- guilt and shame
- compassion fatigue
- communication problems
About Elise
Elise Boulay is an LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) practicing in Massachusetts with eight years of professional experience. She lists stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue among her primary concerns. Elise also focuses on communication problems, guilt and shame, self-love, and social anxiety and phobia.
Elise trained at Simmons University, earning an MSW and a doctorate in social work. Her background includes work with older adults, adults with disabilities, people who use drugs, people who hear voices, and people who have experienced complex trauma. She has additional experience addressing compassion fatigue from roles as a clinical manager.
In sessions she pays attention to how her own background and biases might shape the work and adjusts her approach accordingly. She works directly with what people bring to a session and shapes dialogue and plans around practical concerns. Conversations are focused and grounded in the issues named by the client rather than abstract techniques.
She helps people talk through feelings of guilt and shame and looks at how those feelings affect relationships, daily choices, and self-view. For people coping with trauma or addiction, sessions often include step-by-step discussions of triggers, coping options, and ways to reduce harm in day-to-day life.
Elise asks people to notice what they want from therapy and helps set clear, achievable steps toward those goals. She suggests methods that fit each person’s life and follow-up plans to track progress. To start, she directs people to the online therapy options and a short matching questionnaire to schedule an initial session.
How evidence-based methods translate to online sessions
Elise uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to guide sessions in plain terms. One common approach is trauma-informed care, which focuses on recognizing past harms and building steady, manageable steps for coping with triggers and flashbacks. This helps people who have experienced complex trauma to name patterns and try different responses in daily life.Another frequently used method emphasizes coping skills for anxiety and stress, such as practical breathing, grounding options, and planning brief behavioral experiments. These techniques aim to reduce immediate overwhelm and provide clear actions a person can try between sessions.
Working out which approach fits is part of the work. She will collaborate with each client to pick methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That means checking in about what feels most useful and adjusting plans as progress is tracked.
The biography does not list specific online formats. Please confirm the session types offered before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so conversations happen during a break or between appointments. Licensed professionals can use these options to help keep therapeutic work consistent with everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue. Additional focuses include communication problems, guilt and shame, self-love, and social anxiety and phobia.
How does she approach guilt and shame in sessions?
She talks through how guilt and shame show up in daily life and relationships and looks for practical steps to reduce their impact. The work is conversational and oriented to specific situations.
What is her clinical background?
She holds a Master of Social Work and a Doctor of Social Work from Simmons University and has eight years of professional experience. Her roles have included clinical management work related to compassion fatigue.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She is an LICSW licensed in Massachusetts.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Costs vary with location and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.