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Blue Square Blog

Check back often for articles full of helpful tips for managing the mental health of you and your family.

Navigating Family Gatherings as an LGBTQ+ Young Adult
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Navigating Family Gatherings as an LGBTQ+ Young Adult

For many people, the holidays bring joy, warmth, and tradition. But for LGBTQ+ young adults, family gatherings can also bring anxiety, tension, or emotional exhaustion. Whether you’re out to your family or not, navigating these spaces can be complicated—especially when love and discomfort coexist in the same room.

At Blue Square Counseling, we specialize in providing LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in Massachusetts, with offices in Billerica and Lexington and telehealth options statewide. Our therapists understand that the holiday season can be both meaningful and difficult, and we’re here to help you navigate it with confidence and care.

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Surviving (and Thriving) Through the Winter Blues
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Surviving (and Thriving) Through the Winter Blues

As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, many people notice a shift in their mood and energy levels. You might feel more tired, unmotivated, or just “off.” For some, these changes signal seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—a form of depression linked to seasonal changes.

If you’re struggling to stay focused or upbeat this winter, know that you’re not alone—and help is available. At Blue Square Counseling, with offices in Billerica and Lexington, Massachusetts, and telehealth options across the state, we provide therapy for seasonal affective disorder and winter mental health support to help you feel more grounded, balanced, and hopeful all season long.

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Understanding the Link Between Chronic Illness and Mental Health
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Understanding the Link Between Chronic Illness and Mental Health

Living with a chronic illness can affect far more than just the body — it can shape your emotions, relationships, and daily outlook in profound ways. Managing ongoing pain, fatigue, or medical uncertainty often leads to feelings of frustration, anxiety, and sadness.

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Managing End-of-Semester Anxiety: Therapy Tools for College Students in Massachusetts
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Managing End-of-Semester Anxiety: Therapy Tools for College Students in Massachusetts

The end of the semester can feel like a perfect storm for college students. Between finals, papers, looming deadlines, and the upcoming holiday season, stress levels are often at their peak. Many students in Massachusetts describe feeling exhausted, anxious, or even paralyzed by the weight of academic and personal responsibilities.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The end of the semester is one of the most common times students seek mental health support. The good news? Therapy can help you manage stress, develop coping tools, and finish the semester stronger—without burning out.

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Going Home for the Holidays: How College Students Can Navigate Family Stress
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Going Home for the Holidays: How College Students Can Navigate Family Stress

The holiday season is often painted as a joyful break for college students: time off from classes, home-cooked meals, and reconnecting with family. But in reality, going home for the holidays can be complicated. Many students experience family pressure, identity clashes, or the stress of readjusting after enjoying independence at school. If you find yourself dreading the trip home instead of looking forward to it, you’re not alone. Therapy can help you prepare, cope, and create healthier ways of navigating holiday family dynamics.

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Chosen Family and the Holidays: Finding Support as an LGBTQ+ Young Adult
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Chosen Family and the Holidays: Finding Support as an LGBTQ+ Young Adult

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time filled with warmth, togetherness, and tradition. But for many LGBTQ+ young adults, this time of year can bring up feelings of stress, isolation, or even sadness—especially if family gatherings are complicated by a lack of acceptance or understanding. If you find yourself feeling out of place during the holidays, you’re not alone. Therapy can be a powerful tool to help you navigate these challenges, find community, and create meaningful traditions with your chosen family.

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Holiday Stress and Mental Health: How Therapy Helps You Cope
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Holiday Stress and Mental Health: How Therapy Helps You Cope

The holidays are often pictured as joyful, cozy, and stress-free—a time of family gatherings, warm meals, and traditions. But for many people, the holiday season brings something very different: pressure, financial worries, emotional exhaustion, and sometimes even feelings of isolation. If you find yourself overwhelmed instead of merry, you’re not alone.

At Blue Square Counseling in Billerica and Lexington, Massachusetts, we see a significant rise in stress-related concerns during the holiday season. Between family dynamics, financial strain, and high expectations, it’s easy for mental health to take a back seat. The good news? With the right support, you can navigate the holidays with more balance and less anxiety.

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Why Fall Can Be Hard on Mental Health (and How Therapy Helps)
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Why Fall Can Be Hard on Mental Health (and How Therapy Helps)

As the air cools and leaves begin to change, fall is often seen as a cozy, comforting season. But for many, this transition also brings new challenges—shorter days, increased stress, and the onset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If autumn feels heavier than expected, know that you’re not alone—and help is available.

At Blue Square Counseling, we provide fall mental health support in Massachusetts, blending traditional therapy with holistic care options like Reiki and yoga-informed therapy.

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LGBTQ+ Mental Health After Coming Out: Finding Community and Care
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

LGBTQ+ Mental Health After Coming Out: Finding Community and Care

Coming out is often described as a milestone moment for LGBTQ+ young adults—a step toward authenticity, freedom, and self-expression. But what comes after? Many individuals find that the challenges don’t end once they’ve shared their identity with family, friends, or peers.

At Blue Square Counseling, we understand that LGBTQ+ mental health requires ongoing support. Whether you’re navigating complicated family dynamics, adjusting to social changes, or facing feelings of isolation, affirming therapy in Massachusetts can help you find community and care.

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Art Therapy for Anxiety: Calming the Mind Through Creativity
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Art Therapy for Anxiety: Calming the Mind Through Creativity

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges today—affecting children, teens, college students, and adults alike. It often shows up as racing thoughts, restlessness, muscle tension, or even difficulty sleeping. While traditional talk therapy is highly effective, some people find it hard to put anxious thoughts into words. That’s where art therapy for anxiety can help.

