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Issues
Anxiety and depression
Health issues
Life transitions
Menopause and perimenopause
Pregnancy and peri-natal support
Parenting
Life transitions
Trauma
Gender identity
Family challenges
Interpersonal relationships
Body image
Personal growth
Rites of Passage
Self-designed ceremony
Ages:
Adults
Older adolescence
Caitlin Cavanaugh (she/her) MA, LMHC
*Not presently accepting new clients*
360.224.2540
About me
As a child growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco, my connection with nature primarily took place through the creation of fantastical medicinal concoctions scavenged from my small front yard, or playing on the windy beaches, hunting for sand dollars. As I matured, I spent time exploring herbal medicine more formally, studying with herbalists and often growing the plants themselves. I also worked on farms and as a landscape gardener – anything that would get me outside, in the dirt, and in contact with plants. Connecting to the land and the healing properties so gracefully hidden in plain sight gave me a sense of peace and purpose; but I noticed that I came alive in the meaningful conversations had with others as we weeded, harvested, pruned, and foraged. Being in contact with nature seemed to deepen the experience of being humans together.
This observation repeated itself in many other life experiences – both personal and professional – and eventually led me to the path of counseling. After sharing extended time in the wilderness with others, obtaining a B.A. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz, and working in outdoor education, it was clear to me where my heart was. In the Spring of 2014 I graduated with a Master’s in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy from Naropa University. During this program, I gained additional training in Equine Assisted Gestalt Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and interned as a counselor at a middle school in Denver. I've completed extended mentorship in somatic trauma work, and completed Level III (out of IV) in Lifespan Integration – a modality that couples beautifully with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy to which I am partial. I spent two years as a counselor in residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programming for individuals with eating disorders, and have been a practicing Licensed Mental Health Counselor here in Bellingham since 2016.
I meet with clients indoors in my office in Fairhaven, online, and outside at Whatcom Falls. Occasionally clients and I will co-create a lengthier session in an alternate nature spot, typically to support a life transition or mark something important in their journey.
When not seeing clients, I am often wearing one of my many other hats! Or else spending time chasing my children, moving my body, doing pottery, or playing in the garden and woods :)
Therapeutic Approach
We are designed to be in relationship. We are designed to find safety through genuine belonging. Unfortunately, we don’t all get that experience – particularly early on. In my practice, I create a space for you to show up as you are and engage in healthy, honest relationship. Sometimes we laugh a lot in session, sometimes there are tears, sometimes we celebrate what’s whole and perfect in your world, and sometimes we hone in on the nuances of long-held survival patterns. Together we practice slowing down emotion and exploring the willingness to experience it as it arises. My approach integrates mindfulness, attention to the felt-senses of the body and awareness of thoughts. I operate from the perspective that our bodies and our psyches are wise, that – like an ecosystem – there are no bad parts, no mistakes; every element has a function and each of those is geared toward supporting our existence, even if we don’t quite understand how just yet. Our work together is to build that understanding, increasing your ability to listen deeply to yourself. This may look like psychoeducation, developing coping and regulation strategies, or engaging in trauma work; maybe it will look like a self-created ceremony in the wilderness marking a major transition. There are lots of possibilities. Ultimately the form is a co-creation of our unique interplay – what we each bring to the table. If this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out.
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