De-Escalation Tips for Caregivers

When counseling children and adolescents, the treatment will often include collaboration with parents and caregivers to implement therapeutic strategies at home. A common complaint we hear from families is that their child has difficulty regulating their emotions and “acts out” in the house. With this post, we aim to outline tips caregivers can use with their children to manage these escalations and help support the therapeutic lessons they are learning in therapy. We also examine common statements from caregivers that can be counterproductive to de-escalation and provide alternatives that are more supportive and conducive to a therapeutic home environment. 

De-Escalation Tips 

An escalated caregiver will rarely de-escalate a child 

If a child sees their parent dysregulated, it does not bring them a sense of calm or offer an opportunity for valuable reparative work between them. If you feel yourself becoming upset and unable to maintain a calm demeanor, it is ok to take space from the interaction. In fact, advocating to your child that you need some space / returning to the interaction when you are calm is a great skill to model.  

Take a “Pause” before you respond 

It is always a good idea to pause before you respond to your child. A pause allows you time to: process what your child is saying and/ or the behavior they are displaying, become aware of your own emotions, take a breath to help calm you down, and decide how to respond in an appropriate way. 

Engage in active listening and show empathy 

Kids will often yell and act out because they don’t feel “heard” by others. Before you give your perspective to your child during an escalation, ask for theirs first. You can do this by saying things like, “Hey, I can see you’re upset—can you tell me what’s going on?”. Even if you do not agree with what your child is telling you, it’s important to validate their feelings and seek to understand their perspective. This can be accomplished with statements like “It makes sense that you feel this way”, “I didn’t realize this has been hard for you”, “Can you tell me more about what you mean by that?”, and “Thank you for telling me/ thank you for being honest about this”.  

Monitor your tone 

Children are very sensitive to your tone and may pick up on the slightest difference before you do. If they sense you are frustrated or angry, they may follow your lead in the tone and emotions you project. Your tone should indicate that you are calm and open to having a conversation, almost as if an escalation is not occurring.  

Give your child space when you need it, even if they are directly disrespectful to you 

You can always circle back to things that were said during an escalation when both parties are calm. If you try to enact punishment during an escalation, it often makes the escalation worse. When your child says something disrespectful to you, prioritize de-escalation rather than addressing the comment immediately. It is also important to keep an escalation between the involved parties; this means that you want to remove other individuals from the room who are not involved in the conflict. Sometimes children can feel intimidated when multiple adults are trying to manage their behavior and de-escalate them, which can exacerbate the problem.  

You do not need to be perfect 

De-escalation skills can take lots of practice to build, and it takes time to understand what works well for your child. It is highly likely that you will not get it right the first few times, and everyone makes mistakes even with lots of practice. If you feel like you have said or done something you shouldn’t have towards your child, apologize and identify the things you are going to work on too. This models the skill for them and shows them that you care about their feelings.  

Common Caregiver Mistakes and Alternatives 

Mistake: telling your child to “calm down.” 

This indicates to your child that you are more concerned with modifying their behavior than listening to their concerns.  

Alternative: “Hey, can you tell me what’s going on?”, “Can you tell me what you’re feeling right now?” 

Mistake: focusing on the problem behavior rather than what is behind the behavior; “This behavior is unacceptable.” 

Once again, this indicates to your child that you are more concerned with modifying their actions than listening to them. This can lead to the child escalating further and continuing to engage in the problem behavior. 

Alternative: direct the child to take some space, and/ or encourage them to utilize coping skills suggested by their therapist. You can circle back to addressing the problem behavior when they are in a calmer frame of mind. 

Mistake: “I can’t deal with this right now/ I give up.” 

Hearing this statement from a caregiver can leave a child with a lot of shame. It may also send the message that “If mom/ dad/ grandma/ etc can’t handle me and my behavior, who can?” 

Alternative: take some space for yourself if you are able, and let your child know that you will be back to talk to them after you’ve had some time to calm down. 

Mistake: “You make me feel so mad/ tired/ annoyed/ etc” 

It is unfair to place blame on your child for your emotions. This also demonstrates to your child that they can place blame on others for their negative emotions and the resulting behaviors. 

Alternative: Using “I feel” and “I need” statements; “I feel _____ when _____. I need _____.” 

Mistake: “What’s wrong with you?”, “Look at yourself right now” , “You’re being ridiculous.” 

