Specialized Psychological Solutions, PLLC is a CBT-oriented therapy practice specializing in adults (18+) experiencing anxiety, fear, panic, or stress.
Dr. Kesselman provides a unique service utilizing Biofeedback to compliment traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Clients often find this innovative and interactive approach leads to improvement in fewer sessions, with sustained, lasting outcomes.
Sessions are conveniently offered in-person at our Southborough, MA office or virtually.
Schedule a complimentary 10-minute consultation using the button below, or call our office at 508-205-9444.
For over two decades, our practice has supported clients to live more fulfilling and balanced lives by addressing how stress and anxiety affect both psychological and physical wellbeing.
At Specialized Psychological Solutions, we strive to understand the unique struggles each person experiences and provide personalized support tailored to your specific needs.
Life Challenges
Demanding work environments
Complex family dynamics
Academic pressures
Competitive athletic performance expectations
Recovery from traumatic events or experiences
Navigating other significant life changes and difficult transitions
Avoiding specific fears (driving, heights, dogs, airplanes)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Enhanced by Biofeedback
Biofeedback enhances Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by creating a safe and immersive environment allowing for stress reduction, "finding your zone," increased self awareness and performance improvement.
Nervous system regulation
Biofeedback helps balance sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, reducing chronic hyperarousal. When integrated with CBT, clients learn to cognitively maintain this regulation under stress
Real time feedback of physiological arousal
Clients can see the physiological effects of techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness as they practice. Biofeedback also can accelerate learning by acting as a "mirror" when discussing stress inducing thoughts during CBT sessions.
Improving emotional control
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Biofeedback?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Experience a proven approach that can help you break fee from stress and anxiety. The central concept of Cognitive Therapy asserts that psychological and emotional distress is often shaped by our perceptions of events, not the events themselves. Learn how to more accurately identify and evaluate unhelpful thought patterns, then shifting them to a more healthy and adaptive perspective.
Biofeedback
Alive Biofeedback uses visual displays of your stress levels to calm the "fight or flight" response. It coaches us to control our biology, and thus our stress levels. enhances awareness and control over physiological functions. Sensors monitor metrics like heart rate and muscle tension, providing real-time feedback. Complementary breathing, mindfulness, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation strategies are taught to help regulate your nervous system and build emotional resilience. This builds body awareness and understanding of your physiological responses during therapy. Clients can even play games engineered to help them better manage stress, train for peak performance, and achieve better emotional and mental balance
What We Treat
Anxiety
Excessive worry/fear/ nervousness/, difficulty concentrating, avoidance, somatic complaints (general anxiety); intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety)
Stress and Burnout
Strengthening effective ways of coping with the stress of life and change; managing expectations of self and others
Panic and Agoraphobia
Brief, intense periods of overwhelming fear
Phobias
Intense fear related to specific triggers, such as heights or crowded spaces, specific animals, driving, flying, medical procedures or blood draws, etc
Trauma and Hyperarousal
Healing from painful, threatening or scary events and memories
ADHD
Help for those who have trouble managing emotions or focusing
Chronic Pain, Injury and Health Conditions (Behavioral Medicine)
This specialized area of practice focuses on helping clients who are dealing with medical diagnoses and chronic health conditions. This can include issues like headaches, jaw pain, hypertension, Raynaud's disease, tinnitus, IBS, and other chronic pains and illnesses.
Social Anxiety
Health Anxiety
Performance Improvement
Our Practice Pillars
Cultivating Adaptive Thinking
We help you understand the profound connections between your experiences, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Enhancing Emotional Self-Regulation
We improve your mental and physiological coping mechanisms using cognitive strategies, breathing exercises, relaxation, imagery, and mindfulness techniques.
Alleviating Physical Discomfort
We train you to reduce muscular tension and hyperarousal, helping to shift attention away from chronic pain or discomfort.
Use of Technology
Our approach blends CBT with biofeedback to enhance your experience.
Meet Dr. David Kesselman
Education & Credentials
Dr. Kesselman is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with a private practice in Southborough, MA. He received his Doctorate in Social Work from University of Tennessee/ Knoxville and Masters in Social Work from Boston College. He has advanced training in cognitive therapy, biofeedback and behavioral medicine.
Experience
Dr. Kesselman has over 25+ years of experience in a variety of behavioral health and primary care settings providing clinical services, supervising, mentoring, teaching, program development and curriculum building.
Professional Positions
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 taught and supervised medical students, residents and psychology/clinical social work students on psychological treatment approaches associated with psychiatric and medical diagnoses. Presently, Dr. Kesselman is an Clinical Adjunct Instructor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
What to Expect
Starting therapy is a courageous step. Understanding the process can help you feel more comfortable as you begin your healing journey with us.
Initial Contact
Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your needs and determine if we're a good fit for your concerns.
Invitation To The Practice Portal (Headway)
Complete intake paperwork from the comfort of your own home.
First Session
Meet in person or virtually to explore your concerns, the context of your situation, history and therapy goals. Start the process of developing a personalized treatment plan addressing your specific needs and objectives.
Ongoing Sessions
Attend sessions in person or virtually at the agreed upon cadence.
Practice Information
Everything you need to know about our office and policies.
Practice Location
Our office is conveniently located at 118 Turnpike Road (Route 9 East), Southborough, easily accessible from Route 9, Route 495, and the Mass Pike.
Cancellation Policy
We require a minimum of 24-hour notice for all cancellations or rescheduling requests. No-shows or cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance may incur a $100 fee. In-person appointments can be converted to teletherapy sessions without additional charges if you are unable to come to the office.
Payment Options and Insurance for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Payment is expected at the time of service, processed conveniently through our Headway portal. We welcome both out-of-network and self-pay clients. We provide superbills for insurance submission, which may allow for potential reimbursement of 50-80% of costs.
We are in-network with the following insurance providers:
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts (HMO & PPO), Point 32 Healthcare (previously Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts), United Healthcare (Optum) and Aetna.
Our private pay rates for psychotherapy:
Initial assessment $200 (50 min)
Individual sessions $200 (45-50 min) or $175 (30 min)
Form completion or collateral contact $50 per 15-minute increment.
Payment Options for Biofeedback
At Specialized Psychological Solutions, we integrate biofeedback as an advanced tool to enhance your therapeutic experience. This modality involves specialized equipment that extends beyond the scope of traditional psychotherapy insurance coverage.
Please inquire about payment options for this service if interested. We believe in transparent pricing to help you make informed decisions. We are available to answer any questions about how biofeedback can support your therapeutic goals.
Hours
Monday-Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Limited evening sessions available upon request after 5:00 PM)
Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Specialized Psychological Solutions is not a crisis facility and does not provide emergency services. If you are experiencing an urgent mental health situation, please contact or call 988 for the crisis hotline. If you are experiencing an emergent mental health crisis or require immediate assistance, please call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency department.