- Addictions help
- Relationship work
- Trauma support
About Kathleen
Kathleen Cates-Richardson is an LMFT licensed in Arizona and Iowa with 16 years of clinical experience. She helps people who are dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship problems, trauma and intimacy-related concerns. Her practical focus is on everyday struggles that affect functioning and relationships.
She uses straightforward conversation to help clients make sense of their feelings and decisions. Sessions typically include exploring patterns in thoughts and behavior and practicing skills to handle stressors. Kathleen draws on Client-Centered approaches to keep conversations focused on the person in front of her.
She also uses techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking and try different ways of responding. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are brought in when people need tools for emotional regulation and distress tolerance. Emotionally-Focused ideas are used when the goals involve repairing or deepening emotional connection in relationships.
With a pragmatic, down-to-earth style, she helps people break issues into manageable steps. Topics she commonly addresses include sleep disruption, substance misuse, communication breakdowns, and the long-term effects of trauma.
Her experience includes supporting people through abandonment, adoption and foster care histories, blended family challenges, caregiver stress, and coping after natural or human-caused disasters. Kathleen also works with concerns linked to aging, cancer, body image, and neurodiversity.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on clear listening and responding to what matters most to the client. Online sessions using this approach let the therapist reflect concerns, clarify goals, and guide the conversation toward what the client wants to change.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. In remote sessions this often means identifying patterns together, setting small homework tasks, and reviewing practical strategies for mood, sleep, and behaviors between meetings.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions and handling conflict. Delivered online, DBT-based work can introduce breathing and grounding techniques, role-play communication skills, and practice distress-tolerance tools that people can use in daily life.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Kathleen will discuss goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. That recommendation is made together, and can be adjusted as needs change.
Session formats are not specified in the supplied biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Talk with the therapist about timing and rhythms that match study, work, or other commitments.
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 kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship problems, trauma and intimacy-related issues among other concerns.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is conversational and practical, using Client-Centered methods alongside CBT and DBT skills to address thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
How much experience does she have?
She has 16 years of professional experience working with a wide range of emotional and relationship concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is an LMFT licensed in Arizona and Iowa and is based in Iowa.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She accepts international clients; confirm any regional details when you sign up.
How are sessions charged?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.