Pam Bolarinho

Pam Bolarinho, LICSW, helps people who are overwhelmed by anger, stress, and life changes. She approaches clients with straightforward care and clear goals. Her style is calm and practical, aimed at making day-to-day life more manageable. She speaks English and Portuguese and practices in Massachusetts.

Pam has worked in social work for twenty years. She began in home visiting programs and later worked with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. She earned a Master of Arts in Social Work from Bridgewater State University and held roles as Clinical Director at an inpatient psychiatric facility and Social Work Manager at an acute medical hospital.

In recent years she led efforts in acute care services and cofounded a co-response program with a local police department. That program provided community-based care for hundreds of people and helped many avoid emergency room visits. She has collaborated with suicide prevention groups, opioid task forces, and other community agencies to create alternatives to crisis care.

Pam uses a patient-centered, strength-based approach in sessions. She helps people sort through trauma, addiction, grief, depression, bipolar symptoms, parenting stress, and family conflict. Her work often focuses on practical steps people can take between sessions to feel steadier.

Her background includes helping those with attachment and adoption concerns, first responder stress, caregiver strain, body image and eating issues, and complicated family histories. Pam aims to meet each person where they are and work toward achievable changes over time.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building on a person’s strengths. The therapist follows the client’s lead, offering support and practical feedback so people feel heard and understood. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches skills to change them; it is often used for anger, anxiety, and depression. Motivational Interviewing helps people find their own reasons to change by exploring goals and values, which can be useful for addiction and behavior change.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their needs and goals. Treatment plans are adjusted as progress is made and new priorities appear.

Session formats are not specified here, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life and reduce time spent traveling. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when a quick conversation will help, and provide flexibility for scheduling around work or caregiving responsibilities. Ask about available session formats when you schedule so you can pick what works best for your routine.