Straight answers to what people most often ask before reaching out.
Do I have to live in Arlington to work with you?
No. Our office at 7 Central Street in Arlington is an easy trip from Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Belmont, Lexington, Winchester, Woburn, Watertown, and greater Boston. We also offer secure online therapy to anyone located in Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod.
I'm not sure my problem is serious enough for therapy. Should I still reach out?
Yes. You don't need a diagnosis or a crisis to start therapy. Many people come to us because they feel stuck, overwhelmed, numb, lonely, or simply not like themselves. A free 30-minute assessment can help you decide whether therapy, a group, or both is the right fit.
Do you offer a free consultation or assessment?
Yes. We offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute assessment by secure video or in person in Arlington. A member of our clinical team helps you decide if therapy is the right step, what kind of support fits, how and when to start, and who on our team is the best match. Nothing is billed to insurance.
Do you help with burnout, overwork, and work-life balance?
Yes. We work with professionals, academics, healthcare workers, students, and caregivers who feel exhausted, can't switch off, or measure their worth by productivity. Support is available through individual therapy and Severance, our small in-person work-life balance group in Arlington.
Can I find a therapist who understands my culture, faith, or bicultural background?
Yes. Culturally responsive care is at the center of our practice. We regularly support children of immigrants, first-generation professionals, international students, people navigating family expectations across generations, and anyone living between two cultures. We welcome clients of every background, faith, or no faith, and we are LGBTQ+ affirming.
Do you work with intercultural or interfaith couples?
Yes. We help couples from different cultures, faiths, and family traditions communicate, handle conflict with in-laws and extended family, and build a shared life that honors both partners, using the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and HIKMA© techniques.
Can therapy include music, art, mindfulness, or the body?
Yes. Depending on your needs and your clinician, sessions can draw on mindfulness, somatic (body-based) approaches, play, art, and sandtray, and our in-person Music-Guided Mindfulness group. No musical or artistic experience is needed.
Do you work with teens?
Yes. Our clinicians support teens with anxiety, low mood, school stress, and grief, using talk therapy alongside play, art, and sandtray. Young Hearts Healing Circle is an in-person group for teens who have lost a parent.
Do you offer grief counseling?
Yes. We offer individual grief counseling, the virtual Grief & Healing Circle for adults grieving the death of someone they love, and Young Hearts Healing Circle for teens who have lost a parent.
What is the HIKMA© method?
HIKMA© is Al-Kindi Counseling Services' own therapeutic approach. Inspired by the 9th-century philosopher and physician Al-Kindi, it integrates the four domains of wellbeing — Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual (PEMS) — with modern evidence-based tools such as psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and trauma-informed therapy.
Do you offer consultation or training for organizations outside Massachusetts?
Yes. Clinical consultation, program planning, burnout prevention, and culturally responsive care training are available to organizations, schools, and clinical teams beyond Massachusetts. Individual and couples therapy is offered to clients located in Massachusetts.
What should I do if I'm in crisis?
We are not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For urgent emotional support at any time, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