These statements only create shame within the child. Internalized negative feelings about themselves will most likely feed into additional outbursts in the future. Statements like these can also send the message that you are not in your child’s corner, making it difficult for them to seek you out for support in the future. 

Alternatives: leave these statements out entirely!  

PWC and Child/ Adolescent Therapy 

If your child is currently seeing a therapist, don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions on what you can work on at home. Some caregivers also find it helpful to have sessions with their child’s therapist to get feedback on parenting skills.  

If you’re observing challenging behavior in your child at home, it may be time to consider speaking to a counselor. At PWC, we have multiple therapists that see children and adolescents presenting a variety of clinical concerns. Send us an email at info@pausewellnesscenter.com to discuss your options today!  

Clinician Spotlight: Catherine Johnson

What made you want to become a therapist? 

My AP psychology class in high school first got me interested in psychology. I later decided I wanted to work as therapist after my own experiences with therapy during some tough times in my life. I came to realize how important it is to discuss/ express my feelings, and how valuable the therapeutic process can be.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Observing the positive changes and growth that clients experience throughout their time in therapy. Seeing someone come in initially with severe mental health symptoms and then leave with a more positive view of themselves/ the world is so rewarding. Also having the privilege to meet and learn about a vast array of interesting people!

What are some notable professional experiences you had before coming to Pause? 

Before I came to Pause, I completed 2 Masters Degrees: one in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and one in Counseling Psychology. I have worked in the field for over a decade—from research in the field, inpatient care, in-home therapy, leading groups, and now to individual therapy.

What are some of your favorite treatment modalities/ interventions? 

I am a big supporter of an eclectic practice, bringing together pieces from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

What is one of your favorite pieces of mental health advice?

Practicing good mental health is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it one day at a time!

What is one of your professional goals?

To pass to the LMHC exam this summer, and get my license!

What is one of your personal goals? 

I want to visit every National Park in the US.

If you weren’t a therapist, what do you think you would be doing instead? 

I would probably be doing research in some field of psychology, or getting my PhD in some related field. I love learning!

What do you like to do outside of the office? 

I love being active! I rock climb a couple times a week at a local gym with friends, and when the weather is nice I take this activity up North to the Rumney crags.

Give us a fun fact:) 

I have 2 dogs: a female German Shepherd (11 yo) named Ava, and a male Doberman (12 yo) named Nibbler.

Sleep and Mental Health

Sleep is one of the biggest factors influencing one’s overall health. It’s easy to get caught up in your day-to-day responsibilities and forget about the importance of sleep, but prioritizing other activities over the rest your body needs can have dire consequences for both your physical and mental wellbeing. In this post, we will explore the intersection of sleep and mental health. 

Below are the recommended number of hours of sleep needed per night for each age group, according to the CDC (2024): 

3-5 years old: 10-13 hours (including naps) 

6-12 years old: 9-12 hours (including naps) 

13-18 years old: 8-10 hours 

Over 18 years old: minimum of 7 hours per night 

Are you getting the proper amount of sleep? In the United States, the average adult gets less than 7 hours of sleep per night (Smith & Robinson, 2024), meaning many of us are at risk for chronic sleep deprivation. 

Sleep deficiency has been linked to depression, suicidality, and risk-taking behavior, and it can negatively impact one’s ability to problem-solve, cope with change, regulate their emotions, and make decisions (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2022). Those who have insomnia are at greater risk for mental health challenges, with one 2005 study reporting that they are 10 to 17 times more likely to experience depression and anxiety than those who do not have the sleep disorder (Taylor et al.). Although most research has focused on the connection between sleep and depression/ anxiety, associations have also been found between sleep and symptoms relating to other mental health conditions like PTSD and eating disorders (Scott et al., 2021). 

On the flip side, good sleep health is associated with many benefits. Improved sleep quality has been demonstrated to have a causal relationship with stress reduction and lower levels of rumination, as well as improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms. It has also been shown to have a small alleviating effect on symptoms associated with psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions (Scott et al., 2021). 

Sleep and mental health disorders appear to have a bidirectional relationship, meaning that both influence one another (Suni & Dimitriu, 2024). In other words, poor sleep can lead to an increase in mental health challenges, and mental health disorders can negatively impact sleep. For example, those with depression often experience changes in sleep marked by insomnia and/ or hypersomnia. On the flip side, sleep deficiency can also lead to an increase in depressive symptoms (Scott et al., 2021). Therefore, comprehensive treatment plans for clients should address any changes in sleep or existing sleep habits that may be contributing to and/ or caused by their mental health disorder(s).  

