Launch Psychological Associates

10/15/2026

🌟 Clinician Spotlight: Jonathan Roberto, LCSW 🌟

Jonathan is now accepting new clients! He helps teens and adults navigate life’s challenges and work toward feeling better. 💚

Specialties:
✔ Sports Psychology & Performance Anxiety
✔ Substance Use
✔ Trauma & PTSD
✔ Anxiety & Panic
✔ Depression & ADHD

Approaches: CBT • DBT • Mindfulness • Solution-Focused

His Commitment: Jonathan uses empathy and empowerment to meet every client where they are, supporting each person with care and respect as they work toward their goals.

👉 Don’t wait to feel better! Book a session at launchpsych.com, call 781-208-0780, or email [email protected]

We are a group of caring clinicians who provide therapy for children, adolescents and adults.

10/07/2026

✨Launch Lunch✨

A big thank you to Paul and the team at Balance Mental Health Group for treating us to such a delicious lunch! We are so grateful for the thoughtful gesture and the time spent getting to know them.

Balance is an Intensive Outpatient Program in Peabody that offers structured, evidence-based group treatment for adults who need more support than weekly therapy but don't need hospitalization. We loved learning more about their approach and look forward to working together to support our clients.💚

09/28/2026

🌟 Welcome to Launch, Joanna Marcus, M.A. 🌟

We're excited to welcome Joanna to the Launch team!

Joanna is a gentle, creative clinician who supports people at every stage of life. Using art, music, and play, she offers clients another way to communicate and make sense of what they're going through, especially when talking feels like too much. Her experience spans preschools, special education classrooms, a children's grief center, and an eldercare residence.

Specialties:
Grief • Neurodiversity (ADHD & Autism Spectrum Disorder) • Anxiety • Depression • Trauma • Performance anxiety • Life transitions • Loneliness & isolation • Early childhood mental health

Approaches:
Expressive Arts Therapy • Play-based Therapy • CBT • Person-centered Therapy • Zones of Regulation

Joanna earned her Master's in Mental Health Counseling and Expressive Arts Therapy at Lesley University, and her Bachelor's in Music, with a focus on violin performance, at Brandeis University. As a pre-licensed clinician, she practices under the direct supervision of Dr. Ilana Blatt-Eisengart. Above all, Joanna is curious about each person's story and takes care to build a relationship rooted in trust, kindness, and compassion. We're so glad to have her at Launch! ✨

09/24/2026

Would you know how to help if someone you loved was struggling?

Suicidal thoughts don't always look like a crisis right away. They can start small, with comments like "I wish I wasn't here," and grow more serious over time. That's why recognizing the signs early matters so much.

In this post, we walk through the warning signs to watch for, the behaviors that signal an emergency, common risk factors, and practical ways to support someone in crisis and beyond. Suicidal thoughts are a symptom, not a life sentence, and they can be treated.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. Call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Our team at Launch Psychological Associates is also here to help.

There is hope, and no one has to face this alone.

This is a sensitive topic, so if anything here feels close to home for you personally, please know that reaching out for support (whether to a professional, a loved one, or a crisis line) is a strong and worthwhile step.

09/21/2026

What a wonderful day at Reading and North Reading Town Day! 🎉

We loved getting out into the community with Dr. Julie to connect with local families and share resources about mental health and wellness. Julie's daughter Emily and their sweet dog Honey joined us too, Honey was definitely a crowd favorite! 🐾

Thank you to the North Reading Chamber of Commerce for putting together such a great event, and to everyone who stopped by to say hello. Days like this remind us how much we value being part of this community!💚

09/15/2026

🌟New Blog Post Alert🌟

Middle school is coming, and it's not just a new building 😬

If your kid's excitement about the new year is already tangled up with a little dread, you're not alone. In our latest blog post, Emily McDonough, LICSW, breaks down what's really happening developmentally during the elementary-to-middle-school jump, the signs your child might be struggling, and 3 ways to help them feel socially ready (without adding more pressure to an already big year).

Tap the link to read the full post : https://launchpsych.com/helping-your-child-handle-the-jump-to-middle-school/🔗

09/10/2026

Today is World Su***de Prevention Day, a day to remind ourselves to look out for one another.

If you or someone you love is struggling, please know: you are not alone. Reaching out for support takes courage, and help is always available.

📞 NAMI Helpline: 800-950-NAMI
💬 Text "NAMI" to 62640
🆘 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline (call or text) for immediate support

Our team at Launch Psychological Associates is here to help if you're looking for a therapist to talk to. Support. Resources. Hope.

09/07/2026

Big news! 🌟

Our co-founders, Dr. Julia Ca****la and Dr. Ilana Blatt-Eisengart, are featured on the newest episode of the Paul Cervizzi Show!

This one's personal: the episode traces Julie's and Ilana's path to becoming co-owners of Launch Psychological Associates, from a little sister once taking part in a psychological study, to entering motherhood while building a private practice from the ground up. They share how discipline, confidence, and a mindset that doesn't back down carried them through.

Shoutout to Paul for having them on his show! If you haven't checked it out yet, go give it a listen and hit follow, you won't want to miss what he's building.

🎧 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfEe-d2m89I

09/01/2026

The words we use with ourselves matter more than we often realize. Negative self-talk can feel automatic, but it's a habit we can reshape.

Next time you catch yourself in a spiral of "I can't," "I'm not good enough," or "I'll never succeed," try pausing and reframing the thought. It doesn't have to feel forced or fake, just a little more balanced and true.

Small shifts in language can lead to big shifts in mindset. 💚

08/19/2026

Therapy can do more than most people expect. 💭

It's a place to slow down, get curious about your own patterns, and build real tools for managing stress, relationships, and everything in between. It's not just about fixing what's broken, it's about learning to understand yourself better.

Swipe through to see a few of the benefits therapy can offer. If you've been thinking about starting, our team at Launch Psychological Associates would love to help you find the right fit. Reach out anytime to learn more.