Catherine Nakonetschny

My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease. I grew up seeing what it was like for someone who had a pretty significant disability and the lack of support family members had at that time. I wanted to provide support to people who were struggling with the different phases of their life. I first went into psychology, then got a master's in social work. I've been working in the field for more than 25 years.

Some of my family members have anxiety and probably OCD themselves. I like being able to help people get through the really hard challenges in life. For me, the goal is to improve quality of life. I know how debilitating anxiety and OCD can be. Being able to help people improve that part of their lives is really, really important to me. I love watching people make progress. It is a beautiful thing when someone who's been struggling their whole lives with an issue experiences that moment when something clicks, and it's almost like a weight gets lifted off their shoulders.

Depression, anxiety, grief and bereavement, and caregiving issues. I also have some experience in LGBTQ+ issues and people with more serious chronic mental illness such as schizoaffective and schizophrenia.

Any kind of therapy is a process. This is not a sprint, it's usually a marathon, and there are going to be periods of setbacks. And that's OK. That's why we do this together. Nobody's perfect. My focus is really on progress, not perfection. We're looking to move ahead, no matter how incremental it may be. As long as you're moving toward your goal, it's perfect in my book.

Being afraid is normal, and it's OK. I think that if you're not afraid to share, especially in initial sessions, you're not doing it right. We're delving into some deep issues, and at first, I'm still a stranger. My goal is to create a therapeutic relationship and become a support system that will help you get better. I will support you and make sure that you become more and more comfortable, so you can share and we reach your goals.