For many people, getting enough good quality sleep is not as simple as going to bed earlier. While we’ve already mentioned insomnia, other medical conditions like sleep apnea can impede one’s ability to get the sleep they need. The CDC recommends that individuals who find themselves experiencing symptoms of sleep disorder—like waking up multiple times in the middle of the night or find themselves gasping for air while they sleep—should talk to their doctor about treatment options (2024). For those who experience mild sleep difficulties that can’t be explained by a sleep disorder, there are many things to try at home to get a better night’s rest. These include going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, reducing screen time at night, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, exercising during the day, and making sure your bedroom environment is conducive to sleep (dark, cool, quiet space) (CDC, 2024). For those who need a little extra assistance falling asleep, The Sleep Foundation recommends trying some relaxation exercises right before bed (2024): 

Body Scan 

Lie down in bed and bring your attention to one part of your body, making note of all the sensations you experience there. Slowly scan up (or down) your body, stopping at each body part and noticing the sensations. After paying attention to each body part, you may want to pay attention to larger areas, like the back, front, top, bottom, left, and right side of your body. 

4-7-8 Breathing 

Count in your head and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds out your mouth. You will need to continue the exercise for a few minutes to feel a relaxation effect. 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation 

This involves tightening and relaxing muscle groups to relieve muscle tension that may prevent your body from relaxing. It is recommended you spend 30 seconds on each muscle group before moving onto the next, tightening and releasing the muscles a few times within the 30 seconds. Group muscles by their proximity to one another—in other words, put toes and feet in one group and face muscles in another. Many people find it helpful to progress up or down the body.  

If you are experiencing challenges sleeping and you believe it is related to a mental health disorder, speaking with a therapist may help. Reach out to us at info@pausewellnesscenter.com to learn more about what we can offer you at PWC.  

References 

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, March 4). Are you getting enough sleep? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep.html 

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2022, June 15). How sleep affects your health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation/health-effects 

Newsom, R., & Rehman, A. (2024, February 27). Relaxation exercises to help fall asleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/relaxation-exercises-to-help-fall-asleep  

Scott, A. J., Webb, T. L., Martin St-James, M. M., Rowse, G., & Weich, S. (2021). Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 60. 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556 

Smith, M., & Robinson, L. (2024, February 8). How much sleep do you need? HelpGuide.org.  https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20National%20Institutes,recipe%20for%20chronic%20sleep%20deprivation.  

Suni, E., & Dimitriu, A. (2024, March 26). Mental health and sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health  

Taylor, D.J., Lichstein, K.L., Durrence, H.H., Reidel B.W., & Bush, A.J. (2005). Epidemiology of insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Sleep, 8(11), 1457–1464. 10.1093/sleep/28.11.1457 

Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation

Mindfulness has greatly increased in popularity within therapy offices, schools, and households in recent years. We hear the phrase “be mindful” in a variety of settings and situations more than ever before. Why has this concept garnered so much attention and support in recent years? 

In the simplest terms, mindfulness is being fully aware of the present moment, both what’s occurring externally as well as internally. Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to result in countless benefits. These include stress reduction, increased self-awareness, better sleep, improved focus and working memory, and decreased emotional reactivity (Davis & Hayes, 2012; National Institutes of Health, 2021). Mindfulness-based treatment approaches have shown effectiveness in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms and helping those who have had multiple depressive episodes prevent successive episodes (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). Many therapists are integrating mindfulness practices into their sessions with their clients, whether through a formal treatment framework like DBT or through isolated mindfulness-based exercises.  

Building basic mindfulness skills does not require extensive time and effort. Though some people choose to cultivate mindfulness through more dedicated practices like yoga and meditation, it is not required. A staple of mindfulness is being able to notice when your thoughts have wandered away from the present moment—perhaps you are ruminating on the past or worrying about something that may happen in the future—and bringing your attention back into what’s happening now. How can you begin to do this? Try starting with one of these simple exercises: 

5-4-3-2-1 exercise: 

Pay attention to your 5 senses by pausing and identifying the following: 

5 things you can see 

4 things you can feel 

3 things you can touch 

2 things you can smell 

1 thing you can taste 

Body Scan: 

Bring attention to your feet and make note of any sensations you can feel there. Sensations may include temperature, pain, feeling the bottom of your shoe, tingling—anything! Work your way up your body making note of sensations in each body part. 

