Kate Whitener

Washington, DC Location

Kate is a licensed, board certified mental health counselor. Born and raised in D.C., she is passionate about using her academic and professional experiences, as well as her clinical skills, to provide strengths-based mental health support to children and adults in this community. Prior to working at Parkhurst Associates, she worked for seven years as a certified child life specialist (CCLS) at Children’s National Hospital. In her role as a CCLS, Kate helped pediatric patients and families better cope with and understand various aspects of hospitalization. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. During her clinical internship, she worked with children and adults facing a wide range of challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stressors associated with everyday living.

Kate has developed an interest in working with a diverse group of clients of all ages and understands the importance of meeting an individual where they are. She believes the counseling relationship is a collaborative one in which the client is the expert of their own experiences. Kate considers herself a partner throughout the journey toward gaining insight and learning about the way the client exists in the world. Working with clients from a perspective based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and person-centered therapy (PCT), she prioritizes the creation of a non-judgmental and safe space in which clients feel supported and heard. Kate can help clients identify goals for improving their overall experience in life, teach them strategies for working toward those goals, and support them throughout a process of deep personal growth.