Our Approach to Therapy in Providence, Rhode Island
MindWell Psychology is a private practice in Providence, Rhode Island built around a specific idea: that effective therapy is part science, part craft, and entirely shaped by the person sitting in front of you. Dr. Livia Freier, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, leads a team that integrates the most rigorously validated treatments in the field with the kind of attention that does not show up on a clinical pathway diagram.
Evidence-based, then personalized
Every clinician at MindWell Psychology is trained in the treatments with the strongest evidence base for the concerns we see most often. That includes neuroscience-informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method for couples, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and inference-based CBT for OCD, and structured assessment and coaching for adult ADHD. We are equally comfortable drawing on Internal Family Systems, somatic and mindfulness-integrated work, and trauma-informed approaches when the moment calls for them.
The science is the floor, not the ceiling. A treatment that works on average in a randomized trial still has to land for the person in this specific session, with this specific history, on this specific Tuesday. Our work is to make sure it does.
How a course of treatment unfolds
The first conversation is a consultation. We talk about what brought you in, what you have tried, and what would constitute a meaningful change. By the end of it, both of us should have a clear sense of whether the fit is right and what an initial treatment plan would look like.
From there, the work is collaborative. We name the problem precisely, we agree on what we are working toward, and we revisit progress out loud. Some clients meet weekly for a focused course of 12-20 sessions. Others stay longer, working across multiple chapters of life. Whichever shape it takes, you should know what we are doing and why.
Three pillars of our work
Personalized treatment plans. No two anxiety presentations are the same, and a relationship in its second year is not the same as one in its tenth. Treatment is built around your specific patterns, history, and goals, not a manualized script.
Proven therapeutic methods. CBT, EFT, ERP, IFS, and the Gottman Method form the backbone of our work because the evidence base is strong and the techniques are teachable, observable, and durable.
Radical respect for the person. Therapy works when the person in the chair feels both fully accepted and capable of change. We hold both at once.
Who we work with
We see adults across many circumstances. Among the people who find their way to us most often are high-achieving professionals whose long-standing anxiety has been mistaken for personality, graduate students at Brown University and design students at RISD, couples in distress or processing infidelity, adults receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life, and people whose intrusive thoughts and silent compulsions point toward OCD.
If you are not sure where to begin, our guide on how to find the right therapist in Providence is a grounded place to start, and our overview of neuroscience-informed therapy explains why understanding your nervous system is part of doing the work.
Where we work
Our office is at 38 N Court Street, Suite 2, on Providence’s East Side, a few minutes from College Hill, Fox Point, and the Brown and RISD campuses. We also offer telehealth across Rhode Island for clients who would rather meet from home or who live elsewhere in the state.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are looking for evidence-based, personalized therapy in Providence, schedule a consultation. We will talk about what is going on, what you have tried, and whether we are the right fit. Call (401) 484-7050 or visit our contact page.