Not knowing what happens in the room can make it hard to get in touch. This page describes how anxiety therapy is set up in Dr. Rabin's practice, along with what the American Psychological Association says to expect from psychotherapy in general. Other therapists work differently, and types of anxiety therapy and what the research says compares the main approaches.
For a general walk-through of a first appointment, see what to expect in your first therapy session and ways to prepare for a first therapy session.
What happens on the consultation call?
Dr. Rabin offers a free consultation of about 15 minutes before any appointment. It takes place by phone, and you request it through the contact page. The call is a chance to say briefly what has been going on and to hear how she works. You do not have to explain everything, and you do not need a name for what you are feeling.
It is also your chance to ask questions. The American Psychological Association suggests asking a therapist about their experience with problems like yours, their approach to treatment, and their policies on things like missed appointments. How to choose an anxiety therapist has a fuller list.
What are the first sessions like?
Sessions with Dr. Rabin are usually weekly and last 45 to 50 minutes. What follows is the American Psychological Association's general description of early psychotherapy sessions. It is not a script for hers.
The association says it is normal to feel a little anxious in the first few sessions, and that the first one can seem like a game of 20 questions. A psychologist typically asks about your own and your family's history of psychological problems and about how the problem is affecting your everyday life. From there the two of you work together on a plan. The psychologist might also suggest seeing a physician to rule out an underlying medical condition. The association's example is a thyroid disorder in someone who is depressed.
What you say is confidential, with limits. The association explains that confidentiality is part of a psychologist's code of ethics and a condition of the license. It also says that if you reveal a plan to hurt yourself or others, a psychologist is duty-bound to report that to authorities, and that psychologists must report abuse, exploitation or neglect of children, the elderly or people with disabilities. That is a national description, so ask any therapist how the limits apply in their practice.
What does the work look like in Dr. Rabin's approach?
Her approach to anxiety therapy is psychodynamic, attachment-based, trauma-informed and mindfulness-based. The work has two sides:
- What drives the anxiety. Recurring themes, patterns in relationships, and the ways you learned to protect yourself. More on this way of working at psychodynamic therapy.
- What to do in the moment. How to respond to anxious thoughts and physical sensations when they show up.
Her anxiety page speaks of worry, panic, perfectionism, a harsh inner critic, avoidance, trouble sleeping and high-functioning anxiety, in college students, graduate students and professionals.
She also offers CBT. The American Psychological Association says CBT often involves homework assignments, while psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches typically focus more on talking than doing. It adds that most therapists do not tie themselves to any one approach.
Dr. Rabin is a psychologist and does not prescribe. If medication is part of your care, she can coordinate with your prescriber.
What does the research say about this way of working?
You deserve a straight answer. CBT, including exposure-based CBT, has the largest research base for anxiety disorders. One 2016 meta-analysis alone pooled 144 randomized trials of CBT, 90 of them for three anxiety disorders and the rest for major depression. Psychodynamic therapy has been studied much less. A 2014 meta-analysis found 14 randomized trials with 1,073 patients. In those trials it did better than control conditions (g = 0.64) and did not differ significantly from other active treatments.
One trial compared the two directly for generalized anxiety disorder. In Germany, 57 patients were randomly assigned to CBT or short-term psychodynamic therapy for up to 30 weekly sessions. Both groups showed large and stable improvements in symptoms of anxiety and depression, with no significant difference on the main measure. CBT was superior on measures of trait anxiety, worry and depression. With 57 patients and no untreated comparison group, the trial was too small to show that the two are equivalent.
So it is reasonable to ask Dr. Rabin how she would approach what you are dealing with, and whether a more structured treatment or a referral would suit you better. If you are looking for exposure-based CBT for a specific anxiety disorder, ask her directly whether she offers it, as you would ask any therapist.
Can sessions be in person or online?
Both are available. Dr. Rabin sees clients at 1577 Beacon Street in Brookline and by secure telehealth. For telehealth you need to be physically in Massachusetts during the session. The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists takes the position that psychology is practiced where the client is physically located at the time of service. That matters for students who go home to another state and for people who travel.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says virtual care can be effective for treating conditions like anxiety. It also names drawbacks: access to technology, technical problems, and privacy, since a visit may feel less private if people nearby can see or overhear it. See online therapy in Massachusetts for more.
How do you know whether it is helping?
No therapist can promise a result, and this guide does not suggest that anxiety can be removed from a life altogether.
On timing, the American Psychological Association says some people begin to feel better in about six to 12 sessions, and that if you do not start seeing signs of progress you should discuss it with your psychologist. That statement is about psychotherapy in general. It is not a schedule for anxiety, or for you. How long does anxiety treatment take? looks at the numbers in more detail.
NIMH gives similar advice: if you have been in therapy for what feels like a reasonable amount of time and are not getting better, talk to your therapist, and consider other professionals or approaches. For what progress can look like, see 8 signs therapy is working. The association also notes that you and your psychologist decide together when you are ready to end.
What does it cost?
Dr. Rabin's fee is $375 per session. The practice is private-pay and out-of-network. She provides a monthly superbill that you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and a sliding scale is available on request. The fees and insurance page has the details.
The simplest way to find out whether her approach fits you is the free consultation of about 15 minutes, which you can request on the contact page.
Keep reading
Sources
- American Psychological Association, Understanding psychotherapy and how it works (2023)
- National Institute of Mental Health, Psychotherapies (last reviewed February 2024)
- Cuijpers P, Cristea IA, Karyotaki E, Reijnders M, Huibers MJ, How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta-analytic update of the evidence, World Psychiatry (2016)
- Keefe JR, McCarthy KS, Dinger U, Zilcha-Mano S, Barber JP, A meta-analytic review of psychodynamic therapies for anxiety disorders, Clinical Psychology Review (2014)
- Leichsenring F et al., Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized, controlled trial, American Journal of Psychiatry (2009)
- National Institute of Mental Health, What is Telemental Health? (revised 2025)
- Mass.gov, Board policies and guidelines for psychologists (electronic services policy updated October 2015; medication recommendations policy 1998)
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.
