About Kate

Hi, I'm Kate.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker · Charlottesville, VA

I became a therapist because I fell in love with understanding people: what shapes us, what holds us back, and what allows us to genuinely change. That curiosity has never left me. I'm still reading, still learning, and I bring all of it into the room with you.

I also know that understanding and knowledge only go so far. Equally important is the felt sense, the lived embodied experience of what it's actually like to sit with someone and do this work. That experience matters just as much as anything you might read or learn.

Why This Work

A lifelong curiosity about how people heal.

It started with a psychology class in college that I couldn't stop thinking about. I found myself wanting to understand the science of how we're shaped by our early experiences, how attachment works, why we do the things we do even when we don't want to, and what actually helps people change.

That curiosity hasn't faded. I still enjoy learning about the science of emotion, attachment, and the nervous system, and what I'm learning outside the office inevitably finds its way into the work inside it.

"Through all of my reading and learning, I've come to believe that therapy is like learning to ride a bike. You can read all about it, but real change comes from practicing it, feeling it, and beginning to integrate it. Not just with your thinking brain, but with your whole self. And most people don't learn to ride a bike alone. I'm here to help."

My Approach

You don't need to come in with a plan.

One of the things I most want you to know before reaching out is this: you don't need to have it figured out. You don't need an agenda, the right words, or a clear sense of what you're looking for. We can slow down together and explore what's there. In my experience, if something needs attention, it tends to let us know.

I use AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) for individual work, EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) and Transformative Couples Therapy for couples, all experiential approaches, meaning we work at the level of lived emotion, not just thought. I chose these models because I believe healing happens through experience. You can't think your way to a felt sense of safety or self-worth. You have to experience it.

I trust your innate capacity to heal and grow. My role is to help you explore what might be getting in the way of that, gently, collaboratively, and at your pace.

What to Expect

What clients often describe.

People come in carrying something tangled, a mix of thoughts and feelings that feel knotted together and hard to make sense of. A lot of our work is about slowing that down enough to actually see what's there.

Over time, clients often describe a shift that's hard to put into words at first, and then they find the words for it.

Sturdiness
Clarity
Calm
Spaciousness
Confidence

Outside the Office

A little about me.

Outside the office, I'm someone who finds joy in both the active and the quieter parts of life. I love being outside, and with the Blue Ridge right here, hiking is one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. I've played soccer since I was a kid and still play today.

When things slow down, you'll find me cooking something new, gathered around a board game with friends, or quietly tending to my houseplants. I've been in the Charlottesville area for years and genuinely love calling it home.

In addition to seeing clients, I also supervise clinicians working toward their LCSW licensure, work I find meaningful because it keeps me close to the craft of this profession and the people who are drawn to it.

Credentials

Training & licensure.

I'm committed to working from approaches that are grounded in research and to continuing my own learning throughout my career.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensed in the state of Virginia
AEDP Training Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, individual therapy
EFT Training Emotionally Focused Therapy, couples therapy
Transformative Couples Therapy Experiential couples therapy modality
LCSW Supervisor Supervising clinicians pursuing licensure

Get Started

Ready to take the first step?

You don't have to have everything figured out. Reach out and we'll take it from there, together.

Schedule a Free Consultation Free · 15 minutes · No commitment