At Blue Square Counseling, we offer creative therapy in Massachusetts as part of our holistic approach to mental health. Art therapy gives clients a safe, supportive way to explore emotions, release tension, and find calm through the creative process.

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Mid-Semester Burnout: How Therapy Helps College Students Regain Balance
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Mid-Semester Burnout: How Therapy Helps College Students Regain Balance

The first few weeks of college often feel exciting—new classes, new friends, and new opportunities. But by the time mid-semester hits, many students start to feel overwhelmed. Exams, papers, extracurricular commitments, part-time jobs, and social pressures can pile up quickly. For some, this leads to mid-semester burnout, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.

If you’re a student in Massachusetts struggling to keep up, you’re not alone. The good news is that support is available, and therapy for college students in MA can help you regain balance and build healthier coping strategies.

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Color Outside the Lines: How Art Therapy Supports College Students’ Mental Health
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Color Outside the Lines: How Art Therapy Supports College Students’ Mental Health

College can be one of the most exciting—and overwhelming—times in life. Between the pressure to succeed academically, adjusting to new environments, managing relationships, and making big life decisions, it’s no wonder that many students find themselves dealing with anxiety, stress, or emotional overload.

If you're a college student in Massachusetts—especially in the Billerica or Lexington area—Blue Square Counseling offers something beyond talk therapy: Art Therapy. This creative, healing modality is ideal for students who want a different way to explore their emotions, reduce stress, and reconnect with their sense of self.

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Coming Out Creatively: How Art Therapy Helps LGBTQ+ Young Adults Tell Their Stories
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Coming Out Creatively: How Art Therapy Helps LGBTQ+ Young Adults Tell Their Stories

Coming out is not a one-time event—it’s a deeply personal journey that unfolds over time. For many LGBTQ+ young adults, this process can bring a mix of emotions: relief, fear, joy, uncertainty, and everything in between. When words fall short, art therapy can provide a powerful and affirming space to explore identity and share your story in a way that feels safe and authentic.

At Blue Square Counseling, we offer art therapy in Billerica and Lexington, MA, as well as via telehealth for clients across Massachusetts. Our affirming, inclusive approach is designed to support LGBTQ+ individuals in navigating life’s challenges—especially when traditional talk therapy doesn’t feel like enough.

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What Is Art Therapy (And Do You Have to Be an Artist?)
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

What Is Art Therapy (And Do You Have to Be an Artist?)

If the thought of traditional talk therapy feels intimidating—or if you simply express yourself better through creativity—art therapy might be a powerful alternative. It’s especially helpful for young adults, college students, and anyone looking for a new way to work through emotions, stress, or trauma.


At Blue Square Counseling in Billerica and Lexington, Massachusetts, we offer art therapy as one of our holistic, client-centered services. Whether you're navigating anxiety, identity exploration, trauma, or just need a fresh approach, art therapy might be the tool you didn’t know you needed.

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When Summer Isn’t Relaxing: How to Cope with Seasonal Expectations and Disappointment
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

When Summer Isn’t Relaxing: How to Cope with Seasonal Expectations and Disappointment

Summer is often portrayed as a magical reset button—three months of freedom, fun, and carefree energy. But for many college students and young adults, summer doesn’t live up to the hype. Maybe you’re working full time, stuck at home, feeling isolated, or just not having the “best summer ever” like everyone else seems to on social media.

If your summer has felt more stressful than relaxing, you’re not alone—and there’s nothing wrong with you. At Blue Square Counseling, we work with students and young adults across Massachusetts (in Billerica, Lexington, and via telehealth) who are learning to navigate the emotional weight of seasonal pressure and unmet expectations.

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What Happens After Pride? Maintaining LGBTQ+ Mental Health Year-Round
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

What Happens After Pride? Maintaining LGBTQ+ Mental Health Year-Round

Pride Month is a powerful celebration of identity, community, and visibility. It’s a time when LGBTQ+ individuals often feel affirmed, supported, and connected—whether through parades, social media representation, or community events. But when June ends, many LGBTQ+ people are left wondering: What now?

The truth is, while Pride Month shines a spotlight on LGBTQ+ experiences, mental health care and emotional support are needs that last year-round. At Blue Square Counseling, we specialize in LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in Massachusetts, offering both in-person sessions in Billerica and Lexington and telehealth options to help you feel safe, seen, and supported—long after the rainbow flags are packed away.

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Coming Out in College: How Therapy Can Help You Navigate Identity and Relationships
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Coming Out in College: How Therapy Can Help You Navigate Identity and Relationships

College is often described as a time of self-discovery—a place where you're encouraged to explore who you are and what you believe. For many LGBTQ+ students, this includes the powerful and deeply personal experience of coming out.

Coming out in college can feel liberating—but it can also feel overwhelming, confusing, or even scary. Whether you're questioning your identity, ready to share it with others, or unsure where to start, therapy can provide the support and guidance you need to feel safe, seen, and empowered.

At Blue Square Counseling, we specialize in therapy for college students and LGBTQ+ young adults across Massachusetts. Through in-person sessions in Billerica and Lexington, or via telehealth therapy, we help students navigate the emotional and relational complexities of coming out with care and compassion.

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Back-to-School Stress Is Real: How to Mentally Prepare for the Semester Ahead
Emily Hammons Emily Hammons

Back-to-School Stress Is Real: How to Mentally Prepare for the Semester Ahead

The end of summer doesn’t just mean back-to-school shopping and class schedules—it often brings a wave of anxiety, pressure, and mental overload. Whether you're starting your first semester or heading into your final year, it's normal to feel uneasy about the transition. At Blue Square Counseling, we work with students across Massachusetts—both in person and via telehealth—who are navigating this exact stress.

Let’s talk about why the back-to-school season can feel so overwhelming, and how you can protect your mental health before the semester starts.

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