- Stress and anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Attachment focus
About Frances
Frances Higgins is an LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) with 30 years of clinical experience based in Massachusetts. She works with adults on concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, addiction, grief, and ADHD. Frances also addresses issues related to intimacy, eating, parenting, anger, self-esteem, and bipolar mood concerns.
She begins by listening and then choosing an approach together with each person. Her practice is client-centered and draws on cognitive behavioral ideas, attachment-focused thinking, dialectical skills, and emotionally-focused methods where helpful. She has particular experience supporting people who have survived physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and uses trauma-informed ideas to help manage symptoms.
Frances also works with people dealing with adoption and foster care concerns, attachment issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, blended family challenges, and codependency. Communication problems, divorce and separation, domestic violence, dissociation, and bereavement are part of her caseload too. First responder issues, compassion fatigue, forgiveness work, and HIV/AIDS-related concerns are included among her focus areas.
Her approach tends to be practical and collaborative. Sessions often mix conversational reflection with skill-based techniques from CBT and DBT. She uses attachment-based and emotionally-focused methods to look at how relationships affect feelings and behavior.
Frances accepts international clients and conducts work in English. She notes that session options can vary by setting and asks people to confirm the current session formats before booking. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule their first session.
How her approaches translate to online work
Attachment-based work looks at how relationships shape feelings and behavior. Online sessions can use this approach to map patterns, notice how past attachments affect current relationships, and practice new ways of relating in real life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes. In an online setting CBT often means setting clear goals, trying short experiments between sessions, and reviewing what worked. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people connect feelings and needs to shift interaction patterns, which can be explored in conversation and role practice during remote sessions.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Frances will discuss different methods and decide together which fits the client’s goals and preferences. That choice can change over time as needs evolve and new challenges arise.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm the available options before you book. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into study and work schedules, allow for shorter check-ins when days are busy, and make it simpler to connect from different locations. Frances notes practical planning is part of early sessions so techniques and homework fit into clients’ everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She supports adults with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, addiction, grief, ADHD, and related issues listed in her profile.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and collaborative. She combines conversation with skill-based techniques from CBT, DBT, attachment work, and emotionally-focused methods.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has around 30 years of experience working with adults across a wide range of concerns and life stages.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds an MA and is an LICSW based in Massachusetts.
Can she work with people outside the U.S.?
Yes. She accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
What session formats does she offer?
Session formats are not specified in the biography. Please confirm the current session options before booking.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to start working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.