Hi! I’m Kate!

There they are. The 6th grade micro bangs. They remind me that now is not forever. The fashion I was so obsessed over changed, and so did I. I mean, I still love my cat and cracking up at my own jokes, and my hair still definitely does whatever it wants sometimes. But, since then, I’ve learned a lot about who I am, how to tackle the scary parts of life, and how to connect with people in ways that make life feel a lot less lonely than it did when I had micro bangs.

I share this with you to hopefully make starting therapy feel a little less intense and a little more welcoming.

About Me

So, what might make me a helpful person to hear your story? First, I love building relationships. I’ve worked with teens and young adults in so many places over the last 16 years: backpacking trips, schools, therapy offices, beaches, camps. Specifically, I’ve worked mostly with adolescents and young adults who were also: immigrants, refugees, dreamers, queer, trans, non-binary, BIPOC, LGBTQ+. We can talk about who you’re becoming, relationships, dreams, and the hard stuff that keeps you up at night. I’m here because I genuinely like what I do and I’m excited to meet you.

Second, I take the time to get to know more about your world and our world. I’m a queer person with a disability, and I’ve had to learn the power of believing in my own value, even when other people don’t see it. Maybe you have a similar experience. It helps to learn about how the world around us affects us so we can work to let go of things that aren’t our fault and change what we can.

Third, I never stop training to be a more helpful therapist. One of my favorite trainings is called Accelerated Resolution Therapy. It has some similarities to EMDR, but does not involve talking about trauma in great detail, unless of course that feels helpful! It often provides great relief! Learn more about A.R.T. here.

Other Modalities

I believe that what has been harmed in relationship needs to be healed in relationship, so I focus on creating a space for you to be brave and experience belonging. This is also known as a Relational Cultural approach and a client-centered approach. For trauma or persistent, unhelpful habits, I often use Accelerated Resolution Therapy. When it’s helpful to you, I can also use elements of CBT (including Trauma-Focused CBT), DBT, Narrative Exposure Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solutions Focused Brief Therapy, but I never use one of these approaches by itself.

Education & Training

Master of Social Work, University of Washington.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy: Basic Certification

Embodied Conflict Resolution (by Kai Cheng Thom)

Pediatric Gender-Affirming Care (OHSU)

Narrative Exposure Therapy

Trauma-Focused CBT

Credentials

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Oregon #L11263