Marina Kantarovich Rodríguez, LICSW she/her
Worker-Owner
Marina came to the U.S. in 1989 as a political refugee from the Soviet Union; this identity deeply shapes her work. More specifically, Marina sees the work of psychotherapy as intimately linked to an understanding of people’s political experience and how this shapes their internal world. The way Marina works with this in the room is by paying attention to bodily experience; how the body communicates its history, sources of strength, and resilience; and how systems of oppression are enacted through it. Marina draws on liberatory abolitionist traditions as the organizing framework for the various therapeutic modalities in which she has been trained. These modalities include Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed parts work, and Somatics. Additionally, she has been studying Buddhism and Yoga since 2007 and incorporates what she has learned from these traditions to help others move from patterned reactivity to greater freedom, connectedness and well-being.
Marina has lived in Chile and is multilingual in Spanish, Russian and English—global immigration justice is a central focus of Marina’s clinical and political work. Marina works with children, families and adults. When she is not at work, she can often be found running after her 4-year-old, doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or watching Spanish-language soap operas.
Marina is not currently accepting new clients for individual therapy. However, Marina does offer somatic coaching and EMDR intensives. Please email her directly for inquiries.
marina@catalystch.com
Hannah Caruso, LCSW she/they
Worker-Owner
Hannah is a child, adolescent, and young adult therapist. She works with clients from birth-21 years old. As a therapist Hannah aims to regenerate a sense of safety, expand their clients’ access to support and self-determination, and reinforce already existing strengths. She has particular experience working with LGBTQ+ clients, people with a history of trauma, anxiety, depression, and those impacted by DCF-involvement. They also have a passion for neurodiversity affirming therapy.
Hannah believes that creating a safe therapeutic relationship is the anchor of healing. She builds a collaboration with each client by showing up with presence, connection, and attunement. Hannah bases her treatment approach on the Interpersonal Neurobiology models of therapeutics, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, and sensory integration. Additionally, Hannah uses mindfulness-based interventions and motivational interviewing as well as narrative therapy. Outside of Catalyst Cooperative Healing, Hannah is a mama, a lover of the outdoors, a community organizer, and sometimes a DJ. Hannah believes in a safer and more just future without police or prisons. She offers sessions in Spanish and English.
Hannah is not currently accepting new clients. She accepts Optum (public), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts (public), MBHP, Carelon, and private pay.
Hannah@catalystch.com
Megan Townsend-Albright, LICSW she/her
Worker-Owner
Megan brings curiosity and respect to each therapeutic relationship. She wants to learn about what has and hasn't worked for you in the past and what your goals are, and considers treatment a collaborative, dynamic process. Megan wants to ensure that you feel empowered in the therapy room. To her, this means honoring you as the expert of your own lived experiences and welcoming feedback. Megan believes that mental health care is political and aims to validate your experiences living within oppressive systems while also creating space for you to feel free and live a life aligned with your values.
Megan likes to rely on the frameworks of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and psychodynamic theory, but is committed to ongoing learning and wants to know what modalities you find affirming. Megan also has a bachelor's degree in theology, and though she does not currently practice any religion, she is enthusiastic about any religious or spiritual practices you may want to incorporate into therapy. She has a two-year old daughter and enjoys working with parents and people in the postpartum period. Megan has the most experience working with LGBTQ+ people, young adults, and people affected by homelessness and substance use.
Megan is not currently accepting new clients.
megan@catalystch.com
Clara Wagner, LCSW they/them (or any pronouns)
Worker-Owner
Clara roots their work in a fundamental belief of the power of autonomy and relationship. Their goal for therapy is for you to experience more freedom–in your body, in the systems you're embedded in, and in your day-to-day life and relationships. Clara sees their role as supporting you in connecting with your own truths, agency and desires. Therapy with Clara draws from multiple lenses, but some of their primary influences are psychodynamic, relational, narrative, somatic, anarchist, and abolitionist. They orient toward a desire to collaboratively unearth the traces of the past in your present, and to integrate all the stories your body holds into a cohesive narrative in which you are able to relate lovingly to yourself.
