My name is Katie, and I’m a therapist specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and religious trauma. I primarily work with young adults experiencing anxiety or depression in the midst of major life transitions such as beginning college, leaving home, and early career issues. I also assist people of all ages in processing traumatic religious experiences and environments. Religious trauma often impacts a person’s identity, leading to self-doubt and mistrust of authority. The symptoms of religious trauma can vary between individuals, but have a deep and long lasting impact.

I grew up in the Chicago area as part of a conservative religious environment. As I got older, I began to see how this environment interacted with issues such as depression, anxiety, and even assault. Through a long journey of navigating my own mental health and re-evaluating my personal beliefs, I realized the heavy impact that restrictive religious environments can have. I am passionate about assisting those who are processing their experiences in religious environments, and helping them realize they are not alone in their journey. This led me to conduct my master’s thesis on the treatment of religious trauma, where I developed a curriculum for group therapy. Religious trauma is an issue that disproportionately affects the LGBTQ community, which is why I have completed several trainings on mental health care for queer and trans folks.

As your therapist, I am committed to creating an authentic, collaborative space. I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral and Acceptance Commitment approaches to therapy, with an emphasis on a trauma-informed perspective. In other words, I focus on providing practical tools to assist you in reaching your goals, as well as facilitating opportunities to reflect on your past experiences and desired outcomes. I want therapy to be a space that works for you- I consider myself a collaborator in therapy; where you are an expert in your own experiences and needs. I consider it an honor to act as a therapist and would love to have the opportunity to work together!