Kathryn Ort, MS, LMHC

When Did My Journey As A Mental Health Counselor Begin?

I’ve had a desire to serve and help others heal for as long as I can remember. In fact, I wrote about wanting to be a counselor when I was in sixth grade. Supporting other people on their personal journeys toward recovery and discovering their best selves is something I find incredibly rewarding.

That said, my path to becoming a therapist wasn’t exactly linear as I didn’t get into psychotherapy until my thirties. In the meantime, I got a bachelor’s degree in human services, working in various roles for several years.

Once I knew what I really wanted to do with my life—how I could really make a difference—I went to graduate school. I believe it is that combination of education, my personal background, and earlier professional experience that informs my work as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and makes me a better Counselor.

Now, I work as a therapist with Livewell Practice, where I specialize in helping clients find themselves when they feel lost or are traversing difficult times. I love supporting people in making sense of their lives and helping them fully integrate all of their lived experiences—positive, negative, and challenging—into a personal narrative of healing and growth.

How Do I Approach The Counseling Process?

My counseling philosophy stems from the belief that individuals create stories about their experiences that shape the lens through which they see and experience the world. When they are able to shift a negative story or narrative into one of evolution and positive growth, healing takes place.

I also believe that everyone possesses a reservoir of wisdom, strength, and resilience within them. As a Counselor, I like to collaborate with those who are primed to change their lives for the better—individuals who want to tap into their internal resources so they can learn to truly thrive on their own.

Collaboration is a big part of my counseling philosophy because I believe that people are the experts on their own lives. So, I always put my clients at the center of the healing process, giving them the agency to control what we discuss, what their goals are, and how fast therapy moves.

Above all, I recognize the importance of fostering a therapeutic relationship of trust where each person can feel comfortable opening up and exploring aspects of themselves and their experiences. That’s why I strive to make sure each person I work with feels safe, heard, and respected by meeting them with compassion and unconditional positive regard.

My Personal Background And Its Influence On My Work

Like many Counselors, I had a difficult childhood. I grew up in a dysfunctional home with an abusive family dynamic—but there were also good experiences along the way.

The most noteworthy being that I discovered a supportive community who cared for me, which led me toward a path of healing. I was fortunate that I had people there to help me manage those painful feelings, experiences, and memories—and I came out on the other side better for it.

I am also a single parent of a teenager who has had an ongoing struggle with anxiety and depression their whole life. As a result, I possess a deep understanding of just how difficult this kind of situation can be for parents and their kids. All of these life experiences—positive, negative, and challenging—are things that influence my work and shape how I connect with my clients.

What Makes My Approach To Therapy Different?

I have a passion and desire to help people heal, evolve, and find relief that endures rather than merely treating symptoms. To do that, I draw from a number of therapeutic strategies:

• Motivational Interviewing, a traditional form of talk therapy, helps us open up the floor to discussion and exploration.

• Mindfulness utilizes breathwork and other mindfulness exercises to help clients cultivate greater self-awareness.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) recognizes the link between beliefs, behaviors, and emotions as well as how restructuring negative thought patterns can create positive changes across the board.

• Narrative Therapy looks at the stories we tell ourselves and helps clients make positive, empowering shifts in their self-beliefs, thought patterns, and overall well-being.

• Solution-Focused Therapy is a brief, targeted form of therapy that utilizes a client’s internal resources to overcome challenges and set/achieve goals.

• Family Systems Therapy treats the whole family together with the understanding that the challenges one person faces have an impact on the entire family unit.

What Am I Like Outside Of The Office?

Life outside of the office means getting involved with my neighbors—my local community—who trust me and keep me engaged. I like reading fiction, being outside, and enjoying nature. I’m also passionate about helping animals, so I have a lot of experience with rescuing birds, cats, dogs, and other animals. I just love animals and helping them whenever and wherever they are in need.

I suppose that’s a big part of who I am—I enjoy taking care of others and nursing the wounded back to health. That’s what I do—and that’s what I want for you: to help you heal, evolve, and shift the narrative of your life for the better.

Kathryn Ort, LMHC obtained her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, graduating with honors. She is also trained in energy healing work as a Reiki Practitioner and in Sacred Soul Alignment (an Energy Healing Modality). Kathryn Ort is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor providing virtual therapy for clients in NYC and throughout the state of