Kathleen Stark, LPC

Kathleen Stark is a Michigan-based Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who combines formal training with lived experience to support youth and adults facing stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, self-esteem challenges, anger, and major life transitions. She holds a BA in Child Psychology and an MA in Counseling from Oakland University, and has been a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional since 2019. Kathleen is also working toward certification as an Autism Specialist, reflecting a focused interest in supporting people on the autism spectrum and those with intellectual disabilities.

Kathleen brings ten years of professional experience to her practice and maintains a strong devotion to working with young people and adults with special needs. She frequently gives presentations for youth about service dogs and offers personal insight into life with Cerebral Palsy, using those experiences to inform a compassionate, practical approach. Her work emphasizes clients strengths and personal expertise, helping individuals build motivation, confidence, and coping strategies to move toward a more fulfilling life.

Kathleen approaches each person as the expert of their own story and aims to collaborate respectfully to identify goals and practical steps forward. She provides supportive, trauma-informed care grounded in professional training and real-world understanding.

Trauma-Informed and Neurodiversity-Affirming Online Therapy

Kathleen uses trauma-focused interventions to help individuals process and recover from traumatic experiences. These evidence-based approaches focus on understanding trauma responses, building coping skills, and creating safer ways to manage distress, which can benefit people dealing with abuse, PTSD symptoms, or persistent anxiety.

She also draws on a strengths-based approach that centers a person strengths, abilities, and resilience. This method helps clients build self-esteem, motivation, and practical strategies for everyday challenges, making it useful for depression, low confidence, and coping with life changes. Kathleen is developing additional expertise as an Autism Specialist and adapts therapeutic techniques to support autistic clients and individuals with intellectual disabilities in ways that respect neurodiversity.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Kathleen works with each client to identify goals, preferences, and needs, and adjusts methods over time to find the best fit. Online therapy offers flexible options - video sessions, phone appointments, live chat, and text-based messaging - so clients can choose the format that fits their schedule and comfort level. These remote options make it easier to access licensed professionals and sustain ongoing care while balancing daily life.