Kat Sullivan, LPC, CADC, ATR-P

(She/Her)

Languages: English

* Welcome *

You may be feeling overwhelmed with navigating intense emotions that cause you significant distress. These feelings might also cause you to feel isolated and turn to unhealthy means of coping. You are not alone. As your therapist, I would work with you by building a safe space to recognize and process internal and external systems of harm and oppression that affect you. Let’s begin the transformation of being comfortable with uncomfortable emotions and work towards practicing not only acceptance, but self-compassion and empowerment. Together, we would work on embracing your personal strengths and interests to promote identity exploration and healing . As an art therapist, I encourage the use of creativity to process, express, and communicate different emotions and experiences. You do not need to consider yourself an artist to work with me. I will help guide you in discovering your unique creative expression that will aid in self-discovery, emotional and relational processing, as well as coping skills for distress.

* My Focus *

I specialize in working with folks who experience difficulties related to trauma/ complex trauma, anxiety, depression, body image issues, and regulating emotions and sensory intake. I am passionate about working with members of the LGBTQIA2+ community by creating a safe space for Queer identity development. I am also passionate about harm reduction and working as a substance use counselor to help each individual navigate their personal path to recovery. I focus on my client’s strengths, diverse cultural backgrounds, and intersectionality of their identity to promote creative expression, self discovery, and growth. I utilize different therapeutic methods to help my clients build resilience to internal and external stress. I work with clients on communication skills to effectively express themselves, their boundaries, and needs to others.


* My Approach *

I have an eclectic theoretical orientation, that emphasizes a humanistic, person-centered, holistic approach to therapy, that is grounded in building up each client’s multifaceted understanding of self to help recognize their strengths and foster growth, healing, and empowerment. I utilize art therapy with clients as a way to express, communicate, and process different emotions and experiences. I believe artmaking is a valuable method for mindfulness, meditation, and kinesthetic relaxation practices. Art therapy provides alternative avenues for communication to process themes and provide further understanding within the client’s work. I use modalities such as internal family systems and parts work to help clients create a better understanding of their emotional responses and work towards self-compassion, acceptance and personal growth. I also incorporate somatic techniques as a part of my holistic approach to increase mind-body awareness, reduce stress and physiological responses, build emotional regulation skills, and increase self-care and resiliency. I take a harm reduction approach to substance use counseling to help each individual navigate their path to their own recovery. I also draw from principles and practices of dialectical behavioral therapy such as the dialectic of acceptance and change, as well as the building of skills such as mindfulness to help clients with emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.


* My Philosophy on Therapy *

A significant part of therapy is learning how to manage being uncomfortable and sitting with the difficult aspects of yourself and the world around you. A safe therapeutic alliance allows you to feel supported while navigating that distress. My philosophy in therapy aims to begin the transformation of being comfortable with uncomfortable emotions by practicing not only acceptance, but self compassion and working to strengthen the foundation of your identity and personal strengths. I am also dedicated to continuing to learn from thought leaders in transformative justice, abolitionist, and decolonizing movements, which I strive to integrate within my therapeutic practice. Together, we would create space to recognize and process internal and external systems of harm and oppression, and work on empowerment, self-discovery, growth and healing, whatever that looks like for you as an individual.


* Credentials & EXPERIENCE *

  • LPC in Illinois

  • CADC

  • ATR-P

  • MA in Clinical Counseling and Art Therapy, Adler University

I have worked as a therapist in a Chicagoland community mental health organization, working with clients who have been harmed by systems of oppression and had experienced complex trauma. During my clinical internship I worked at an in-patient substance use clinic. Prior to continuing my education to become a therapist and art therapist, I worked for a community art center, conducting art projects with folks of all different ages, abilities, and backgrounds.



* MORE ABOUT ME *

I am a Queer, neurodivergent mother of two cats. I have always been very passionate about the transformative experiences of artmaking and utilize it for my own stress reduction and emotional processing. You can often find me knitting, crocheting, or embroidering in my free time. I would be more than happy to teach you these techniques.