Habit Coaching

Create Habits That Support Your Best Life

Why Hire a Habit Coach?

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, prevent or manage illness through nutrition and fitness, boost your productivity, create a better work-life balance, or simply feel more energized and in control of your life-lasting change starts with your habits.

That’s where Carol comes in.

With over 30 years of experience studying and teaching the science of behavior change, Carol helps clients turn good intentions into consistent action. As a habit coach, she works with individuals to break through common barriers-like procrastination, self-doubt, or all-or-nothing thinking-and build sustainable routines that align with their goals and values.

Carol’s approach is grounded in proven psychological principles, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and habit formation research. But what sets her apart is her warm, practical style, expert listening skills, and ability to meet clients exactly where they are. She doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all advice-she helps you develop personalized systems that work for you.

Clients turn to Carol when:

They know what to do, but struggle to follow through.
They’re overwhelmed and need help simplifying and focusing.
They’re stuck in unhelpful patterns and want support building better habits.
They want accountability from someone who understands the science and the real-life challenges of change.

With Carol’s support, you’ll build small, meaningful changes that lead to big results-so you can thrive in your health, work, and daily life.

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Habit Audit

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply not operating at your best, it may be time to take a closer look at your habits.

A Habit Audit is a powerful starting point for change. It’s a focused, one-on-one session where we review your current routines, identify what’s working—and what’s getting in your way—and create a clear, personalized plan to move forward.

Clients choose a Habit Audit when they:

Feel like they’re always busy, but not productive
Struggle to stay consistent with health or wellness goals
Want to improve time management and work-life balance
Are ready to create sustainable change but don’t know where to start

With expert guidance, you’ll walk away with:

Insight into how your daily habits are shaping your outcomes
A fresh perspective on what’s draining vs. fueling your energy
Practical, science-backed strategies to optimize your routines
A realistic action plan you can implement right away

No judgment. No pressure. Just clarity, strategy, and support.

Ready to build better habits—and a better life? Let’s get started. Click the button below.

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Carol Perlman, Ph.D.

High-Performance Consultant and Coach

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Credentials

PROFESSIONAL LICENSE
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Health Service Provider, MA PY 7932, RI PS02131

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Miami
M.S., Clinical Psychology, University of Miami
B.A., Emory University (Magna Cum Laude in Psychology)
Boston University Psychology Internship Program
(London, England)

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Staff Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program & General (Bariatric) Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA

Owner, Carol Perlman, Ph.D., P.C., Franklin, MA

Owner, Healthy 4 Life by Carol Perlman, Franklin, MA

Staff Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Assistant Director/PostDoctoral Fellow, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Medical Center, Bedford, MA

Psychology Intern, Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology (APA accredited), Boston, MA

Psychotherapist, University of Miami Psychological Services Center, Coral Gables, FL

Staff Clinician, Psychsolutions, Miami, FL

Intake Coordinator. The Hub Counseling and Education Center, Tucker, GA

Crisis Counselor, Emory University Helpline, Atlanta, GA

Staff Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Owner, Carol Perlman,Ph.D., P.C., Franklin, MA

Owner/Health Coach, Healthy4Life by Carol Perlman, Franklin, MA

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Instructor in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Anxiety and Traumatic& Stress Related Disorders, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Project Director, Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Clinical Specialist, Harvard Bipolar Research Program, Boston, MA

Clinical Fellow, Schizophrenia Research Program, Freedom Trail Clinic, Boston, MA

Project Coordinator, Treatment and Research Program for Depression and Bipolar Disorder, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Research Assistant, Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL

Research Assistant, Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Tufts University, Boston, MA
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bedford, MA
Emerson College, Boston, MA
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Anxiety Disorders Association of America
Massachusetts Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
(Division of Clinical Psychology, Division of Psychologists in Independent Practice)
Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

Publications

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Safren, S., Sprich, S., Perlman, C., & Otto, M. (2017). Mastery of your adult ADHD: A cognitive behavioral treatment program, 2nd edition. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Safren, S., Sprich, S., Otto, M., Perlman, C. (2017). Therapist guide to mastery of your adult ADHD: A cognitive behavioral treatment program, 2nd edition. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Safren, S., Duran P., Yovel I, Perlman C., Sprich S. (2007). Medication Adherence in psychoparmacologically treaded adults with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, Feb;10(3):257-60.

Safren, S., Perlman, C., Sprich, S., Otto, M. (2005). Therapist guide to mastery of your adult ADHD: A cognitive behavioral treatment program. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Safren, S., Otto, M., Sprich, S., Perlman, C., Wilens, T., & Biederman, J. (2005). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for ADHD in medication-treated adults with continued symptoms. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43(7), 831-842.

Safren, S., Sprich, S., Perlman, C., Otto, M. (2005). Mastery of your adult ADHD: A cognitive behavioral treatment program. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Bipolar Disorder

Perlman, C., Johnson, S., & Mellman, T. (2006). The prospective impact of sleep duration on depression and mania. Bipolar Disorders, Jun; 8(3): 271-4.