Mindful breathing: 

Take a break from whatever task you are doing, even if it’s just for one minute! Keep your attention on your breath as you inhale and exhale. Some people find it helpful to count while they do this and standardize the length of each inhale and exhale. There are many apps that help you do just that; often there is a shape on the screen that grows on the inhale and shrinks on the exhale, so all you do have to do is follow it!  

Meditation 

Like mindfulness, meditation has also gained attention in recent years. Put simply, meditation is a method of cultivating mindfulness. Though it is often associated with Buddhism, it can always be a secular practice. A common misconception is that when someone meditates, they are supposed to aim to get rid of all their thoughts. This can be a daunting task, as it’s virtually impossible to not have a single thought for any length of time. There are many different types of meditation, though none of them specifically ask practitioners to banish all thought processes.  

One of the most common forms of meditation asks the individual to sit quietly and pay attention to their breath, like the mindful breathing exercise above. When thoughts arise, the individual makes note of the thought and then brings their attention back to the breath. Noticing a thought means acknowledging it without pushing it away, but also not engaging further in the thought and losing focus of the breath. Getting off track and running with a thought is inevitable sometimes, and that’s ok. The most important part is that the individual brings their attention back to the breath when they realize they’ve gotten off track. Acceptance and non-judgment of thoughts are two of the most important qualities practitioners strive to maintain throughout meditation. The more one practices meditation, the more these qualities grow within one’s day to day life.  

Studies have been conducted exploring the impact of meditation on health care professionals and the clients they serve. There is evidence to support that health care professionals who practice meditation regularly develop increased empathy and compassion, and they report a higher quality of life than those who do not (Davis & Hayes, 2012). Meditation benefits mirror those of general mindfulness practices. Practitioners may experience decreases in blood pressure, improvement in insomnia symptoms, reduction in chronic pain, as well as overall improvement in emotional health and stress reduction (Thorpe & Ajmera, 2023).  

Mindfulness and Meditation at PWC: 

At Pause Wellness Center, many of our therapists integrate mindfulness techniques into their sessions with clients, and some of our staff members practice meditation themselves. If you’re already an established client, you may consider adding a meditation practice at home to support the work you’re putting in with your therapist. Interested in learning more about our therapists and how mindfulness may help you? Email us at info@pausewellnesscenter.com to connect with a staff member who can answer your questions.  

References: 

Davis, D. M. & Hayes, J. A. (2012, July/ August). What are the benefits of mindfulness. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner 

Mental Health Foundation. (2021, August 13). Mindfulness. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/mindfulness  

National Institutes of Health. (2021, June). Mindfulness for your health: the benefits of living moment by moment. NIH News in Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/06/mindfulness-your-health  

Thorpe, M. & Ajmera, R. (2023, May 11). 12 science-based benefits of meditation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation 

Pause and our Owner, Sarah Hamelin

We sat down with our owner Sarah Hamelin to chat about Pause Wellness Center through her eyes and learn more about her. Take a look at our interview questions and her answers below!

What made you want to start PWC? 

I had been working as a solo practitioner and my caseload was full. I could see that the demand for therapy was high, so I wanted to start group practice to be able to help more people.  

What makes PWC different from other practices in the area? 

I respect and collaborate with many practices in the area, and we all have great things to offer. Pause is in a convenient location on Main St in Northborough MA. We have many skilled clinicians with varying specialties, as well as a dietician on staff. Good communication with existing and prospective clients is one of our top priorities. If a prospective client submits a new patient form and we don’t feel that we are the right fit for them, we will still try to provide them with appropriate referrals. In addition, after the pandemic, many practices moved to telehealth services. While we still provide some telehealth services, most of our clinicians offer in-person sessions multiple days per week. At the forefront of my mind is providing excellent client care, and that guides every decision we make at Pause. I believe that by treating my employees well, they can provide their clients with the best caliber of services possible. 

What are some of your favorite parts of your job/ owning PWC? 

I really enjoy taking a step back to look at what I built. To see employees enjoying interacting with each other and hearing their clinical opinions is nice to see. It feels so good to be able to help so many people through quality mental health services. I also like collaborating with outside businesses and working together to help people.  

