Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Sullivan
Hi Katie , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
An internship supervisor at Truman Med (now known as University Health KC) once asked me, “Where’s the best place to hide a leaf?” I looked at her unsure. She answered her own question, “In the forest of course!” Looking at me as if we were on the same page, I smiled nervously so she wouldn’t catch on that I had no idea what she was referring to. To me this interaction epitomizes how I started and how I got to where I am today.
It is my belief that no one is truly “free” of mental health issues and having my own developmental and intergenerational trauma which manifested into depression and anxiety throughout my youth is where my story truly started. I knew as early as 15 years old that Mental Health and Clinical Psychology was my passion, but I didn’t at the time know why.
Being Raised Royal in Chiefs Kingdom I decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in Psychology at UMKC. I then went on to graduate school at Avila University for Counseling Psychology. Through their program I found myself, a master’s level intern at Truman Medical Center on acute unit 2D; the notoriously most aggressive, least envied unit in the Behavioral Health Department. I told myself that if I could work here, with the most underserved, severely and persistently mentally ill populations, I could handle anything this field could throw at me. It is here that I first heard the quote about hiding a leaf. If this tells you anything about me it’s -first, and more obvious- if you want to blend in, surround yourself with similar people, things, etc. Be in a herd. My own insecurities, defects, and “crazy” could easily be hidden among the piles of “leaves” laying along the halls of the Behavioral Health Emergency Department (BHed for short) detoxing from Heroine, PCP or off their antipsychotic medications for weeks at a time. Second- the inverse-if you want to be distinctive, to be different from everyone else, you must either remove yourself from the forest or stop being a leaf. More than anything I wanted to stand out, “make a difference, as corny as that sounds. But often what we want most for ourselves is also the thing we fear the most. . I suppose my goal all along was to get here, where I am today, as an independent, clinically licensed trauma therapist with a private practice in KC . Where I can simultaneously stand out and do something authentically different all while fitting right on in.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road I would say has not been totally smooth, I have had to face my fair share of toxicity like I feel most do in the mental health field. From excessive caseloads to inadequate compensation leading to burn out and compassion fatigue. These are all fairly typical, I think. Feelings of hopelessness in both the inpatient and outpatient mental health field are common for me AND I’ve been extremely fortunate to have support from peers, colleagues and supervisors throughout the journey thus far.
The biggest challenge for me, which is something I’ve been asked about in the past, is staying above water in my own world when I frequently sit in an ocean with people drowning in their own. Some days, it’s like snorkeling, others I am in deep, scuba diving trying to find a morsal of light.
It’s a balancing act and takes active practice and intentional decisions every day. I don’t have it down by any means, and I rely on my own therapist, family, friends, and coping skills to do what I can with what I’ve got each day and that’s what I relay to my clients as well. What you gave today was enough. As the creator of one of the most effective behavioral therapies in America, Dr. Marsha Linehan says, We are all doing the best we can AND we need to do better, try harder, and be more motivated for change.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a complex trauma therapist in the state of KS. I work with adults struggling with emotion regulation, interpersonal problems, or self-image complicated by attachment, developmental, intergenerational (inherited), or relational trauma. All that to say, I work with clients to identify what they want most for themselves in terms of behavior, emotions, relationships, etc. We figure out what is getting the way of them achieving this intention for themselves, and work on strategies, skills, techniques for them to overcome these barriers and build a life worth living. I specialize in treating C-PTSD by focusing mostly on the present and helping people heal from relational wounds and establish a healthy connection between their mind and body by using a few different clinical approaches. I utilize concepts and individualized training from NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
The clients I typically have the most connection with (yes therapists have favorites sometimes, don’t let them lie to you) are young adults transitioning to college or life after high school, injured or active athletes needing a trauma lens into their performance/condition, LGBTQIA2S+ populations, and healthcare workers needing support with their own mental health or trauma work. I also have a Great Pyrenees puppy in training to become a therapy dog. She will be perfect once she’s a bit more mature and has lost her all of her puppy teeth.
Lastly, my latest endeavor landed me as an adjunct professor at Avila University this Spring teaching Psychology of Communication. I have only ever taught in the clinical sphere so, I am excited for this new opportunity in academia.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I think one thing I have learned so far is the importance of listening to your intuition and trust the signals that your body gives as information worth exploring. There is always someone or something out there telling you what and how to do your job, your life, parent, relationships, whatever. I have sat through hours of training, education, and certifications. All of which have taught me plenty but, nothing as valuable as listening to my own gut feelings. Like that icky feeling you get from an interaction with someone or noticing overwhelm by a situation or relationship you’ve found yourself in, or that feeling of being done and trusting it to know when to walk away. Unpleasant emotions and visceral responses are not always pathological or indicate that there is something inherently wrong with you. Sometimes, it is simply information about your nervous system in relation to the environment you’re in telling you what is best for you at that moment. This is not something they teach in grad school.
Pricing:
- $175 per 50 min Counseling Hour
- $175 per 60 min Consultation Hour
- $175 with option for sliding scale for Coaching
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therapyportal.com/p/klscounseling2024/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kls.counseling/profilecard/?igsh=MWU3MXk2MXhraHJkeA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17SnKXbTqg/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: https://linktr.ee/klscounseling
