Anna-Maria D'Cruz, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
BCCP Assistant Director
I am a clinical psychologist, committed to co-creating relational spaces with my clients that support them in the personal journey. I believe in a holistic approach that supports equitable, integrated healing for individuals and their communities.
I work from a trauma-informed perspective: by recognizing the systems that perpetuate harm to individuals and communities, and actively striving to dismantle those in order to heal and be whole. I strive to create help my clients create narratives that honor and uphold their past, present, and future selves.
I create healing spaces that welcome and affirm individuals in all their intersecting identities and how those can evolve over time. I work from an anti-racist, sex-positive, gender-affirming, feminist perspective.
My approach uses tools from several therapeutic modalities to develop a plan that works best for each individual, as well as including contemplative practice, play, and nature-based sensory reintegration. I am passionate about music, art, and nature, and will use these as mediators of expression and change with clients whose interests overlap.
I am a mother to 3 boys (a 7yo and 5yo twins). I am a queer brown woman of mixed background, racially (Indian/Italian), and culturally. I was born and raised in London and have lived in the US for 15 years.
I have clinical training and experience in:
Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dynamic psychotherapy
Existential and Humanistic approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Sex therapy
Neuropsychological testing and biopsychosocial assessment
Training:
University of Illinois at Chicago, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (2013)
Clinical Internship: Beth Israel Medical Center/Massachusetts Mental Health Center (2012-2013)