Johnson, S., Cueller, A., Ruggero, C., Perlman, C., Goodnick, P., White, R., Miller, I. (2008). Life events as predictors of mania and depression in bipolar 1 disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, May 117(2): 268-277.

Depression

Kamholz, B. W., Hayes, A. M., Carver, C. S., Gulliver, S. B., & Perlman, C. A. (2006). Identification and evaluation of cognitive affect regulation strategies: Development of a new self-report measure. Cognitive Therapy and Research, volume 30, pages227–262.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Otto, M., Reilly-Harrington, N., Kogan, J., & Winett, C. (2003). Treatment contracting in cognitive-behavior Therapy. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 10(3), Summer.

Childhood Sexual Abuse

McNally, R., Perlman, C.A., & Ristuccia, C. (2006). Memory for autobiographical facts and events in adults reporting continuous or recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Apr 74(2):237-42.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Otto, M. W., Perlman, C. A., Wernicke, R., Reese, H. E., Bauer, M. S., & Pollack, M. H. (2004). Posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with bipolar disorder: A review of prevalence, correlates, and treatment strategies. Bipolar Disorders, 6, 470-479.

Pollack, M.H., Otto, M.W., Fagiolini, A, Simon, N.M., Pitman, R., McNally, R., Wisniewski, S., Sachs, G., Perlman, C.A., Ghaemi, N., Thase, M., Nierenberg, A. Persistent PTSD in bipolar patients following September 11th (under review).

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Safren, S.A., Otto, M.W., Sprich, S., Perlman, C., Wilens, T. &Biederman, J. (2004, November). CBT for residual ADHD in adults. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Safren, S.A., Otto, M.W. , Sprich, S., Perlman, C., Wilens, T. & Biederman, J. (2004, May). CBT for residual ADHD in adults. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, New York , New York.

Perlman, C., Safren, S., Sprich, S., Chulvick, S., Wilens, T., Biederman, J., & Otto, M. (2003, November). Medication adherence and symptom severity in medication – treated adults with ADHD. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, Massachusetts.

Sprich, S., Safren, S., Perlman, C., Chulvick, S., Wilens, T., Biederman, J., & Otto, M. (2003, November). Functional impairments and quality of life in medication –treated Adults with ADHD. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, Massachusetts.

Bipolar Disorder

Johnson, S.L., Kizer, A., Ruggero, C., Perlman, C.A., Goodnick, P., Miller, I. (2004, September). Life events as a predictor of mania and depression. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Otto, M., Pollack, M., Henin, A., Perlman, C., Hirshfeld-Becker, D., Reese, H., Biederman, J., Sachs, G., & Rosenbaum, J. (2003, November). September 11 and vulnerable populations: Predictors of PTSD symptoms in response to indirect exposure to trauma. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, Massachusetts.

Winett, C., Johnson, S., & Mellman, T. (2001, November). The connection between life events, insomnia, and depression and mania: Implications for cognitive behavioral therapy. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Winett, C., Johnson, S., & Mellman, T. (2001, June). The short- and long- term impact of insomnia on depression and mania. Poster presented at the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Johnson, S., Meyer, B., Winett, C., & Small, J. (1999, October). Social support, self-esteem, and the course of bipolar disorder. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Clinical Psychosocial Research, Boston, MA.

Johnson, S., Meyer, B., & Winett, C. (1999, June). A polarity-specific model of psychosocial factors and the course of bipolar disorder. Paper presented at the Third International Bipolar Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Johnson, S., Winett, C., & Mellman, T. (1998, November). The role of sleep in bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Boston, MA.

Rosenberg, D., Winett, C., & Johnson, S. (1998, November). An examination of the recovery definition in bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Boston, MA.

Winett, C., & Johnson, S. (1998, November). The role of social support on social and occupational functioning in bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, D.C.

Johnson, S., Winett, C., Meyer, B., & Fingerhut, R. (1998, November). Vulnerability to life events in bipolar disorder. Presentation as part of Biopsychosocial Approaches to Course and Treatment in Bipolar Disorder, Chairpersons: Sheri Johnson and David Miklowitz. The annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavioral Therapy, Washington, D.C.

Johnson, S., Winett, C., Meyer, B., Miller, I., Keitner, G., Ryan, C., & Solomon, D. (1997, November). The impact of psychosocial factors on course in bipolar disorder. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Miami, FL.

Winett, C. & Johnson, S. (1997, October). The differential impact of components of social support on changes in symptom severity in bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Palm Springs, CA.

Winett, C., Johnson, S., & Miller, I. (1996, October). The relation between life events, social support, and time to recovery in bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Atlanta, GA.

Depression

Hayes, A.M., Laurenceau, J.P., Feldman, G., Beevers, C., & Perlman, C.A. (2004, November). Do the principles of exposure apply to the treatment of depression? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Wolfsdorf, B., Hayes, A., Winett, C., & Steffen, P. (1999, November). Early maladaptive schemas, mood, and coping. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Toronto, Canada.

Winett, C., Hayes, A., Wolfsdorf, B., & Steffen, P. (1998, November). The role of social rhythms and healthy exercise, sleep, and diet patterns in depressive symtomatology, depressed mood, and psychological well-being. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, D.C.