Meet Allie Stefanelli, a Holliston mom of two and the founder of Riverview Psychotherapy. Originally from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Allie now lives in Holliston with her husband and their two children. After beginning her career as a social worker in the NICU, she discovered a passion for helping women navigate the unexpected challenges of becoming parents. That passion led her to open Riverview Psychotherapy, where she specializes in supporting women through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and the emotional journey of motherhood. Through her practice, Allie is dedicated to creating a space where moms feel seen, supported, and empowered. When she’s not working with clients, you’ll find her exploring local playgrounds and farms with her family. Let’s get to know Allie!
Tell us about your family! How many children do you have, where are you from, and where do you live now?
I am originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and now currently live in Holliston, MA with my husband Keith, and my 2 kids: a 9 year old son and a 6 year old daughter.
What’s your favorite aspect about being part of this community?
I grew up in what I would consider a small town, but then spent most of my young adulthood in cities (Boston and Washington D.C.). While the transition to a more suburban setting was a big adjustment at first, I am constantly reminded of how amazing it is to live where there is such a rich sense of community and connection. Especially in having younger children, having a supportive community full of organic opportunities to build authentic relationships has been invaluable.
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
We love exploring new playgrounds and checking out area farms. Both of my kids are big animal lovers so anywhere there is an opportunity to pet or feed an animal, we are in!
Tell us more about your background as a Psychotherapist and what inspired you to open Riverview Psychotherapy?
I started my career in social work, working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s National in DC. It is here that I first gained exposure in working with new moms navigating the nuanced, and profound shift into motherhood under traumatic circumstances. From there, I developed a passion for working with those who find themselves confronted with the unexpected in their journey to become parents. In this work, I take great care to incorporate trauma treatment as these experiences can have lasting, significant impacts on how people move forward in their parenting journey. Thus, this became my focus when I went into private practice, and the creation of Riverview Psychotherapy is a continuation of this passion to ensure there are resources for what can often be a disenfranchised part of motherhood.
What do you love most about what you do?
I get the profound privilege to see strength, love, and resilience personified in our clients. The witnessing of the immeasurable strength women embody is the honor of a lifetime. In addition, I get to be a part of a community who help break down the barriers that create isolation in motherhood, and instead promote what it was always intended to be: a shared experience with a supportive community
It’s so hard to balance work and mom life. How do you maintain a healthy work life balance?
It IS so hard! It certainly continues to be a work in progress, however what I attempt to do is create strict boundaries around work time vs home time. I had to abandon the concept of doing work after bedtime as it was keeping me from being fully present in the moments I had allotted to be “home time”. Ultimately, I have had to redefine good enough as being good AND enough in all aspects of my life.
What is the best advice you’ve gotten from another mom?
The insight that has really resonated with me is “This is your first time living too”. Meaning, we put so much pressure on ourselves as moms to “get it right” or to know what we are doing but…we don’t! And how would we, we’ve never done this before. So instead of focusing on being perfect, I instead focus on how I can continue to be vulnerable and resourced to grow and evolve in the new experiences I have in motherhood. To celebrate the wins, give myself grace around failures, and have trust that I am learning as I go. Making choices grounded in love and intention is good AND enough.
What is the best advice you’d like to give a mom?
I always tell my clients: Often it feels hard, because it is hard. I think at times we think things “shouldn’t” feel so hard, that we should be better able to shoulder the immense burdens put upon us. When in reality, having a hard time means the times are hard, and is not a reflection of who you are. I think when we can stop internalizing our hardships to mean something about us, we can better access support, resources, and build resilience in remembering all the hard things we have done before.
Thank you Allie for letting us get to know you! Riverview Psychotherapy is a mental health counseling practice focused on supporting women and families through the emotional ups and downs of trying to grow a family and motherhood. They specialize in areas like infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, and postpartum adjustment, using a trauma-informed approach to help clients feel more grounded, supported, and understood. You can learn more or reach out for a consultation at riverviewpsychotherapy.com or call at (508) 202-0989.
