LPC, 5 years of experience
I’m Catherine Cabrera, LPC, LMHC, LCPC — a trauma-informed, strengths-based therapist supporting young adults and millennials navigating eating disorders, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma, and obsessive or perfectionistic thinking. I use a person-centered approach, integrating CBT, DBT, humor, and real talk to help clients build confidence, navigate tough emotions, and create healthier relationships. Let’s be real — life gets messy. I became a therapist after working through my own experiences with an eating disorder, toxic relationships, and anxious, perfectionistic thinking. I show up as a professional and a human who gets it. My work is grounded, collaborative, and honest — sometimes we need to cut through the bullshit to get to the growth! Specialties: Eating Disorders | Anxiety | Trauma & Relationships | OCD / Obsessive Thinking | Perfectionism
In our first session, we’ll take things at a comfortable pace. You don’t need to have the perfect words or a perfectly organized story — just show up as you are. We’ll talk about what’s bringing you in, what you’re hoping to change, and what support looks like for you. I’ll ask some questions to get to know you, your history, and your goals, and we’ll figure out together what direction therapy should take. Expect honesty, warmth, and a little humor — because starting therapy can feel awkward, and it’s okay to name that. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what to expect moving forward, and I’ll make sure you feel grounded rather than overwhelmed. No pressure to spill everything at once, and absolutely no judgment — just a real conversation and a space that’s yours.
Therapy with me is real, honest, and human. I’m not here to sit silently, nod, and ask "how does that make you feel?" — I actively engage, ask meaningful questions, and help you cut through the bullshit that keeps you stuck. My work blends professional expertise with lived experience: I’ve been through an eating disorder, toxic relationships, and perfectionism-fueled anxiety myself, so I understand what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unsure where to start. I combine a trauma-informed, person-centered approach with CBT, DBT, humor, and your strengths to make therapy feel supportive, practical, and truly transformative. I show up as both a trained therapist and someone who genuinely gets it, creating a space where you can feel safe, seen, and empowered to grow — without needing to be perfect.
We'd be a good fit if you’re a young adult or millennial who’s exhausted from holding it all together on the outside while feeling overwhelmed on the inside. Maybe you’re navigating an eating disorder, constant anxiety, perfectionism, relationship patterns that feel heavy and confusing, or a brain that never seems to shut off. You’re self-aware (sometimes too self-aware) and incredibly resilient, but you’re also really hard on yourself — and even though you’re the one everyone else leans on, you rarely feel like you have space to fall apart or ask for help yourself. You’re craving honesty, real connection, and a space where you don’t have to perform or try to be “the strong one.” You want to understand yourself more deeply and break the cycles that keep pulling you back into the same patterns — but you don’t want a therapist who just nods and hands you a worksheet. You want someone real, someone who can sit with the hard stuff and also laugh with you through the chaos. You don’t have to have it all figured out to start. If you’re ready (or willing) to show up, be curious, and do the work — even if you’re scared or unsure — then we might be a great fit. You don’t need perfection here. You just need to be human.
We'll dive into how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact each other and explore changes that can be made to help you accomplish your goals and find relief!
A lot of emotions can be super uncomfortable - I imagine that's at least partially why you're here! So we'll explore what your emotions are trying to tell you (they often can serve as a guide) and work with them, while also building more effective coping skills, emotion regulation skills, and distress tolerance. Basically, we'll help you build an understanding and comfort with your emotions so they don't impact your day to day as much!
Ever find yourself saying "part of me feels ___, while another part of me feels ___"? That's because we can experience different parts of our emotional experience at the same time. Like when you're both excited and scared during a horror movie or on a rollercoaster, various experiences can contribute to different 'parts' feeling differently about the current situation. Think your adult self v. your inner child!
I LOVE using your individual strengths and interests to guide the therapeutic process! It can help build confidence, motivation, and sustainability for the work we're doing, and ultimately help set you up for success!
The relationships we form early in our lives can shape how we perceive different experiences and relationships as we grow up. This can also impact the relationship we have with ourselves (self-doubt v. feeling competent, anxious and insecure v. assured and confident, etc.)