What are some of the practice milestones you are proud of? 

The amount of growth we have had in the past year has been exciting. Every new milestone we reach with the number of sessions we perform each week feels great. Two years ago, we were doing about 100 sessions a week; now we are doing anywhere from 150-200 sessions! This means we are helping at least 150 people a week, and that feels amazing.  

What is one of your favorite pieces of mental health advice?  

I gave the practice the name “Pause” because I find that taking a pause before reacting is so important. When you do this, it allows you to organize your thoughts and communicate in a constructive way, which increases your chances of being properly heard/ seen by others.  

What are some of your goals for the practice? 

I am looking forward to us increasing our social media and blog presence this year. Of course, I’m always looking forward to continuing to serve the community and help more and more clients.  

What are some of your personal goals? 

This year I want to get back out into the community more. When I first opened my solo practice, I did some trainings at the local libraries, with the girl scouts, and at schools. I want to get back to all of this. I love making connections in the community. I want people to know me and know that they can always reach out; I will do what I can to help regardless of whether it’s within Pause or providing a referral to somewhere else that can help.  

What do you like to do outside of the office?  

I love baseball. I don’t care how terrible the Red Sox can be, I love being at Fenway Park. I also love fireworks nights at the Woo Sox. The beach is one of my favorite places to be. I am a warm weather girl, so I just want to be outside enjoying the sunshine as much as possible.  

If you weren’t in the mental health field, what do you think you would be doing instead?  

My dream job is to be a dolphin trainer. Otherwise, I have no idea. I feel like I am right where I should be.  

Fun Fact: 

I have a dog named Greta 

Understanding Your Insurance

Insurance policies can be complicated and difficult to understand. The more you know about your insurance policy, the lower the chance you will be caught by surprise by unexpected out-of-pocket costs. We wrote this post based on common billing questions we get from our clients, as well as billing issues that could have been prevented had a client had a better understanding of the relationship between providers and insurance companies. This post is specific to commercial insurance plans as opposed to public insurance plans.  

In-Network vs Out-Of-Network 

Question: If I have insurance, why are you telling me I need to pay out-of-pocket for sessions? 

If a medical or behavioral provider takes insurance, this does not necessarily mean they accept all insurance policies. For a provider to be “in-network” with an insurance, they must go through a credentialing process with the insurance company and obtain a contract. This process must be completed for each insurance company; in other words, a contract with Blue Cross does not grant a provider a contract with Harvard Pilgrim. There are many reasons why a provider might not be contracted with your insurance, including lower than average rates or additional certification requirements needed to obtain the contract. 

If a provider is not in-network with your insurance, you either need to pay out of pocket for the service or investigate your out-of-network benefits. Not all insurance policies have out-of-network benefits (generally HMO policies do not), and sometimes providers are not able to check benefits ahead of time for insurances they are not contracted with. We recommend you call your insurance company directly to get a better understanding of your out-of-network benefits.  

If you don’t have out-of-network benefits or your provider is not able to bill your insurance for in or out-of-network benefits, you will have to pay for the services yourself. In accordance with the No Surprises Act, you should always be notified when a provider doesn’t take your insurance, and how much you should expect to pay out of pocket before any services are rendered.  

Question: Why is it important to notify my providers when I have a change of insurance? 

Clients failing to notify their provider of a change in insurance is one of the biggest sources of unexpected out-of-pocket costs. If your insurance changes, it is almost certain that your benefits will be different from those of your old policy. Instead of a copayment for each session, you may instead have a deductible. This is something providers can tell you in advance if they have your new insurance information and check your benefits. If your provider is not in-network with your new insurance policy and you wait multiple sessions to notify them of the new policy, you may be stuck paying for those sessions out of pocket.  

Out-of-Pocket Costs 

Question: If I have insurance, how come I have to pay $X out-of-pocket after every session? 

Although it is possible, we don’t often come across insurance policies that pay for 100% of a client’s session cost. Most policies require the client to share the cost of sessions with their insurance company. Cost-sharing results in the client having a co-payment, co-insurance payment, or deductible payment per session.  

Copayment: a fixed amount that a client pays per session. For example, a client may pay $25 per session, regardless of the session length or type.  

Co-insurance: a fixed percentage that a client pays per session. This means that the co-insurance payment may differ per session depending on the length and type.  

