I believe in fostering a relationship of mutual respect and growth in each person and tailoring treatment modalities to fit personality, goals, and symptom reduction/management. I have over 10 years experience working with the seriously and persistantly mentally ill population, those experiencing homelessness, struggling with chemical dependence and have worked within the child welfare system to support children and their families. I have understanding of foster care and adoption challenges and have experience navigating the family court system. I have expertise in working with victims of child abuse and neglect and the trauma this creates. I have ten years experience as an art teacher, and 14 years of mental health counseling experience with individuals, families, and couples. I enjoy working with a variety of individuals and as a creative thinker, I offer creative solutions and problem solving to clients. My areas of expertise include ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression, OCD, Eating Disorders, Grief, Trauma, Skin picking disorder, PTSD, Women's issues, Marriage/couples issues, Borderline Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. relationships and parenting. I am committed to inspiring hope for positive change and healing in my clients untilizing a variety of evidence based modalities including positive, strengths based psychology. I challenge models that define humans by their diagnosis or adverse experiences as a compassionate person centered therapist.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Our first session will likely focus on getting to know each other, asking questions, gathering history, and exploring concerns and goals. During this time, I like to know what has worked and or not worked for clients in the past and also what is currently going well, supports, strengths, and interests/activities/beliefs that bring joy to their lives currently and or in the past.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I am a huge believer in positive psychology and prefer to focus on strengths to help clients realize their own ability to find peace and happiness in a chaotic world as well as let go habits, attitudes and negative beliefs about themselves that no longer serve them. I am well versed in understanding how shame impairs our ability to develop intimate and satisfying relationships and to recover from aadversity and trauma. I have a great sense of humor and identify this as a wonderful coping skill. I believe that we are all seeking individual purpose and meaning in life and am happy to explore that deeply. I have expertise in understanding how early childhood attachment impacts adult relationships, behavior, and beliefs about self. I am a creative therapist and strive to nurture creativity in my clients because I believe imagination, curiosity, and creativity not only help us find purpose and cope with emotional struggles but because they are a cornerstone of growth and positive change. In turn, I utilize creativity, imagination and curiosity when learning about others and am fascinated and inspired when am allowed to explore their inner landscape. This privilege has helped me learn so much about humans and helped me understand that the therapuetic relationship works best when we recognize that we teach each other many things. These lessons make me a better therapist every day and this is one of my highest purposes. I truly believe that it is possible for everyone to find purpose, peace, and happiness in life and conscientiously object to defining individuals by their diagnosis.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I really enjoy working with creative individuals, young people (I love little ones but only see age ten and older in virtual therapy), individuals dealing with family, friendship, professional, and romantic interpersonal conflict, individuals with attachment challenges including BPD, those with eating disorders (only if they are at a point where they are voluntarily focused on changing these patterns), victims of childhood abuse and neglect, families navigating the child protection system, individuals who thrive in an existential and intellectual approach, individuals suffering from anxiety, and those coping with Autism (specifically high functioning adults) and ADHD.

About Kathryn Stemwedel