Frances Higgins, LICSW

Therapist in Massachusetts

Frances Higgins is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) with 30 years of practice in Massachusetts.

Licensed inMassachusetts
License1018324
NPI 1831381466
Experience30+ years
LanguagesEnglish

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Frances

Frances Higgins is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) with 30 years of practice in Massachusetts. She begins by listening closely to each person and then works together with them to decide what will help most. Her style is down-to-earth and practical, aimed at making progress in everyday life.

Over her career she has supported people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and addiction concerns. She also helps with parenting strain, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.

Background and approach

Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, attachment issues, autism and Asperger Syndrome, and challenges that arise from blended families. Her approach is client-centered and collaborative. She draws from attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns.

She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thinking and Emotionally-Focused Therapy ideas to address emotional connection and repair. When trauma or abuse is part of the picture, she uses trauma-informed ways of working that aim to reduce distress and build coping skills. Sessions focus on what the person needs now, with practical strategies to manage symptoms and daily demands.

Frances works with people on problems like eating struggles, anger, self-esteem, bipolar mood management, and issues tied to forgiveness, guilt, or shame. Her long experience includes supporting first responders and people living with HIV or AIDS. People who come to her can expect calm listening, clear options, and collaboration on goals.

She helps clients find tools that fit their lives and keeps the work grounded and achievable.

Credentials

LICSW (Massachusetts): License 1018324 · expires February 2027
NPI: 1831381466 · national provider identifier

Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Frances lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Depression
Addictions
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Eating disorders
Parenting issues
Anger management
Self esteem
Bipolar disorder
Coaching
Compassion fatigue
ADHD
Adoption and foster care
Attachment issues
Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Blended family issues
Codependency
Communication problems
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Dissociation
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Family problems
First responder issues
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
HIV / AIDS
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Impulsivity
Infidelity
Jealousy
Midlife crisis
Mood disorders
Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
Personality disorders
Postpartum depression
Post-traumatic stress
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-harm
Sexual assault and abuse
Young adult issues

Approaches Frances names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

Attachment and Practical Approaches for Online Care

Frances blends attachment-informed work with cognitive behavioral ideas to address how relationships and daily thoughts shape wellbeing. Attachment-based work looks at patterns in close relationships and helps people notice how those patterns show up now. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful thinking and builds concrete skills to change behavior and mood.

She uses a client-centered stance in sessions, which means the therapist and client collaborate to find the right mix of approaches. That process includes trying techniques, checking how they feel, and adjusting the plan together based on needs and goals.

Online therapy options include live video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for fuller conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief updates, homework check-ins, or when someone prefers typing. These formats make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue work even when schedules or locations change.

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Frequently asked

What kinds of concerns does Frances address?

She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting strain, ADHD, and compassion fatigue, among other concerns.

How would you describe her therapy style?

She takes a client-centered, collaborative approach and listens first to decide together which methods will be most helpful for each person.

What is her clinical background?

Frances has 30 years of practice working with a wide range of concerns and life situations, including work with survivors of abuse and with first responders.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She is an MA LICSW and practices from Massachusetts.

Can sessions be conducted in other languages or internationally?

Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.

What session formats are offered?

Frances provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging for ongoing care and check-ins.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

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