Katrina Bishop, LMFT

Katrina Bishop’s Therapist Disclosure Statement <<< (Clickable)

I believe that at our core, human beings desire to understand themselves and their emotions and to find meaningful connections with others. In life, we experience pain and suffering, trauma and loss, and insecurity and uncertainty that creates barriers to our ability to connect with ourselves and others. These experiences can lead to us feeling like there’s something wrong, feeling empty, or that we might not be cut out for the relationships in our lives. This isn’t true. Everyone deserves to feel safe and understood, and everyone has the ability to find healing where they need it.

No matter what is bringing you into therapy – loss, anxiety, a difficult marriage, trauma, a deep relational wound, or any other reason – your decision to seek therapy is a courageous one. I recognize how much strength and courage it takes to reach out for help, and I want to honor that step for you. Participating in therapy allows us to enter the painful parts of ourselves and our lives and find the way through to the other side to build our lives the way we want it to look.

I believe that when we shut ourselves off from the pain and emotions that overwhelm or scare us, we actually give them power over us. My hope is to provide a safe, non-judgmental, and understanding space to allow us to explore these hurts together. You do not have to walk through this journey alone. I aim to bring empathy, gentle challenging, and my genuine self to create an avenue to help you develop a new path for transformation and healing. I invite you to bring your genuine self as well, the parts of yourself that you like and the parts that you don’t understand or that scare you. Together we’ll build the support and change that works for you.

My therapeutic approach is influenced by trainings in Emotionally Focused Therapy, person-centered therapy, brainspotting, and systemic perspectives. I work with clients ranging from children to adults and provide a range of individual, couples, and family counseling. I received my Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Whitworth University and am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I’m currently pursuing advanced training in brainspotting therapy.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I stay busy playing with my dog, finding new recipes to cook, creative writing, and the ever-present challenge of being more active. While I currently call Washington home, I never forget my birthplace of Alaska.

Specialties and areas of focus

Anxiety
Grief/Loss
Trauma
Children and Adolescents
Relationship Issues
Life Transitions
Women’s Issues
Couples
Families

Q&A with Katrina

1.) Some therapists are more comfortable addressing the immediate problem, while others want to focus on the deeper issue. Which are you?

I’ve found that a lot of issues tend to have deeper roots than what a client might be coming in with, and I am very comfortable exploring the deeper issues that contributed to whatever a client may be coming in with. However, I also recognize that some people are not looking for that, and I am comfortable with meeting a client where they’re at and addressing the immediate problem on its own.

2.) Do you tend to lead the session, or follow my lead?

My natural tendency is to allow the client to lead. I like to leave space for real life issues to come into our work when sudden changes in life occur, and I like to allow the client to have the chance to communicate what he or she might be needing on a given day.

3.) What are your strengths as a therapist?

I’m adaptable to what a client needs. As long as a client is willing to communicate what they need from their services, I am happy to adjust my approach to find something that works with both of us. I’ve been told that I have a very calming presence which helps my clients feel safer to explore the underlying emotions they may be struggling with. I work hard to be my genuine self in the therapy room and encourage my clients to do so as well. Within the heavy work that we’re doing, it’s okay to have space for laughter or emotional breaks. We’re all human, and we can have human moments.

4.) If you had one superpower, what would it be and why?

If I could only pick one, it might be the power of probability, but it never sounds very cool. So, I’d more likely pick something like control of the elements because I love the idea of being able to change my environment in that way.

5.) What makes you laugh?

Being around my family and the antics we get up to with each other always makes me laugh. Whenever I’m around people I really enjoy and we can all let go and just enjoy life together, it always seems like there’s tons of laughter in those moments.

6.) Who would you have dinner with, dead or alive?

Any of my grandparents when they were younger, long before I was alive. I would love to know what they were like when they were at the stage of life I am now or even before they experienced their own major challenges in life.