Professional Background
Kathryn Robertson is an LCSW, having been involved in mental health clinics for twenty-seven years and in private practice for the last eight years. Working in a County Mental Health Facility was paramount for her to gain hands-on expertise and knowledge to understand clients with mental health diagnoses. Kathryn began her career upon graduation with her Master’s degree working for County Child Protective Services and then County Mental Health to complete her Licensure. She has worked with Hospice, the Department of Corrections (adult & juvenile populations), a Naval Hospital, and a State Hospital.
In the settings described above, Kathryn has worked with many diagnoses, such as:
- Mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder
- Anxiety with those traumatized by crises and unsure futures
- Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.
- Substance dependence and abuse coupled with a dual diagnosis of mental illness in Forensic settings.
- Personality disorders such as borderline and anti-social in youth prison settings.
Currently, adjustment disorders in people with little to no history of mental illness are common in her private practice. These disorders can come from the loss of people around them, relationships, unexpected sudden death, the loss of a job, loss due to disability, or even retirement.
Kathryn has deep convictions that all life is valuable, pushing her to focus on finding a person’s strengths and purpose to achieve their call despite their mental illness. Her clinical focus is on building on one’s strengths, meeting where they are, and viewing a person in their environment regardless of what it is. She relies on a cognitive behavioral approach believing we tend to underestimate the strength of our thoughts. Our thinking often drives our behavior, and our behaviors will follow if we make mental changes.