Dr. Stern received his PsyD at Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, and has been in private practice over 20 years. He was previously the Director of Substance Abuse Day Treatment at Roger Williams Hospital.
Dr. Stern has expertise in anxiety, PTSD / trauma, spirituality, and any existential challenges that an individual may be experiencing. He also runs group therapy sessions and workshops on topics such as men's issues and spirituality.
Dr. Stern practices Internal Family Systems (IFS) and incorporates various techniques including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), One Eye Brain Integration, and a practice he has developed called Structured Self-Presence™.
Existential challenges - Including navigating college and career paths, one's purpose
Spirituality - Enjoying a deeper felt connection with the spiritual dimension of one's life
Relationship challenges - Helps individuals through relationship challenges (note: does not offer couples therapy)
Men's issues - Includes helping men access and work with their emotions, sexual identity/preferences, anger, and relationship issues
Trauma - Includes childhood trauma, adult trauma, sexual abuse and assault, physical abuse, combat trauma, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder - Healing painful experiences and memories from the past
Depression - Providing support and promoting healing of hopelessness, low motivation and energy, sadness, irritability, sleep disturbance, and loss of interest and pleasure in life
Anxiety - Including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety
Life transitions - Including adjusting to college and post-college life
Stress management - Including generally coping with life's difficulties and realizing your full potential
Personality disorders - Enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience
David Stern is accepting clients paying listed fees or using health insurance out-of-network benefits other than:
Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.
During COVID-19, Dr. Stern is offering free consultation appointments to frontline healthcare workers.
Remote video therapy sessions offered? Yes
341 Broadway
Providence, RI 02909
Roger Williams Hospital, Director of Substance Abuse Day Treatment
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, PsyD
Hampshire College, BA, Music, Philosophy
English
"Dr. Stern is an incredibly open-minded, creative therapist with so many tools in his toolbox. I have been seeing him on and off for about 18 months now and it has been a gift and a delight. When we started, I was in shambles and he really helped put me back together with patience, positive mirroring, helpful explanatory frameworks for experiences i was having, and the incredible tools of IFS (Internal Family Systems) that have been so helpful in unpacking who I am and why I struggle in the ways that I do. IFS is a wonderful model and David is a master at it. I would recommend doing a bit of reading about IFS before beginning as that will make the first session that much more productive."
- Brown University alum • January 2015"Dr. Stern is unlike any therapist I’ve ever met. He made who I am today possible."
- Brown University alum • January 2015"David Stern is one of the most authentic group leaders (journal writing class) I have ever spent time with. His willingness to share as he explains the process to us is so real and loving."
- Social worker, artist • December 2019"David’s Spiritual Practice Group has helped me to reach some of my deepest, oldest patterns of reaction, which I normally cover up and push aside, and, as a result, I am freer to resonate with the world. Life just feels better."
- Professional jazz pianist • December 2019"David was a fabulous, inspiring person whose work (and play!) has moved me in deep ways."
- Rabbinical student • December 2019"Learning about the meditative practices with such caring and enthused teachers was wonderful, not only in terms of possibilities for my professional work, but also (and perhaps more importantly) for my own spiritual growth and development. Too often, clergy focus on caring for others and not nurturing their own spirituality. The development of a clergy spirituality group, in a confidential setting and under the leadership of innovative guides, is exciting and important for the Rhode Island faith community."
- Rabbi at Temple Sinai • December 2019"David provides a safe place to be coached on ways to integrate mind, body, and spirit."
- Retired Episcopal priest • December 2019"David creates a space that is open, warm, and clear of the chatter that so often accompanies spiritual investigation. He uses his own deep experience and considerable skill to support others in seeking the face of God in whatever is happening right now."
- Episcopal priest • December 2019"David’s personality is so dynamic, his presence is so nurturing and the intimacy he is able to build within ourselves and between each other is so real that even if all we did was sing songs for an hour I would still feel spiritually inoculated. I appreciate the fact that I was able to deal with my “edges” and feel a really nice calm. I enjoyed getting emotional as much as I did not enjoy getting emotional in front of colleagues. Describing this experience to others I think you could say that it is a raw, primitive, and real meditative experience that combines all the most recent theories of quiescence. David is a treasure to the mental health community and a really good soul."
- Social worker (speaking of her experiences with an annual “Spiritual Booster Shot” delivered at her Employee Assistance Program office) • December 2019