Katie (she/her/hers) believes in the power of psychotherapy and feels honored to walk alongside people as they navigate life’s challenges and uncover their inner resilience. Katie earned her doctorate in clinical psychology in 2015 from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, with concentrations in both Health Psychology and International Psychology & Human Rights. She specializes in supporting those suffering with stress related concerns, those who have endured trauma and those facing health challenges, as well as those who are navigating issues of identity development and/or life transitions. She is committed to providing affirming services to those of marginalized identities and communities including people of color and LGBTQIA folks.

 

Prior to joining Integrative Empowerment Group, Katie worked and trained in college counseling centers; with refugees, asylees, and survivors of politically based torture at Chicago’s Marjorie Kovler Center and with cancer patients and their families at Loyola University’s Medical Center.  She has specialized training and experience supporting survivors of trauma as well as in offering support and consultation to the legal teams and other professionals supporting such survivors. Katie also has specialized training in understanding how biological, psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health, chronic illness, stress and healing.

 

Grounded in the belief that each person has their own unique and multifaceted story which deserves to be honored, Katie builds a trusting and authentic therapeutic relationship rooted in respect and dignity.  Accordingly, Katie utilizes an integrated approach to psychotherapy that is individualized, strength-based, and collaborative. She draws heavily on Narrative Therapy, a collaborative and non-pathologizing approach in which people's lives and identities are seen as multi-storied versus single-storied and one’s problems and wellbeing are appreciated within the broader social context of people's lives. Katie’s therapeutic stance is also grounded in various theories such as contemporary relational-cultural theory, feminist theory, oppression/empowerment, and somatic, mindfulness and body-centered approaches. Katie believes the body and mind are influenced by trauma and disease and is passionate about uncovering the unique path to healing and health with the people she works alongside.