Katherine Kneupper (she/her)

My Approach to Helping

Play therapy for the young is a window to children's inner world. Talk therapy with adolescents and emerging adults provides space to explore their experiences. I find in listening or observing deeply there are threads through youth's stories that open up true vulnerabilities. When pain begins to be understood, healing can occur. Parents too deserve support and guidance amidst the uncertainties, challenges, and joys of raising children. I offer caregivers the opportunity to pause, reflect, and consult about their children’s patterns of behavior. Discussion with an experienced therapist affords both concrete tools as well as insights that open doors to greater connection.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

It is with respect and sensitivity that I partner in the healing process. My style is calm, relational, and practical. I am informed by mindfulness practices and utilize this wisdom in teaching self-regulation skills and self-compassion to youth. For ten years I worked as an adjunct instructor in the Master of Social Work program at PSU. My work with social work students and experience as a clinical supervisor for an early intervention program serving children solidified my understanding of the significance of attachment in all our relationships. Indeed, “Intimate attachments are the hub of which our lives revolve“-Bowlby. The framework of social justice is also central to my understanding of what a youth may be confronting. Naming and examining systems of oppression is essential in supporting greater connection and compassion within our personal and communal lives. As a therapist I am committed to self awareness of my own identity and how power and privilege affects my relationships.