Pam Bolarinho , LICSW

Pam Bolarinho, LICSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker and healthcare leader based in Massachusetts with more than twenty years of experience in social work and clinical administration. She currently serves full time as Vice President of Acute Care Services and brings a background that spans direct casework, clinical management, and program development.

Her career began as a social worker with the Healthy Families Program and continued with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Bridgewater State University, where she also served as Class Representative for her MSW cohort. In addition to her leadership roles, she has been the ESP Director for the past three years and previously worked as Clinical Director of an inpatient psychiatric facility and as Social Work Manager at an acute medical hospital for over seven years.

A proud Portuguese American who immigrated to the United States at age five, she has dedicated her career to serving vulnerable populations and building community partnerships. She has collaborated with organizations such as the Suicide Prevention Coalition, Help & Hope Southcoast, labor and human trafficking initiatives, and the local Opioid Taskforce. She helped launch a co-response program with a local police department nearly three years ago that has resulted in over 400 patients being seen in the community and has helped keep more than sixty-five percent of those individuals at home instead of going to the emergency room. She has worked with community providers, police departments, and behavioral health partners to identify methods for diverting behavioral health needs away from emergency rooms.

Pam practices from a patient-centered, strength-based perspective and has extensive experience supporting people impacted by trauma, end-of-life issues, foster care and adoption, reactive attachment disorder, elder concerns, substance use and addiction, and ongoing or chronic mental health conditions.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Pam Bolarinho

Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person’s experience and building on their strengths; it emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and supporting clients to set goals that matter to them, which can help with relationship issues, self-esteem, and coping with life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify and adjust unhelpful thoughts and behaviors through practical strategies and skill-building; it is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and mood-related concerns.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented approach that helps people explore and resolve ambivalence about change; it is often helpful for addiction, readiness for change, and goal-directed work such as recovery or lifestyle adjustments.

Pam approaches the selection of therapeutic methods collaboratively - she will work with each person to determine which approaches best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and may combine techniques as appropriate. This helps ensure the work feels tailored and practical for the individual.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for scheduling and continuity of care. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, maintain regular contact with a licensed professional, and continue therapy during transitions or when in-person visits are difficult.