold and maintain a psychology license in the states where I am licensed, I also completed a one-year fellowship in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society in 2016 and Institute and a Health Coaching Certificate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition also in 2016. I have been educated and trained to provide services in English or Spanish, depending on the preference of the client/patient. I must add that I have been fully eligible for licensure in Mexico since 2009. I have held an academic appointment with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School since 2022. Teaching and supervising pre-and-postdoctoral students on a weekly basis at the MGH Charlestown Healthcare Center and having access to Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School’s resources keep me active and engaged with the most current scientific research, which I apply in my sessions.

Who I work with:

I welcome adults (18+) living in Florida and Massachusetts of all races, genders, cultures, nationalities, sexual orientations, stages in life, culture, and socio-economic factors among other demographic and identity areas. It will then be up to you, and us, to determine whether I have the knowledge, capacity, and style you need in a therapist.

While I find some resistance in sticking to one “niche” (as media and therapy gurus often suggest us)*, I have found throughout the years that I work better (thus, I have more experience) with certain types of personalities/presentations, which I will enlist below:

Immigrants: I was born and raised in Mexico City and I’m a first-generation immigrant who came to the US in her adulthood in 2009. I also spent some time studying in Paris (France), Vancouver (Canada), and Sheffield (England). I believe my personal experiences, as well as having worked with a vast amount of immigrants/individuals from other countries throughout the years have given me a keen awareness of all the overt and covert challenges one faces as an immigrant or non-immigrant individual living in another country.

Artists and creative individuals: I am someone who has always been fascinated by art and have prior studies in the performing arts. I find healing in creative expressions and have worked with both, artists who create art for a living, and also individuals who find creative expression and artistry an important part of their identity or daily living. Part of my education and training included providing therapy under supervision as part of my psychology practica for three years at the New England Conservatory of Music Counseling Center in Boston, MA, where I had the opportunity to work with music students from all walks of life. Of the three years only one was required, but I decided to voluntarily stay for more time as it is truly a passion of mine to work with Artists. I have also done other specific types of coaching and consulting with artists since 2017 – feel free to inquire about this if this is something you are interested in.

Mothers and maternal caregivers: I love when the word “mother” can be used as a verb: “to mother.” Mothering is an incredibly rewarding and also challenging aspect of life that I can deeply connect to and that often humbles me. It is my honor and privilege having worked with mothers and those who mother for many years, and it is my hope to be able to keep supporting us mothers, as we all need each other. This also includes high-functioning women in high-pressure jobs who feel pressure to “do it all,” not being “good-enough”, etc.

Individuals who identify as excessively empathetic (“empaths”) who oftentimes end up leaving their needs at last.

Individuals who grew up in complex narcissistic environments or who are subject to narcissistic environments in the present that they would like to break from and have difficulties doing so.

Survivors of therapy harm/abuse: the therapeutic relationship is an asymmetrical one, and unfortunately, it is relatively easy for many people to end up being harmed by therapy, which is a tragedy in itself as it means to become harmed by what was hoped to be the “cure”. Therapy can be triggering for individuals who have undergone therapy harm or simply disappointment in the mental health field. As someone who has been subject to therapy harm, has presented nationally and internationally on the subject, and has taught about it I just want you to know that you are seen. Since therapy can be triggering, we typically start with one or more consultation sessions and at that point we would decide together how it would make sense to move forward (or not).

*My resistance to sticking to one “niche” comes from the concept that we are not static individuals but humans in flux, and as such, staying in one niche invalidates all the other aspects of personality that are fundamental in the psychotherapy work I do to help people live richer, fuller lives.

What conditions I don’t treat / some things that I do not do:

I cannot save anyone: it is up to you to do the work and to have conversations with me when things are not working

I do not provide manualized treatments (pure CBT, pure DBT, pure IFS, etc.)

While I provide “skills”, my preference is to help guide you in what skills work for YOU. Nowadays we have a vast amount of access to information, so if you want some skills to help you with your mental health I will serve more as a guide in your search. However, I do not do pure skill-based work as I believe in approaching all the spheres of each unique individual.

I believe there are many professionals better equipped to treat certain disorders, particularly severe mental illness. While I have some experience with severe mental illness, if this is your case and you want to work with me specifically it will be up to us to decide if I can fit your needs.

Cases that require extensive involvement with the legal systems. Insurance or the therapy rates do not cover that, and I charge extra for such services. As such, the amount for doing such services could add up quickly, and there are other clinicians better equipped for such type of work.

About : About Me