May Is Mental Health Awareness Month: A Time to Turn Compassion Into Action

Every May, communities across the United States come together to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month—a national observance that has existed since 1949. Originally established by Mental Health America, the month was created to educate the public about mental health, reduce stigma, and promote access to care. More than 75 years later, the mission remains just … Read more

Walking with Purpose: Karen Donnellan’s Journey for Mental Health

Sometimes a journey is more than miles traveled. Sometimes it is an act of remembrance, love, and hope. In September 2025, Karen Donnellan, a board member of Maria Droste Counseling Services, undertook a remarkable pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, walking nearly 400 miles from Lisbon, Portugal to Santiago, Spain. Each step was taken in … Read more

JJ Sorensen

JJ Sorensen

JJ Sorensen

Director of Engagement

After spending 7+ years in the private energy sector working for a start-up consulting firm that grew into a major regional player, I decided to change paths and begin a career in non-profit development. For the next 4 years I served in annual giving roles within the education field, including working as Annual Fund Director for a private secondary school where I oversaw 57% growth during my tenure there.

I am honored to join the team at Maria Droste Counseling Services and bring my vast experience in relationship building and organizational development to help advance MDCS’s important mission. As Director of Engagement, I am responsible for securing essential funding through corporate and individual philanthropy while increasing the organization’s visibility and impact throughout Greater Boston.

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Kiana Angalia

Kiana Angalia headshot 3

Kiana Angalia, MA MHC

OUTPATIENT THERAPIST

As a mental health counselor, I am passionate about supporting people as they move through life’s challenges and discover the strengths and resilience within themselves. I see therapy as a space of care, curiosity, and growth—where your story can be met with openness and compassion.

My approach draws from Internal Family Systems therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based practices, person-centered, and strengths-based approaches. I believe therapy should be collaborative and shaped to fit the unique needs of each person. Having grown up across different cultures, I carry a deep appreciation for the diversity of human experience and the many ways we find meaning and belonging.

In our work together, my hope is to create a supportive and grounding environment where you feel seen and heard as you are. From that place, we can explore the challenges you are facing, the strengths you already hold, and the possibilities you’d like to grow toward. I am honored to walk alongside clients in their journeys of healing, self-discovery, and growth.

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Kris Liu

kris-liu

Kris Liu, 劉思廷 MA MHC

Outpatient Therapist

We’ve come a long way—to get here, to be here, and to move forward from here. I believe that within a safe and compassionate space, your personal story can gently unfold, and healing can softly take root. It is my honor to support your journey with grace and courage, wherever you are.

Born and raised in Taiwan, and having come to the U.S. as an international student, I carry a deep appreciation for the challenges immigrants face and the complexities of bridging cultural divides. Fluent in English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese, I am dedicated to providing culturally responsive care for children, young adults, and immigrant families. I support clients navigating relationship challenges, intergenerational trauma, as well as grief and loss. My approach is rooted in trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies including DBT, narrative therapy, play therapy, and expressive arts therapy. I am also expanding my training in couple and family therapy to further support relational healing.

As a certified AWARE practitioner (Asian Women’s Action for Resilience and Empowerment), I integrate practices that empower individuals navigating identity, acculturative stress, and cultural transitions. With deep respect for your cultural background and lived experience, I strive to weave meaningful connection into the fabric of holistic healing. Together, we will give language to your unique narrative, honoring both the pain and the power it holds. Your story matters. Not only for what has happened, but for the strength it carries and the future it can shape.

我是一名雙語心理治療師(英語、普通話、臺語),在臺灣出生長大,作為一名國際學生來到美國。雖然我與您的移民歷程不盡相同,但我希望藉由我自身對亞裔文化的深刻理解,及在美國生活的親身體驗,能陪伴每一個你探索在這片土地上獨特的身份認同,並溫柔地面對文化適應與轉變所帶來的壓力與挑戰。抱持著對每位個案背景文化及生命經驗的深切尊重,我致力於幫助兒童、青少年與移民家庭改善親子關係,提供情緒調節技巧及針對跨時代創傷、哀傷與失落的全人療癒。

我們的來時路自非坦途,風雨兼程;只為抵達此地、從容駐足、並繼續前行。
在這裡,你的故事能被細心承載與珍惜。無論你處在人生的哪一段,我都深感榮幸,能在你生命中的某段旅程中陪伴著你。

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Britta Nielsen

Britta Nielsen headshot

Britta Nielsen, MA, MHC

Outpatient Therapist

I deeply believe that our inherent capacity for lifelong growth and change equips us with the ability to navigate life’s challenges and transitions. My therapeutic work builds on clients’ innate strengths, values, and aspirations; clients are the experts on their lives. I work collaboratively with individuals toward positive, meaningful change, honoring personal values while fostering resilience for future challenges. I believe that healing can take place when clients feel safe to explore their thoughts, emotions, and life experiences.

With a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Bridgewater State University, I had the privilege of working with clients from diverse backgrounds, addressing depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and other adverse life experiences. Central to my practice is creating a nonjudgmental, compassionate, nurturing and supportive environment where clients feel truly heard and accepted.

Currently training to be EMDR-certified, I use a client-centered approach, integrating modalities such as CBT, DBT, ACT, Narrative therapy, Solution-focused therapy, and Mindfulness-Based therapy, along with other approaches tailored to every client’s unique circumstances and needs.

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Eilis Quinn, MDCS Intern

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Eilis Quinn, MA MHC

OUTPATIENT THERAPIST

I believe that therapy should encompass compassion and care for the whole person. I study dance/movement therapy as well as couples and family therapy, to understand how the body and mind are connected. Humans communicate both with our words and body language and by bringing awareness to what is going on in our minds and bodies we can communicate better with ourselves and others. I work to create an open and accepting environment where we can work collaboratively to establish your goals, enhance your strengths, and explore what brings you here. My approach is client centered and strengths-based. I want to meet you where you are and work together to discover where you would like to go.

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Visit our staff page to learn more about the MDCS Team.