Richard Goggin, LICSW

Richard Goggin, LICSW, helps people navigating stress, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, midlife changes, and other life transitions. He aims to help people live more fully in the present and reduce worry about the past or future. His style blends practical conversation with steady support to help people make real changes.

He draws on three decades of clinical practice and prior experience as a hospital chaplain and high school coach. That background informs a straightforward, compassionate way of talking through problems and building small, doable steps forward. Sessions focus on what is happening now and what a person wants to try next.

Richard uses a mix of approaches depending on a person’s needs. He often employs client-centered work to follow a person’s concerns, cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thinking patterns, and existential ideas to look at meaning and choice. Mindfulness and motivational interviewing may also appear when they fit the goals.

In sessions he listens for current patterns that cause pain and for strengths that can be used differently. He helps people set practical goals, try new behaviors between meetings, and reflect on what changes or values matter most. The tone is direct but supportive.

People commonly bring concerns such as addiction, parenting strain, trauma and abuse, anger, low self-esteem, career crossroads, ADHD, and issues around intimacy or family of origin. He works with loss, life purpose questions, and challenges like chronic illness, first responder stress, and compassion fatigue.

Richard practices in Massachusetts and conducts work in English. He holds an MA and the LICSW credential and has thirty years of experience in therapeutic work.

Approaches that guide online work and change

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following what matters most to the person. It helps people feel heard and find their own path forward during transitions or periods of confusion. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and offers practical exercises to shift unhelpful patterns and reduce anxiety or depression. Existential therapy helps people consider meaning, choice, and values when facing life changes like midlife questions or career crossroads.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, preferences, and current challenges. That process can change over time as needs evolve and new priorities appear.

Confirm which online session formats are offered before booking, since the biography does not list specific options. Many people find that online work can fit into a busy week more easily, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Online sessions can make it simpler to maintain continuity during job changes, caregiving periods, or relocation, while the therapist and client focus on practical steps and real-life goals.