John Carven, LICSW

John Carven is an MA, LICSW practicing in Massachusetts with 22 years of professional experience. He works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem concerns, depression, and major life changes. He also focuses on issues such as attachment difficulties, chronic illness and pain, communication problems, guilt and shame, isolation, social anxiety, workplace stress, and questions about life purpose.

John approaches therapy from the stance that the client is the expert on their own story. Sessions emphasize practical conversation about what feels stuck and what matters most now. He uses clear, straightforward methods to help people notice patterns, try new responses, and weigh next steps.

His work draws on Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how relationships shape feelings and expectations. He also uses Client-Centered Therapy to prioritize the client's concerns and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to test and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing are woven in when they support focused change and clearer decision making.

In sessions, John listens for what is getting in the way of daily functioning and then helps design manageable experiments and coping strategies. He often combines talk work with small, concrete practices clients can use between meetings. The tone is practical and goal-focused rather than abstract.

People who come to him are usually trying to move past feeling stuck after a job change, relationship shift, health setback, or a period of low mood. He invites clients to start by clarifying what matters next and testing out steps that fit their life.

How John uses evidence-based approaches online