Evidence-Based Therapy, Tailored to You

Expert psychological care grounded in research and shaped around your individual needs, strengths, and goals.

If you could change your life in the ways you’ve always dreamed, what would be different?

People come to therapy for many different reasons. Some want to change patterns that no longer serve them, address specific behaviors, ease symptoms of anxiety or depression, or develop new coping skills. Others want to better understand themselves and their relationships. Still others are seeking greater meaning and fulfillment.

I am passionate about helping people make changes in their lives. I am honored to serve as a guide, coach, companion, and witness to my clients’ journeys.

Therapy is an active, ongoing collaboration between you—the expert on your life—and me—the expert on what works to make lasting change.

Active

Collaborative

Compassionate

Relational

About Dr. Cruise

My work as a psychologist is grounded in rigorous clinical training and years of experience helping people create meaningful change. I am a Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral (DBT) Therapist, with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University. I completed my internship and post-doctoral fellowship through McLean Hospital / Harvard Medical School, where I subsequently worked as a staff psychologist and served as a supervisor for psychiatry residents at Harvard Medical School. I have been in full-time private practice since 2018.

My clinical interests include women’s empowerment and overall health, meaning-making in response to trauma and loss, identity and individuation in young adults, and the challenges that frequently arise in creating and raising a family. My doctoral research focused on meaning-making and benefit-finding in response to significant life turning points.

Questions?

I offer individual therapy grounded primarily in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) approaches. These treatments are active, present-focused, and skills-based. Treatment is adapted to the individual, drawing on different evidence-based approaches as appropriate to the concerns, goals, circumstances, and preferences of each person.

I work with adults ages 18 and up experiencing a range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, difficulties with emotion regulation, relationship concerns, life transitions, trauma and loss, and questions of identity and meaning. I also work with individuals experiencing personality-related concerns and other more complex or persistent difficulties.

I offer a free 10–15 minute phone consultation as a first opportunity to discuss what brings you to therapy and determine whether moving forward with an intake appointment makes sense to both of us. If we decide to begin, the initial consultation process usually takes place over the course of 3–4 appointments.

These initial sessions provide an opportunity to talk about what leads you to seek out therapy now, what you hope to change, and what you are looking for in treatment. I also have standard areas I ask about to get as complete a picture as possible. We can discuss your history and current concerns, learn from any past therapy experiences you may have had, consider what kind of treatment might be most helpful, discuss options for different treatment approaches and how they fit with your preferences, and determine whether working together feels like a good fit.

Feeling comfortable enough to talk openly with your therapist is extremely important. A good therapeutic relationship depends on feeling understood, respected, and able to work collaboratively. The initial consultation provides an opportunity for you to consider whether my approach, experience, and style feel like a good match. On my end, if at any point the concerns you are raising are not within my areas of expertise, I will help you with referrals to providers who are a better fit for your needs.

I do not accept insurance. I provide everyone with a detailed receipt (superbill) that can be submitted to their insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. How much, if any, you receive back depends on the specifics of your insurance plan.

I offer both in-person and telehealth sessions. My office is located in Carlisle, MA. Due to licensing regulations, clients must be physically located in MA at the time of telehealth appointments.

Get in Touch

If you would like to learn more about therapy or schedule a consultation, please fill out the form below. You are also welcome to email me directly at ruthcruisephd@gmail.com.

Ruth Cruise, Ph.D.

15 Lowell Street
P.O. Box 124
Carlisle, MA
ruthcruisephd@gmail.com
617-855-8802