- Client-centered methods
- CBT skills
- Emotion-focused work
About Kathleen
Kathleen Cates-Richardson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in Iowa and Arizona with 16 years of experience. She helps people dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, and intimacy-related issues. Kathleen works with clients who find it hard to open up and prefers straightforward, practical sessions.
Her approach centers on listening first and using methods that help people notice what keeps them stuck. She draws on client-centered work to follow the client’s lead, cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and emotion-focused ideas to look at patterns in relationships. Sessions tend to include clear steps and simple skills people can try between meetings.
Kathleen has supported people facing sleep problems, abandonment concerns, adoption and foster care issues, the stresses of caregiving, and challenges tied to chronic illness or cancer. She also addresses substance use, communication problems, control issues, and the effects of domestic violence and divorce. Her experience includes working with people on body image, avoidant personality patterns, and autism-related concerns.
Practical matters such as scheduling and how therapy fits into daily life are discussed early on. Payment and subscription options vary by location and a subscription can be canceled at any time. International clients may be accepted; sessions are conducted in English.
To begin, a prospective client completes a short matching questionnaire and then schedules a first session. The therapist will review goals and preferred approaches before ongoing sessions are planned.
How Kathleen’s methods translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the client’s concerns. Online sessions using this approach let the therapist respond to what matters most in the moment and adjust goals as needed. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down unhelpful thoughts and behaviors into manageable steps and practical exercises that clients can try between sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions and improving distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Kathleen will discuss what feels most helpful and mix methods based on a client’s goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps establish which strategies to practice in and between sessions.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people use phone-only visits when bandwidth or a quieter setup is required. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT worksheets, emotion-focused conversations, and DBT skills practice to remote settings so the work stays practical and focused on daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
Iowa, Arizona
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What types of concerns does she help with?
She works with anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and trauma and abuse.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is direct and listening-first, using client-centered work alongside CBT and emotion-focused techniques to identify practical steps.
How much experience does she have?
She has 16 years of professional experience working with a range of concerns including sleep problems and substance use.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LMFT licensed in Arizona and Iowa and practices from Iowa while accepting international clients.
Which languages are offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats; confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment work?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.