Ariana Taghaddos, MA, NCC, graduated with a MA in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University Graduate Medical Sciences and a BA in Psychology from University of California, Los Angeles. She joined Riser+Tread in 2022 and works out of the Newton location.

 

Ariana has extensive experience from her position as the lower school counselor at The Meadowbrook School of Weston, working with students in preschool through 4th grade. Prior to Meadowbrook, Ariana completed her clinical internship at Judge Baker Children's Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, providing psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and families, as well as leading group therapy for adults and families at Arbour Counseling. 

 

Ariana focuses on using a holistic approach with her clients and believes in providing client-centered therapy, focusing on enhancing the health and wellness of each individual. She has experience in working with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, ODD, and learning disabilities.  Ariana draws on various modalities in her work,  including play therapy, psychodynamic therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), solution-focused therapy, coaching, and mindfulness. She is also trained in Neuroscience-Informed Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (nCBT) which allows her to provide neuroscience informed therapy and guidance for children and families.  

Working in different school settings has allowed Ariana to developed a great understanding of a child’s daily academic life, enabling her to partner with a child’s school and teaching team as needed to support and offer parent/caregiver guidance and coaching. She focuses on helping children build their resilience and self-esteem, understand fears and worries, develop their self-concept and identities, and build the capacity for mindfulness at an age-appropriate level.