Kate O'Brien (She/They)

My Background and Approach

I have over 12 years working with children, youth, families, and adults. Starting out on my journey I spent 6 years as a behavioral therapist working with neurodivergent children and youth providing various types of family support. After graduating from PSU with my Masters in Social Work, I spent years as a therapist and social worker in schools. I became certified as an Adoptive and Foster Family therapist as well as a Somatic certified therapist. I am also a board approved licensing supervisor. I use an attachment lens, systems theory, racial theory, queer theory, a fat positive lens, a strengths-based lens, a whole person approach, and anti-racist trauma informed framework. I believe that our relationship and shared experiences can be foundations to work through your challenges. With an integrative and relational process I believe that in this context, you will be able to heal old wounds and live a more full and satisfying life.

My Approach to Helping

I believe that you are the writer of your own story and you know yourself better than anyone. I truly feel honored to be any part of someone’s journey. I believe anyone can heal and anyone can change. I am a person who has experienced trauma in childhood, struggled with attachment challenges, suffered great loss, and walked my own complex gender/queer journey. I believe all of these experiences inform my practice and how I can show up for you. As a white provider, I am committed to anti-oppressive and anti-racist practices. I attend regular trainings and engage in educational opportunities on anti-oppressive practice regularly. This will be ongoing work for me that I am deeply committed to. Over the past years I have honed in my practice to primarily serve the 2SLGBTQIA+ population and spent time supervising a team of therapists working at an 2SLGBTQIA+ healthcare clinic as well. I am deeply passionate about serving our community. *I do not take insurance at this time*