Counseling Center Staff
The Counseling Center staff is made up of licensed Clinical Social Workers, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists, and we train interns in social work, counseling, and psychology. We are committed to the emotional, physical and spiritual development of undergraduate and graduate students. All staff and interns have been trained to address a wide range of presenting concerns, though we each have unique clinical interests and specialties.
Director
Sherri Ettinger, PhD, LICSW
Sherri began working in the Simmons Counseling Center in the fall of 2000. Sherri received her BA in Sociology and Women's Studies at Brandeis University and her MSW and PhD at the Smith College School for Social Work. Prior to joining the staff at Simmons, Sherri worked with teenage parents at Children's Hospital; on a trauma team at Judge Baker Children's Center; and in the Counseling Center at Wheaton College. She is a member of the adjunct faculty at Smith College, School for Social Work, where she taught Clinical Practice and a course on GLBT identities for a number of years. Sherri has worked with adolescents and young women for 25 years, focusing on life-transitions, self-development, and resilience. Areas of particular interest include sexual identity, trauma, eating problems, parenting, and the impact of oppression on development and self-esteem. In addition to providing clinical services to Counseling Center clients, Sherri supervises interns and serves on various committees at Simmons.
Psychiatric Consultant
Donna Mathias, MD
Donna, the consulting psychiatrist at the Counseling Center, is an integral part of our counseling team. As the psychiatric consultant, Donna meets with staff and clients to develop counseling plans appropriate to clients' needs, with a special emphasis on the role that medication can play in assisting clients to cope more effectively with their concerns.
Staff Social Worker
Lisa Corrin, EdM, LICSW
Lisa is a graduate of Simmons School of Social Work and Harvard Graduate School of Education. Lisa joined the Counseling Center first as a graduate intern in 2002 and then joined the staff in 2005. Her professional experience includes a leadership role in an educational setting where she provided support to families, faculty and young children. She also has experience with women's health issues and worked with individuals and groups to assist with adjustment to and management of chronic and life threatening illnesses. Lisa offers an integrative approach to help students who struggle with a variety of concerns including depression, anxiety, adjustment and identity issues, as well as loss and grief and family and relationship issues.
Staff Social Worker
Elizabeth Alvarez-Nyante, MSW, LICSW
Elizabeth is a graduate of Simmons School of Social Work, and also attended Simmons as an undergraduate. Elizabeth joined the Counseling Center first as a graduate intern in 2005 and returned as a staff member in 2013. She returns to Simmons to continue in her interest of young adult development, feminist theory and trauma. Her professional experience includes a background in community mental health (South End Community Health Center, Advocates, and Wayside Metro West). Over the past 7 years she has worked with children, adolescents and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, as well as loss and trauma. In addition to providing clinical services to Counseling Center clients, Elizabeth supervises interns and is a member of the adjunct faculty at the Simmons School for Social Work.
Staff Social Worker
Bianca Blakesley, MSW
Bianca is a graduate of Smith College School for Social Work. She has prior clinical experience as a family worker at Faulkner Hospital inpatient psychiatric unit, and completed her second placement at the Simmons counseling center. In her practice, Bianca uses a trauma-informed approach and integrates psychodynamic, relational and social justice frameworks into therapy. She has interest and experience working with young adults with a variety of concerns including: trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflict, and gender, sexuality and racial/ethnic identity development. Her goal is to help each individual client move towards healing and liberation in their lives through a warm, curious and collaborative approach. Bianca believes it is a privilege to listen when others share their stories, and honors the unique strengths of each person she encounters.
Staff Psychologist
Angela M. Borges, PhD
Angela holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She has done counseling with underrepresented groups since 2007, specializing in the effects of trauma across the lifespan and the psychological impact of societal oppression. She has experience working with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, food and substance addiction issues, and many other mental health challenges. Previously, she worked as a domestic violence victim advocate. She is the co-author of a number of peer-reviewed publications on violence prevention and intervention and the intersection of social justice and mental health issues and has worked as a consultant on these issues with local colleges and agencies. Angela is also a Lead Trainer with Prevention Innovations at the University of New Hampshire, where since 2003 she has helped adapt the Bringing in the Bystander© sexual assault prevention program for more than 35 national and international non-profit organizations, universities, and military organizations.
