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James Votaw, LMHC

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

James is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

5.0 stars
Clients are very satisfied with James. View 53 reviews
Speaks English and Japanese
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Massachusetts

Recent reviews

James has been a wonderful therapist. He listens intently. He has been very helpful in helping me navigate major life and work changes.

Reviewed April 2024

James always makes me feel appreciated and listened to. He's able to take my crazy life stories and help me make sense of it all. A fantastic listener who puts his all into your well-being.

Reviewed April 2024

More about James

  • 18 years' experience
  • Male
  • LMHC

I am a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts with a Master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge. I have extensive experience both as an outpatient therapist for adults and as an emergency room crisis clinician. It has been my privilege to serve many wonderful clients on Betterhelp since 2020. I do my best to provide a pleasant environment where each client is comfortable talking freely about anything burdening them, no matter how longstanding or complex. As your counselor, my first responsibility is to understand your experience and perspective so that I can effectively work together with you toward greater health and well-being. I want you to have concrete ways to overcome internal obstacles, negative thoughts and self-defeating behavioral patterns. My approach is based on the principle that hope, enjoyment, and perspective are largely choices that you can make to attain a more fulfilling life.

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Self esteem Depression Coping with life changes Addictions Relationship issues Family conflicts Trauma and abuse Grief Sleeping disorders Anger management Career difficulties Control issues Expats Guilt and shame Men's issues Obsessions Compulsions and OCD Post-traumatic stress Social anxiety and phobia

Treatment Approaches

  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing

Licenses

James Votaw's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1477676872.

  • LMHC · Massachusetts · 7554 · Expires December 2025

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling allows you to receive care from a mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Starting at $65 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.

Reviews for James Votaw

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

5.0

53 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Great Recommend Helpful Listens Wonderful Helped Easy Support Thoughtful Understanding

James has been a wonderful therapist. He listens intently. He has been very helpful in helping me navigate major life and work changes.

Reviewed April 2024

James always makes me feel appreciated and listened to. He's able to take my crazy life stories and help me make sense of it all. A fantastic listener who puts his all into your well-being.

Reviewed April 2024

For a first timer to therapy, Jame has been very understand and treated the process with compassion.

Reviewed April 2024

James has been a wonderful therapist. He is responsive, patient, and has really helped me. I strongly recommend James.

Reviewed March 2024

James is truly special. I am lucky to have been paired with him. Thank you James.

Reviewed March 2024

James is one of the best listeners I’ve ever met. He takes detailed notes and shares them with you so you can also track your progress and see how you’ve felt over time. It’s my first time doing therapy and I honestly couldn’t have made the jump to therapy without his help and guidance. He is a great listener and always open to hearing whatever it is you need to say, but he is also a great advisor through varying situations and provides great insights/takeaways for your own benefit. He’ll always listen and I recommend listening to what his thoughts and advice would be as well!

Reviewed January 2024

It’s like talking to your best friend except no judgement but push you to be the best version of yourself.

Reviewed January 2024

James listens do well and provides great motivating support. He does a great job and I feel so much better after talking to him.

Reviewed November 2023

He's great. Very helpful. Very insightful.

Reviewed September 2023

Very helpful thus far.

Reviewed September 2023

He’s such a good listener and shows concern. He takes notes and always notes what is most important, he’s so experienced and wise it seems to me. I think he will be able to show me how and help me make some very tough decisions.

Reviewed September 2023

James is a thoughtful man who is a very attentive listener, which I know from his responses and questions. I know that a session with James means progress on my goals so I keep coming back.

Reviewed July 2023

James is awesome listens and gives honest and unbiased critiques. I’m enjoying my sessions thus far and would recommend to anyone inquiring about therapy.

Reviewed July 2023

James is just outstanding.

Reviewed June 2023

James' incite has brought me so much comfort. I really appreciate his incite. He is easy to relate to and responsive to my concerns. My grief is a lot more palatable with his knowledge and expertise.

Reviewed June 2023

James has been great! This has been my first time doing therapy and I wasn't sure what to expect. One thing I have found to be very helpful with James is the use of worksheets he offers. They explore the topics we discuss in depth and force me to think in a new way. He is very understanding and I would recommend him to anyone.

Reviewed May 2023

Excellent therapist. Can’t recommend him enough.

Reviewed April 2023

James is a wonderful counselor, human being, and listener. He provides thoughtful approaches to issues and gives you an Avenue to solve. He has helped me so much with my anxiety and stress, and truly given me a new lease on life.

Reviewed March 2023

James is undoubtedly the best therapist I have ever had. He is unconditionally supportive, and his style is extremely comfortable. It was so easy to develop a positive client/therapist relationship with him quickly. I cannot recommend him enough, and will be forever grateful to him for everything he helped me overcome.

Reviewed February 2023

I cannot speak highly enough about James he is the perfect balance of speaking with a close relative or friend kind of environment while matching professionalism and a deep knowledge of his work.

Reviewed February 2023

He's a great understanding guy

Reviewed January 2023

James is great at his job and truly listens to what you have to say. He uses his expertise to assess what you are going through and helps clarify what may be the root cause of your depression/stress/anxiety etc.