Deductible: the client pays the full cost of sessions until they have paid a certain amount of money out of pocket. This amount varies from policy to policy but is often upwards of $1000 in total. Once the total deductible amount is met, the client may then have a co-insurance or copayment per session, or the cost of the sessions may be covered in full.  

Your out-of-pocket costs will often be different for different types of medical claims. For example, you may have a copayment for your therapy sessions but then have a deductible payment after getting an MRI.  

Once a client reaches their out-of-pocket maximum for their plan year, this means that they will not have any more out-of-pocket costs for covered services for the rest of the plan year. Out-of-pocket maximums are usually multiple thousands of dollars. This means that copayments, co-insurance payments, and deductible payments for applicable services go towards meeting an individual’s and/ or family’s out-of-pocket maximum. There is no guarantee that an individual or family will meet their out-of-pocket maximum in any given year. 

Plan Year 

Let’s clarify the meaning of “plan year”. Everyone’s insurance benefits “reset” once per year. The time of year is different for everyone; for those with commercial insurance, one company’s employees may have benefits reset in April and another company’s employees may have their insurance plan year start in November. Amounts paid towards deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums all return to zero at the start of a new plan year.  

Question: I was paying $X out-of-pocket for sessions, and suddenly I’m paying more on the same insurance policy—why? 

In the case above, the client had most likely met their deductible in the previous plan year and was paying a co-insurance or copayment for each session. When the plan year reset, the deductible kicked back in, and their out-of-pocket expenses increased. In other cases, clients start sessions at a time when they have already met their out-of-pocket maximums for the plan year. When the plan year resets, they suddenly have an out-of-pocket cost because the amount paid towards the out-of-pocket maximum resets to zero.  

Another element to consider is that insurance companies will typically change the rates they pay providers for services annually; often, the rates will increase. If a client has a deductible, this means that their deductible payment per session increases in accordance with the rate increase. The date of the rate increase does not necessarily correspond with the date the client’s insurance resets at the beginning of their plan year.  

Insurance and PWC 

At Pause Wellness Center, we check all clients’ insurance eligibility and benefits before assigning them to a clinician. We give a summary of what a client’s expected out-of-pocket costs will be per session based on the information in their insurance company’s online portal. Although most of the time this information is accurate, we always recommend that clients call their insurance company before beginning sessions to verify out-of-pocket costs and avoid surprise charges. For clients whose insurance we are not in-network with, we offer out-of-network billing as well as self-pay options. If you are considering becoming a new client but need more information on your insurance policy and out-of-pocket cost, send us an email at info@pausewellnesscenter.com. For existing clients with billing and insurance questions, reach out to billing@pausewellnesscenter.com to connect with our billing specialist. We are happy to help you navigate your insurance and discuss financial options with you! 

Welcome to Pause Wellness Center

Welcome to Pause and our new PWC blog! We are an outpatient mental health clinic in Northborough MA that has been serving local clients for over 5 years. Since our owner Sarah Hamelin founded the practice in 2018, we have served over 1,400 clients through individual, couples, and / or family therapy, both in-person and virtually. In 2022, we added a registered dietician to our team to offer our clients add-on nutritional support with their mental health treatment. 

Each of our therapists brings unique specialties and talents to the table. All our therapists have strong backgrounds in treating mood disorders, anxiety, and adjustment problems—some of the most common concerns we see with our clients. Many of our therapists are also well trained in trauma-informed interventions and treating PTSD. We have a few therapists that enjoy working with clients who have more chronic concerns, such as personality disorders or coping with long-term illness and disabilities. Other unique specialties include substance use disorders, helping clients navigating through major life transitions, and grief counseling.  

A newer modality at Pause is art therapy, which several of our clinicians employ. This led to the creation of an art room, which clinicians can utilize for sessions. Although these interventions are particularly popular with our child and adolescent clients, art therapy comes in many forms and is appropriate for clients of all ages.  

We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts commercial and public insurance, Mass General Brigham, United, UMR, Health Plans Inc, and Aetna plans. We are also able to accept insurance with out-of-network benefits and clients who elect to pay out of pocket for sessions. To inquire about becoming a new client, fill out our Appointment Request form on the website. 

Future blog posts will include clinician spotlights, mental health tips, and in-depth dives into interventions that can be used beyond the therapy office. Stay tuned! We hope you enjoy:)