Counseling Center Interns
Molly is a second-year Master's student in the Social Work program at Boston College. She received her BA in Spanish Language and Literature and American Studies from Smith College. Her recent clinical experience includes providing individual and group therapy for adolescents in a middle school setting. Previous clinical experiences include facilitating intergenerational programming at Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly, and mentoring teens in a social justice leadership program. Prior to pursuing a career in social work, Molly worked in the nonprofit sphere for nearly a decade as a fundraiser, program planner and community builder. Her clinical interests are rooted in social justice and include identity development, relationship issues and integrating spirituality in therapeutic practice.
Divya is a second year MSW student at the Simmons School of Social Work and is completing a Certificate in Trauma Practice. She received her B.A. from Wesleyan University in psychology and sociology and has a Master of Science from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Her clinical experience includes providing advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, facilitating sexual health initiatives for adolescents and college students, and most recently providing psychotherapy at an in-patient psychiatric setting for individuals navigating psychosis, substance use, and trauma. Divya’s clinical interests include working with emerging adults around interpersonal and systemic trauma, adjustment challenges, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety, as well as exploring how race, racism, and culture affect identity development. She is committed to practicing from an intersectional feminist, client-centered, anti-oppression, and trauma informed approach.
Kim is a second year MSW candidate at Smith College School for Social Work. She received her BA from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar focused on psychology and religion. Prior to attending Smith, Kim spent over two decades as a classically trained chef. During Kim’s first year of graduate school she interned at YOU Inc. in Worcester, MA, where she worked with families in crisis teaching parenting skills, providing stabilization for children and adults, and working with families on reunification. Kim’s clinical interests include working with both traditional and nontraditional students on issues including adjustment, anxiety, depression, trauma, religion and spirituality with a goal of increased personal resilience. In her free time, Kim can be found traveling to one of her favorite coastal destinations on the Cape or having long conversations nurturing her decades-long friendships over coffee and pastries.
Anna is a second-year Mental Health Counseling student at Boston College. She received her BA in psychology from Boston University. Her previous experiences include working as an advocate at a domestic violence shelter; as an intern at an adult day-treatment program in Paris, France; and as a research coordinator for a variety of studies investigating the impacts of stress, the treatment of trauma, and the development of mental health issues across the lifespan. Anna is committed to practicing with a holistic, client-centered, and relational approach to counseling. Her clinical interests include trauma work, anxiety, and stress-management, as well as challenges pertaining to relationships, sexuality, identity development, and oppression.
Tanvi is a second-year Mental Health Counseling student at Boston College. As a licensed Counseling Psychologist in India, she has worked with are homeless adolescents, individuals in abusive relationships, people struggling with issues around sexuality, corporate employees, high school students and clients in out-patient psychiatric units. These roles included educational and training components. Tanvi's clinical and research interests include working with adolescents and adults using insight-oriented therapies, around issues of multiculturalism, trauma and resilience, identity development, and discrimination, with a focus on race, ethnicity, religion and sexuality. Some of her interests include dancing, reading, knitting and traveling.
Tara Venkatraman is a second-year MSW student at the Smith School of Social Work. She received her B.A. from Harvard College, where she majored in Social Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality studies, while also working at the Phillips Brooks House Association supporting youth leadership development programs. Her recent clinical experience was doing individual and group therapy at Boston Health Care for the Homeless. Prior to that, Tara worked as the Associate Director of Resources and Programming at The City School, a Boston-based youth organization supporting social justice leadership development, for six years. She concurrently worked as a Lead Organizer for Youth Justice and Power Union, a youth-of-color organizing group. Tara has an interest in supporting with many aspects of emerging adulthood and identity formation, including race, gender, class and sexual orientation, as well issues around family, friends, community and relationships — while drawing on liberatory mental health frameworks. In her free time, Tara enjoys watching all things superhero, dancing and reading young adult fiction and poetry.