Clara has particular experience working with clients impacted by substance use, DCF-involvement, complex trauma, and institutionalization, and would describe their therapist vibe as spunky, warm, and earnestly non-judgemental. Clara approaches therapy with playful curiosity, which means they're excited about alternatives to the “normal” therapeutic setting. In the past this has looked like doing walking sessions or meeting outside, but they’d love to think collaboratively with clients about what kind of therapy frame(s) will work best for them. At the moment they are focusing their caseload on in-person appointments (KN95 masked or unmasked, depending on client preference) but have the ability to meet virtually.
Clara is not currently accepting new clients. They offer individual therapy for adults and in the coming months also plan to facilitate one or several groups in Holyoke. Clara accepts Optum (public), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts (public), MBHP, Carelon, and private pay.
clara@catalystch.com
Cress Horton, LCSW they/them
Worker-Owner
Cress provides a caring and grounded space for you to show up however you are, without judgment. You are welcomed as the expert of your own life into collaboration with Cress as a witness and accountability partner to the challenges and goals you navigate. This process together can help bring care and understanding to what has been confusing or hard to share, which might include painful experiences from the past or present, habits & patterns that may be holding you back, questions about how to honor your authentic self, and ways we survive and resist the impact of harmful systems.
Cress draws from psychodynamic/relational, narrative, and liberation health frameworks for therapy. They incorporate mindfulness, somatic work, creativity and play into sessions, and are informed by antiracism, disability justice, and transfeminism. Cress has been a worker in cooperative settings since 2018, and is committed to the movement to build safer alternatives to our current economic system.
Cress strives to make their work as accessible as possible. If you have a question about accommodations, please reach out. If you are looking for a therapist who shares an aspect of your lived experience, you are welcome to ask about Cress’ personal history and identities.
Cress is not accepting new clients. They offer individual therapy for adults. They accept Optum (public), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts (public), MBHP, Carelon, and private pay.
cress@catalystch.com
Brittany Mendez, LCSW she/her
Worker-Owner
Brittany’s work is motivated and informed by her belief that every human being is deeply valuable. In the therapy space, this unfolds as a genuine presence that witnesses your most difficult truths with unconditional acceptance and collaborates with your inherent resources to move towards healing and growth. Her therapeutic approach draws from humanistic, psychodynamic, EMDR and ego state modalities. She utilizes these modalities in conjunction with trauma-informed and anti-oppressive frameworks. Brittany's background in art and creative writing lends a natural affinity for working with those engaged in creative fields.
Brittany is accepting new clients. She offers individual therapy for adults. She accepts Optum (public), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts (public), MBHP, Carelon, and private pay.
brittany@catalystch.com
Alex W. Rodríguez, PhD he/him
Co-Founder (Worker-Owner, January 2022 - May 2024)
Alex is a writer, organizer, educator, and trombonist working at the confluences of music, spirituality, and social transformation. A fifth-generation Hispanic settler Oregonian, he is driven by a commitment to heal the generational trauma inflicted by colonialism, patriarchy, and racial capitalism by any means necessary. Alex holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from UCLA, where his research focused on jazz clubs and the communities that sustain them in Los Angeles, USA; Santiago, Chile; and Novosibirsk, Siberia. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Buddhist Peace Fellowship, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting Dharma to our current political moment. He has also trained in Deep Listening through the Center for Deep Listening and is deepening his practice in consent-based governance through Sociocracy for All, where he serves in the Bylaws Circle. Although he isn’t a therapist, he’s been in therapy for long enough to know how helpful it can be!
Please reach out to Alex regarding mindfulness coaching, organizational consulting, or trombone lessons (an underrated healing modality!) To learn more about his work, or to subscribe to his artist newsletter, please visit alexwrodriguez.com