Katesy Townsend, PhD

I am a licensed psychologist based in Newburyport, MA, with a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon. I hold a master's degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor's degree in English and French from Bowdoin College. With over 20 years of experience in university and college counseling centers, hospital-based outpatient mental health centers, child and family counseling clinics, and community health centers, I have worked with a diverse range of clients, addressing various concerns and goals. I am licensed to practice psychology in Massachusetts, have temporary licenses to practice in Maine and New Hampshire, and am registered with the state of Florida as an out-of-state telehealth provider. I am a member of the Massachusetts Psychological Association and am credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.

Approach and Style

My theoretical orientation is integrationist, combining interpersonal, psychodynamic, and acceptance/mindfulness-informed principles. My clients describe me as warm, understanding, an excellent listener, gently confrontative, and effective in helping them make positive steps in their lives. I am down-to-earth and have a good sense of humor while maintaining a trusting, respectful therapy relationship. My approach is collaborative, ensuring that clients feel comfortable sharing what's most important to them and connecting them with resources that help them meet their goals.

Services Offered

I offer both short-term counseling and longer-term psychotherapy for adults. During our initial sessions, we will discuss your hopes for counseling, possible next steps, and potential goals. Our counseling/psychotherapy relationship is collaborative, and your feedback and preferences are invaluable as we work together to address your concerns.

*Short-term counseling:* Designed for 2-3 sessions, short-term counseling provides an opportunity to discuss your hopes for counseling, possible next steps, and potential goals, such as working on your own, participating in ongoing longer-term psychotherapy with me, or exploring other options.

*Longer-term psychotherapy:* The number and frequency of sessions vary depending on your needs, goals, financial feasibility, and a mutual agreement on what frequency best addresses these issues.

Common Concerns and Goals

Clients in counseling and psychotherapy with me often express the common hope of increased happiness and fulfillment in life. However, they also present with specific goals centered around various themes, such as:

• Building confidence, self-acceptance, and a secure sense of identity
• Increasing the capacity to manage anxiety and depression
• Learning to trust oneself in relationships, career choices, academic endeavors, and other important domains
• Gaining skills and support to cope with challenging transitions and life experiences (i.e., changing jobs, post-partum concerns/becoming a new parent, losing a family member or friend, caregiving aging parents, etc.)
• Preventing perfectionism and unproductive habits and patterns from controlling actions and self-perceptions
• Becoming more comfortable with speaking assertively vs. passively or indirectly
• Recovering from an eating disorder and nurturing a positive relationship with food
• Learning how to communicate more effectively with family, friends, and co-workers
• Managing performance anxiety in athletic, professional, and academic settings
• Exploring feelings and thoughts to increase self-knowledge and insight

Scheduling

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to talk about counseling and/or psychotherapy. You may reach me by phone at 978-499-9080 or by clicking here through a secure encrypted email message. I generally respond to messages within 24-72 hours depending on when you leave a message. My office hours are currently mid-day through the early evening on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I do not have any openings at this time.