Dr. Thompson contracts with Wellness Psychological Services to offer services in our Tampa office as well as remote video services online across the state of Florida
Hello! I am Dr. Kathy Thompson. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). I spent 17 years working in child and family services in central Florida prior to working as a psychotherapist full-time. Since 2017, I have worked with several individuals with varying mental and behavioral health issues in community mental health and private practice settings. I obtained my doctorate degree in counselor education and supervision upon completion of research in the area of LGBTQ+ wellbeing. I have also had the privilege to teach graduate and doctoral students, train law enforcement professionals, and maintain a presence in community mental health.
My areas of focused training are in trauma and LGBTQ+ issues; however, I have had the privilege to work with many individuals navigating depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), behavioral disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), addiction, grief, and adjustment issues. My approach is to truly engage each individual in creating desired outcomes and goals. I believe that everyone can benefit from adding techniques to help tackle challenges from the everyday stressors, to those life changing events, and everything in between. It is my hope that through working together, you will strengthen your sense of self, well-being and holistic wellness.
I am passionate about improving the lives of those in my community from individual therapy sessions to creating new and lasting programs on a societal level. I have spent the last 2 years working within the law enforcement community creating a new and unique approach (co-responder) to assisting individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in the community. While working alongside first responders, I developed an additional passion and area of interest for this population. I desire for first responders to experience the reciprocal side of care that they frequently provide to others. First responders also deserve a safe and supportive place to process the trauma they experience on a daily basis.
TRAUMA SPECIALIZATION
When I tell people that I worked in child and family services for 17 years, most people shake their head in disbelief. Honestly, I can understand the response. This was the environment where I not only learned about trauma, but witnessed the impact it has in each and every aspect of a person’s life. I also learned that trauma does not discriminate. Trauma has an overwhelming reach; it spans across race, ages, geographic locations, social status, and beyond. While trauma is often thought of as a single devastating event in life, did you know that it can also be a collection of smaller instances? Have you heard about how trauma can be cumulative? Did you know that stress changes our body chemistry? The great news is that humans are incredibly resilient and capable of navigating trauma to re-establish fulfilling lives. Trauma does not have to be debilitating or an endless pit of despair. My goal is to work with you to address and resolve trauma’s negative impacts in your life through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and/or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) approaches.
LGBTQ+ SPECIALIZATION
LGBTQ+ individuals have unique experiences and difficulties related to being a sexual minority in addition to those that all individuals have. Shame, rejection, and lack of social supports are common themes of concern among the different sexual minorities I have worked with. I have experience in working with sexual minorities and strive to keep an active engagement in the LGBTQ+ community. I have learned that many sexual minorities have had negative experiences with counselors due to not feeling supported, understood, or secure in the client – counselor relationship. This is why I strive to ensure a safe and accepting place for each client that I work with. I believe that you are the expert of your experiences and your life. I believe that with open and honest conversation, we can collaborate to find solutions to issues specific to being a sexual minority.
CHILD & ADOLESCENT SPECIALIZATION
In addition to working with children and families in social services, I have extensive experience in counseling children and adolescents. I believe that play is the language that children use to communicate with us. We can learn a lot from engaging in the world of a child. My approach in working with children is to learn the intricacies and inner workings of their world as they know it. This often times allows opportunity to address behavioral or relationship difficulties. Some of the children that I have worked with have been the most resilient, honest, and motivated individuals I have ever worked with.
While play is the language of children, adolescents tend to have another language all their own. Many parents have expressed that they feel frustrated due to a lack of communication and/or understanding even when there is no specific behavioral issue at home. Youth today have challenges that are very different from their caregivers; however, many are similar such as identity, self-esteem, body image, social pressures, education and family responsibilities, and relationship roles. My approach in working with adolescents is a balance between learning about their specific world view and thought process and guiding them to explore perspectives other than their own. Working with adolescents provides a unique responsibility to operate in the area of opportunity. Adolescents are on the brink of entering adulthood and having an influential role in where society is headed.
OTHER ADULT PSYCHOTHERAPY SPECIALIZATIONS:
- Adjustment
- Adoption/Foster
- Stress Disorders
- Mood Disorders
- Stress Management
- Anxiety
- Depression