Katie MacLaren, MHP

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate with a background in working with individuals from all walks of life. I received my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwest University. Prior to coming to Dayspring Behavioral Health, I worked in various community mental health agencies and social work settings.

I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and young adults facing life transitions and providing support in navigating life’s challenges. I view it as an honor to hear others’ unique and valuable stories and life experiences. It is my goal to provide a space for you that fosters trust and rapport in order to openly explore your past and current experiences without judgment.

Prior Experience and Training

I have experience working with a broad range of populations, from children to geriatrics in both counseling and social advocacy roles. I have experience working with a wide range of mental health, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, neurodiversity, behavioral and emotional challenges of middle school and adolescents,trauma-related disorders and grief/loss.

I particularly enjoy working with children/adolescents and young adults. I also enjoy working with adults struggling with anxiety, trauma, and life transitions.

My Approach to Therapy

My work is heavily influenced by my belief that it is when we are in a relationship with others that healing can occur.

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”

― John Joseph Powell

Building a therapeutic alliance is foundational in the process of facilitating change. I work to collaborate with clients in creating a treatment plan that is meaningful and holistic, incorporating strengths, meaningful activity, and social engagement. My approach is person-centered, strengths-based, goal orientated, and relational. Though I pull from different evidence-based practices, I primarily utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Motivational-Interviewing, and Attachment-Based Therapy. I also have a passion for integrating creativity in the counseling process with art and music therapy.

My goal is to help clients to process experiences and develop insight into thoughts and feeling that influence behavior and life choices. I also provide coping skills education and practice within sessions in order to support improvement in managing emotions and challenges in day-to-day life.

More about me:

In my spare time, I enjoy being by the water or out in nature. I am also a huge fan of music and film and am a bit of a history nerd. I love spending time with my whippet Luna, who is a professional cuddler, who can also go from 0 to 35 mph when she is ready to get some energy out. Creative outlets are really important to me and love writing, painting, and daydreaming about traveling to different parts of the world.