David Kesselman, DSW, LICSW
Offering Practical, Interactive
and Engaging Treatment For:
Anxiety * Stress * Panic * Phobias * PTSD* ADHD*
Chronic Pain and Health Conditions
These conditions are often experienced as:
Worry* Panic* Fear* Overwhelmed* Irritable* Avoidant * Poor Concentration* Unmotivated*
Muscle tension* Stomach Complaints* Headaches* Sleep problems* Fatigue
Many of our clients have experienced:
Chronic illness & Pain* Traumatic Events* Challenging work or family circumstances*
High pressure academic or athletic performance* Other major life changes
If this sounds familiar:
Please contact us to schedule a free 15 minute consultation. Sessions can be held in-person at our office in Westborough, MA or virtually.
Climb to new heights
through Strengthened Emotional resilience and psychological Flexibility
How WE Can Help
For over 20 years we have helped clients become more resilient and psychologically flexible. We focus on how stress impacts both our thinking and physical being. Our goal is to help strengthen clients' emotional self regulation and lessen physical discomfort, while promoting creative and healthy thinking. These strategies may allow for a more enjoyable, comfortable and relaxed life.
We have a particular interest in Behavioral Medicine, working with clients who have medical diagnoses such as headaches, jaw pain, hypertension, Raynaud’s disease, tinnitus, IBS, chronic pain and other conditions.
Here, we are able to combine traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Biofeedback and Mindfulness. This provides us the opportunity to consider the the role of thought, environmental stressors, lifestyle, coping responses and their interplay with your physiology and medical conditions.
We first focus on improving your physiological and mental coping skills such as abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mental imagery, mindfulness and attention training. We then train you to apply these strategies to reduce muscular tension, decrease hyperarousal in your nervous system, and change the quality of your attention away from pain or discomfort. Treatment may also include the use of Virtual Reality.
A little about me
Dr. Kesselman is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with a private practice in Westborough, MA. He welcomes adolescents (ages 18+) and adults who are seeking strategies to better address physical symptoms, emotional distress and unhelpful or unhealthy thinking styles associated with anxiety or stress reactions.
Dr. Kesselman has held senior clinical and leadership positions at Lifestance Health and UMASS/Health Alliance Hospital. He held the faculty rank of Instructor at UMASS Medical School where he worked collaboratively with the medical team, while training medical students, residents and behavioral health trainees in behavioral medicine. Dr. Kesselman provided expertise on psychological factors and treatment approaches associated with medical diagnoses. He received his Doctorate in Social Work from University of Tennessee/ Knoxville and Masters in Social Work from Boston College.
Dr. Kesselman offers a practical and scientifically validated approach to treatment. In addition to Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dr. Kesselman utilizes innovative technologies (biofeedback and virtual reality) to make the therapy experience more interactive and engaging. Clients enjoy this and report feeling better in a shorter time and with sustained outcomes. Innovative ways to help clients are constantly evaluated.
Please click on the button below for Dr. Kesselman's LinkedIn Profile for his full academic and professional resume.
Specialties & Expertise
Anxiety
Coping with excessive worry, nervousness, or stress; intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety)
Stress Management
Strengthening effective ways of coping with the stress of life and change; managing expectations of self and others
Panic attacks/ panic disorder
Phobias & fears
Intense fear, anxiety, and panic related to specific triggers, such as heights or crowded spaces
PTSD
Health Conditions& Chronic Pain
Including anxiety, asthma, tension and migraine headaches, mild-to-moderate hypertension, insomnia, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Raynaud’s disease, and TMJ⁄jaw pain. Also heart disease, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic conditions. Having to change life-long habits, especially in the face of a medical condition, can be difficult and overwhelming. Research shows that mind-body therapy can alleviate numerous medical problems. The human body and mind are interconnected in remarkable ways, and working on one can frequently help heal the other.
Brief, intense periods of overwhelming fear or anxiety
ADHD
People with ADHD have trouble managing their emotions. Some have trouble putting the brakes on their feelings when they’re angry or stressed. Others struggle to get revved up to do something when they’re feeling bored.
Emotion Regulation
Healing from painful, threatening or scary events and memories from the past such as experiencing or witnessing accidents or experiencing or witnessing sexual, verbal, emotional or physical assault.
*Being quick to get frustrated by minor annoyances. *Worrying too much or too long about even small things. -Having trouble calming down when they’re annoyed or angry -Feeling wounded or take offense at even gentle criticism -Feeling excessive urgency to get something they want now (from Understood.com)
Treatment
approaches
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a skill-based treatment that focuses on the interconnection of one’s thoughts, behaviors and emotional experiences. The therapist teaches techniques to examine and reduce unhelpful thoughts and implement new ways behaving outside of the sessions that result in desired emotional and behavioral outcomes.
biofeedback
Biofeedback is a technique used to increase awareness control the psychological functions in the body that are often involuntary. During a biofeedback session, sensors connected to the client’s body monitor physiological rhythms, such as heart rate or skin temperature. The feedback from the sensors helps the client to develop increased awareness of their body and understand the body’s response as they try different relaxation skills or other relevant interventions led by the therapist. Biofeedback may help: 1. Improve self-regulation and resilience 2. Improve the ability to respond to challenging situations 3. Potentially reduce the need for medication 4. Help with conditions that have not responded to medication 5. Help alleviate or lessen chronic pain 6. Strengthen occupational, academic, athletic or artistic performance
mindfulness and Breathwork
Mindfulness-informed therapy integrates present moment awareness as a tool that allows clients to disengage from mental preoccupations and difficult emotions. The therapist teaches the practice of present moment awareness through non-judgmental observation of the mind and body. Breathwork is the practice of utilizing breathing exercises to increase mindful self-awareness. The therapist guides the client through a meditative experience using breathing techniques.
virtual reality
VR is a three-dimensional environment with which a person interacts in real time. Generating senses of presence and immersion, VR technology elicits emotional responses similar to those provoked by real-life situations. It provides the opportunity to work with difficult-to-reproduce real-life situations. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) enables gradual, individualized, controlled and immersive exposure. I have a often used VR for fears of flying, driving on the high way, tight spaces, animals and heights. I also use it for immersive relaxation and mindfulness environments.
Information about the Practice
Location
The practice is located at 1900 West Park Drive, Westborough, MA in the Westborough Office Park conveniently located off route 9 and near both route 495 and the Mass Pike. Please take the elevator or stairs to Suite 280 and check in with the receptionist.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we require a 24-hour notice to avoid being charged a $100 late cancel/no show fee.
If you have an in-person appointment but cannot make it to the office, we would be happy to convert your session to teletherapy session without an additional charge.
Payment
Copayment/Coinsurance is expected at the time of each appointment. Payment can be made online on the Headway portal (our electronic medical record and billing portal).
For Private Pay/Out of Network Clients, the fees are the following:
Initial assessment:
$200 (45-50min)
Individual sessions:
$200 (45-50min)
$150 (25-30 min)
Insurance
The practice accepts several of the major insurance panels including:
*Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts
*Point 32 Healthcare
(Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts)
*United Healthcare
*Aetna
We assist In Network clients in verifying eligibility.
For Out of Network clients, we partner with an electronic submission service and can assist you in submitting your insurance claims on line. You may be able to receive significant reimbursement using out-of-network benefits, sometimes up to 60-70% of the session.
Contact Us
Address
1900 West Park Drive
Suite 280
Westborough, MA 01581
Contact
(508) 205-9444
Hours
Mon - Thur
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Limited evenings sessions are available upon request
Friday 9:00 am- 3:00 pm