Reviewed January 2023

James is super thoughtful and deliberate in his approach. He truly listens, and takes great care in his responses and questions. He's helped me cope with multifaceted anxiety and make more confident choices in how I want to live. I couldn't recommend James more highly!

Reviewed November 2022

James is a great therapist. He gently questions me in a way that has uncovered insights into myself, he's very encouraging, real, and no BS.

Reviewed November 2022

James has helped me so much when I had so much loss in my life. I appreciate his insight and expertise. As a Lesbian I feel fully supported and would recommend James to anyone.

Reviewed September 2022

He is very understanding and extremely easy to talk to, I highly recommend.

Reviewed August 2022

James is great at communicating with clients and also provides a safe space to share.

Reviewed August 2022

James is a wonderful therapist, empathetic and knowledgeable. We've only just started working together but I'm actually excited at what we'll accomplish.

Reviewed July 2022

James understands my cultural influence and help me go through hard time

Reviewed July 2022

He does a great job seeing different aspects of situations

Reviewed June 2022

James is attentive, charismatic, friendly, and easy to talk to. Speaking with James is an experience similar to having a meaningful discussion with a wise friend. He knows when to listen and when to talk. He has been very helpful.

Reviewed June 2022

James is a breath of fresh air!

Reviewed May 2022

Calm and patient and ever thoughtful of my personal boundaries. I’ve only just started but I like working with him

Reviewed May 2022

James has been extremely helpful in getting me to think in deeper, more meaningful ways about myself and what I am doing in my life and the way I treat myself. He has been very helpful with better identifying problem areas I am overlooking

Reviewed May 2022

James is a great listener. He is very understanding and respectful. I feel heard, understood, and support in every counseling session with him. He is also resourceful and knowledgeable. He genuinely cares for me and helps me battling with depression and burnout with no hesitation. I feel lucky to have him as my counselor.

Reviewed April 2022

James listens with a calm demeanor and offers thoughtful insight. I felt he could grasp what I was looking for quickly and is ready to help me achieve those goals.

Reviewed April 2022

James has been great so far in our first two sessions

Reviewed March 2022

Though I've just started therapy, so far James strikes me as insightful, supportive, and "on top of things"... I've had many therapists; (I'm 59), and he IS one of "the good ones"...

Reviewed March 2022

James has been wonderful to work with! He’s excellent at striking the balance between listening to concerns & offering practical therapeutic advice. I feel like he really understands my needs & is able to help me navigate challenges when the arise.

Reviewed February 2022

James is very easy to communicate with. He’s extremely engaging and discusses things with me in a non-confrontational manner that makes me loose. Highly recommend and look forward to more from James

Reviewed February 2022

James got to know me well within just a few sessions. He is a deliberate and interactive listener. Very quickly he was providing useful insight for the challenges where I was seeking advice. Especially, I like the meeting summary he types during each session as it provides much continuity from session to session.

Reviewed February 2022

James is a great listener and is really supportive and helpful.

Reviewed December 2021

James is exactly the kind of support I need right now. He is validating, insightful, kind, and caring. He is extremely responsive and is helping me to do some emotional 'first aid' for myself. I'm forever grateful for his expertise and the variety of ways that I can be in touch with him.

Reviewed July 2021

James is wonderful and understanding, and helps me work through things just by showing me things about my thinking that I can work on

Reviewed April 2021

James is a wonderful, nonjudgmental listener. He’s always prompt for appointments and really takes the time to understand where you’re coming from.

Reviewed February 2021

I believe James is a skilled councillor that helped me from the first council!! I would recommend him for sure!!

Reviewed January 2021

James listens well and provides support for me when I need a different perspective on what I'm feeling.

Reviewed November 2020

Very happy working with James

Reviewed August 2020

James is truly caring and has been a great resource during times of uncertainty. I would recommend James to anyone!

Reviewed July 2020

James has made me feel extremely comfortable discussing my feelings, concerns, background and insecurities. He has taken different approaches to counseling me and guiding our conversation based on the direction I'm going. He understands when to let me talk something out and also how to use his expertise to guide me through a thought. I've already benefited greatly from my conversations with James.

Reviewed June 2020

James is a great counselor and his expertise and support have been invaluable in helping me move past a very unhealthy relationship. He gave me insights to see the real issues at hand and boosted my confidence to make the right decision to terminate the relationship. He then supported me through the aftermath of the breakup. I am now in a very good spot!

Reviewed May 2020

James’ counseling is great! He listens and reflects in very helpful ways. Highly recommend!

Reviewed April 2020

James has been extremely attentive and engaged with our work together. I would highly recommend James!

Reviewed February 2020

How was your experience with James?

Frequently asked questions

Does James Votaw offer telehealth visits?

Yes. James Votaw works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does James Votaw speak?

James Votaw speaks English and Japanese.

How many years of experience does James Votaw have?

James Votaw has 18 years of experience.

Where is James Votaw licensed to practice?

James Votaw is licensed to practice in Massachusetts.

Does James Votaw accept clients outside of the United States?

No, James Votaw does not accept clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does James Votaw offer?

James Votaw offers clients Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.

How can I communicate with James Votaw?

James Votaw can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with James Votaw?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.