Cathleen Rea (She/her)

As a Clinical Psychologist immersed in training in the issues impacting the development of children, the centrality of parents as a source of safety and security and the many stresses impacting that dynamic are front and center in her approach to the work with children and families. Getting “on track” when life-stress has derailed that system is a worthy effort.

As a Clinical Psychologist immersed in appreciating the developmental challenges of growing up, I view parents as critical influencers, but also taking the brunt of life-stress. Helping parents do their teamwork more efficiently, helping parents with structure and consistency, and helping parents work collaboratively with their children to problem-solve and make the family “work” better together are the goals here.

Children have alot of stimulation to manage in a day! They can struggle with self-control of their feelings and behavior, their ability to manage the social complexities of peer and family relationships, and their own self-confidence. They and their parents can benefit from therapy for development and coaching in stress management skills, for learning to talk about feelings instead of acting them out, and for confidence in learning and independence.

This work is particularly close to my heart. Separating your family into two homes can be a very painful process, fraught with emotional turmoil for you at the same time you are expected to be protector, guide, and confidante to your children. Navigating this path forward in ways that reassure your children that their care and progress will continue to be blessed by both of you is the best protection you can give them, and coparenting work will give you the skills and knowledge to do this well

While I believe that children and adolescents have a right to privacy in their individual work, I also do appreciate that not only do they spend most of their time in and with their family, but that family is a source of support and strength. As such, family therapy is an integral component of my individual work, and parents frequently are engaged as coaches to help their children (and themselves) practice good stress management and self-care skills.

Our first social relationships were created in the care given us by our parents, and our social skills evolved from these early lessons in trust and protection. When those attachment relationships grow unfettered, we grow as reasonably healthy individuals. For many of us, though, the real world includes some history of ruptures - hiccups in the attachment quality and consistency - that impacts our social connections and parenting skills in the present. Therapy can help with that!

“Mind over Mood” and “Mindfulness” are frequently referenced and powerful concepts in 21st century thinking about our cognitive behavioral management of anxiety and depression. I believe these ideas have become a response to our heightened experience of an overstimulating world where it seems that we are out of control of many things. CBT uses many different tools to help us reconnect with our “center” - that internal place of calm and curiosity in the midst of the whirlwind.