Trauma therapist in St. Louis
Katie Kirby
You’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and alone in your current experiences. You’re tired of pushing away and ignoring the difficult things in your life. You really want something to be different, but you don’t know where to start or even what could change.
I’m Katie (she/her) and I’m so glad you’re here.
I support adolescents and adults (ages 14+) who are overwhelmed and alone to feel more calm and connected. Together we can help you learn how to be present with and work with overwhelming and challenging thoughts, feelings, and experiences, rather than getting consumed by them. You’ll no longer feel like you are lost at sea; I’ll be right by your side, helping you stay a float.
My style
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I lead with compassion. Most of the people I work with are very hard on themselves and often hypercritical of their own efforts and progress. Let me help you see what you are doing well, where your strengths lie, and what might be contributing to your current challenges.
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My office is the antidote to feeling overwhelmed. I know when you’re stressed it can feel like everything needs to be addressed immediately, which makes it feel even more overwhelming. We’ll slow down, take a deeper breath, and break the challenges into smaller, more manageable chunks.
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I work best with people who are looking for a partner and collaborator in their mental well-being. I’m not here to tell you what to do, but rather support you in exploring and discovering what works for you. In my office there is no set agenda, have to’s, or should’s. I’ll be an accountability partner in helping you reach your goals with the tools that actually work best for you and your life.
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I help people be able to pause and further explore what they are experiencing. Often the anxiety or stress you are feeling is a symptom, rather than the problem. Let’s get curious together about the root of these challenges rather than just looking for quick fixes and coping skills.
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Not only am I going to encourage and support you in reaching the goals you have for yourself, I’m also going to encourage you to recognize how far you’ve come. Self-improvement is wonderful; it’s also just as important to have time to pause and savor the progress you’ve already achieved.
Throughout sessions, my number one goal is for you to feel seen, heard, and supported.
What to expect in sessions
Whether we meet virtually or in-person, I’ll invite you to start the session with a moment to slow down and transition out of thinking about your to-do lists and what others need from you to focus on yourself. I’ll ask you how things have been since we last saw each other and what’s been on your mind. As we talk about your experiences, we’ll explore your thoughts, emotions, and sensations to help you be more aware of your full present moment experience.
For a lot of people, this is a new experience; we’ll dip our toes into it together, being curious about what you can notice without judging it as good or bad. We’ll help you learn how to bridge your thoughts with your feelings to create lasting change. We’ll also practice naming, feeling, and expressing emotions; compassionately observing self-critical thoughts and behaviors that no longer serve you; and finding the tools and practices to help you stay calm and grounded rather than being consumed by current difficulties.
I use a variety of perspectives in sessions that will support you in being able to be more curious about yourself, tune into what’s happening in your body, strengthen your connection to yourself, and create meaningful change in your life. These perspectives include somatic experiencing, self-compassion, mindfulness, strengths-based, and relational-cultural theory.
The Loom Therapy welcomes individuals of all races, gender expressions, sexual orientations, ages, sizes, and abilities.
Professional Background
Education
Master of Social Work with a Mental Health Specialization, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, 2019
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, 2016
Licenses
Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Missouri Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Associations
National Association of Social Workers
CF Foundation Prioritizing Research in Mental Health (PRIME) Working Group
Work experience
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Counseling Services (2018-2021)
Provident Behavioral Health St. Louis, Life Crisis Services (2016-2018)
Notable Trainings
Somatic Experiencing Professional Training Program (began 2023)
Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies with Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. (2022)
Grief Treatment: Current Evidence Based Approaches to Care Across the Lifespan with Alissa Drescher, LPC, FT, GC-C, MA (2022)
Transgender and Non-Binary Youth: Advanced Practice Gender-Affirming Interventions to Help Clients Live an Authentic Life with Susan Radzilowski, LMSW, ACSW (2022)
Deb Dana's Polyvagal Informed Therapy Master Class (2020)