Kathleen Cates-Richardson, LMFT

Kathleen Cates-Richardson is a licensed marriage and family therapist who brings 16 years of experience to her work. She focuses on anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship concerns, trauma and intimacy-related issues. Kathleen aims to create a calm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk through difficult feelings and begin to make changes.

She emphasizes practical, person-focused care. Sessions focus on what matters to the client right now. Kathleen listens closely, helps name patterns that cause pain, and supports small steps toward better coping. She draws on approaches such as client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior strategies, emotionally-focused methods, and existential ideas to match the needs of each person.

Her background includes work across varied clinical settings over many years. That experience informs a flexible style that balances emotional support with skills practice. Kathleen helps with common struggles like sleep disruption, low mood, and challenges tied to caregiving or major life changes.

The profile also notes additional focus areas such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, and caregiver stress. These areas are part of the broader list of concerns she addresses while working to understand each person's story.

Sessions are offered in English and Kathleen is licensed in Iowa and Arizona as an LMFT. She encourages people to take the first step when they're ready and offers support through the early stages of change.

How Kathleen’s approaches work in online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following what matters to the person. The therapist offers understanding, reflects what she hears, and helps people clarify their goals and values. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches practical tools to change them, which is often useful for depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) brings skills for managing strong emotions and improving relationships, with an emphasis on acceptance plus change.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Kathleen will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals. That process may combine steady listening, skill practice, and experiments to see what helps in daily life.

The profile does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or health concerns. It can also allow for shorter check-ins, reduce commute time, and help people keep continuity of care when travel or relocation occur. Licensed professionals can adapt these approaches to an online setting and aim to make sessions practical and relevant to everyday life.