Katherine Gardner
 

Kate views psychotherapy as a journey of courage and creativity. She works with people, not symptoms. She empowers her clients to clarify goals, find meaning, and live life more fully. Kate is deeply passionate about the therapeutic relationship and strives to create an atmosphere of empathy and non-judgment for all clients. She collaborates with clients from an individualized, person-centered approach in order to co-create a therapeutic frame in which clients are able to deepen their self-awareness and authentic self-expression, facilitating experiences that are life-sustaining and life-enriching. Support is provided for individuals, couples, and systems in both traditional and non-traditional relationship structures such as polyamory, ethical non-monogamy. Kate is listed on the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom's KAP directory as an ENM-aware and kink-aware mental health professional. Kate comes from a humanistic orientation, with sensitivity to the culture and diversity of each individual; she is an advocate for women, racial and ethnic minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community. She also offers professional consultation for clinicians wanting to deepen fluency in treating clients with alternative lifestyles.

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Besides her own personal life experience, Kate’s approach to therapy is drawn from her work in numerous community settings as well as independent private practice. Kate has been employed locally in Anchorage, Alaska as a residential clinical therapist for adolescent males, as a Military and Family Life Counselor, and as a child and family clinician in community mental health after relocating to the state of Alaska in 2015. Prior to her work in Alaska, Kate maintained a private practice as an MFT intern under supervision until obtaining licensure to practice marriage and family therapy independently in the state of California.

Kate has experience as a grief counselor for Hospice of San Luis Obispo, where she enjoyed working with individuals and groups, including partner/spouse bereavement, pet loss, and expressive arts. Additionally, Kate worked as a residential youth counselor in a trauma-informed treatment facility in San Luis Obispo, California. Kate also worked during undergraduate education as a volunteer substance abuse treatment counselor for a residential hospital in San Francisco, California.

Kate has an M.S. degree in psychology from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, as well as a B.A. in psychology from San Francisco State University. Kate has completed levels one and two of training in EMDR, Somatic Experiencing through Intermediate three, and incorporates many treatment modalities into her practice including existential, Gestalt, and psychodynamic therapies. Kate is a 200 hour registered yoga teacher, and incorporates areas of mindfulness, breath work, meditation, and movement into her work with clients when indicated or requested. Additionally, Kate has training in Marshall Rosenberg's nonviolent communication, which she often incorporates in treatment with individuals, couples, and families.

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Fees are determined prior to or during intake, and range from $150-250 depending on services provided and client needs. Superbills may be provided for insurance reimbursement; some insurance providers are able to be billed directly for services. Clients are ultimately responsible for payment for services provided.