Kind Words
“There must be those among us with whom we can sit down and weep, and still be counted as warriors (from the book The Tell). This is what you are to me, Kate.”
Partner Health Warrior
“It is my absolute pleasure to recommend Kate Parkinson, LMFT, as a highly skilled and compassionate therapist. Having worked alongside Kate for over 15 years, treating both individuals and couples, I have witnessed firsthand her unwavering dedication to helping clients heal, grow, and reclaim their lives.
Kate’s expertise extends across a range of complex issues, including trauma, PTSD, addiction recovery, and relationship challenges. She is certified in EMDR, sex addiction therapy (CSAT), partner specialist through the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS), and is a Certified Hope and Freedom Practitioner (CHFP), making her exceptionally well-equipped to guide clients through deep emotional work. Whether she is working with couples to rebuild trust or supporting individuals through trauma recovery, Kate creates a safe, supportive environment where real transformation happens.
What truly sets Kate apart is her unique balance of warmth and clinical precision. She has an incredible ability to meet clients where they are while also guiding them toward meaningful change. Her work in intensive therapy formats—such as her Three-Day Intensives—demonstrates her commitment to providing deep, effective healing in a structured and impactful way.
Beyond her clinical skills, Kate is simply a remarkable person to work with. She is insightful, kind, and deeply committed to ethical and effective therapy. She genuinely cares about the people she works with, and her clients feel that authenticity. As a clinician, when confronting complex, ethical dilemmas, or dealing with a really complicated case, I always turn to Kate. She has this amazing ability to cut through the complexity and help me see things clearly. Her advice is like a compass that helps me navigate tricky professional situations, and I know I can count on her to give me solid, thoughtful guidance.
For anyone seeking a therapist who is not only highly trained, but also deeply compassionate and effective, I cannot recommend Kate Parkinson highly enough. She is an invaluable resource for those ready to embark on a journey of healing and transformation.”
Invia Betjoseph, PsyD, MFT, CSAT
"I am so very grateful for the experience of the three-day intensive with Kate and I feel it has been a life-changing gift. As we began on the first day, I felt overwhelmed, anxious, and also at some level excited to "dig deep". As we moved through the discussions and exercises, I quickly realized I was gaining hope and clarity with regard to processing the triggers and issues surrounding my husband's sex addiction/sexual anorexia and its impact on my life and marriage. And equally important, I was beginning to understand how my own history, family of origin, and parts of self contributed to the resulting post traumatic stress and why I was unknowingly engaging in codependent behaviors. Through the exercises and therapeutic techniques, Kate guided me through the process to identify the contributing factors of my trauma and codependency, to process and integrate the significant events or situations that I had minimized or denied as trauma, and finally, she gave me the tools to practice in my daily life toward healing, repair, and discovery of self. Staying in a comfortable hotel for three nights, Friday-Sunday, allowed me the opportunity to remain fully focused on the process. I avoided distraction by not watching any television, not drinking any alcohol, eating meals in my room, avoiding all social media, and by having minimal contact with my family.
Thank you, Kate, for your expert guidance during the Three-Day Intensive and for your amazing support during the overwhelming trauma post discovery of my husband's sex addiction/sexual anorexia. I am incredibly grateful that you were there to help me process the horror of that revelation and for treating my trauma first and foremost. Finally, thank you for guiding me through this Three Day Intensive experience to identify my own relational injuries and historical trauma and to recognize the resulting codependent behaviors. I now realize that I have participated in unknowing codependency for over three decades of marriage. Now that I own that as my truth, I can begin the work to heal, recover, and repair. I finally feel hope for my future!"
Three-Day Intensive Partner
"When my life fell apart I felt like I fell into a glass of muddy water. I couldn’t see a way out of the pain and confusion. I kept going in circles. I landed on your couch and a process of healing and revelation began. The muddy water slowly became clearer with each session, each book recommended, each email correspondence of encouragement. What seemed like hopeless chaos slowly became understandable. I am forever grateful that God led me to you, Kate. You are a gifted counselor who allows compassion to flow through your educated advice. God knew I needed what you have been trained to give. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, for teaching me to believe in myself and use my voice. With gratitude and admiration.”
Partner
"I would highly recommend this experience to any couple struggling with Sex Addiction. It is a powerful and effective way to get the issues out in the open where they can be dealt with and healed.”
Three-Day Intensive Couple
"I found it to be a powerful experience that hopefully will set the stage for new beginnings in our marriage. I don't think we could have achieved the heart awareness, knowledge, commitment to recovery and next steps within the context of weekly hour-long therapy. Each session built on the prior, with homework in the evening being a further powerful add-on to learning and awareness. The experience forced us to deal with the reality of the issues, see it's impact on our lives, commit to work together and get tools for recovery.”
Three-Day Intensive Couple
"I deeply appreciated that my feelings were acknowledged, understood and validated. For so many years, I have felt pain in my marriage and had that pain minimized. It felt freeing to finally be able to talk about it with him and not be shut down. Seeing him come to brokenness was moving...and having him acknowledge the high price of his behavior brought me to seeing a potential for hope in our relationship, if he chooses to work his recovery. It was so helpful to go home with specific tools and plans for recovery."
Three-Day Intensive Couple
"I loved having Kate in the room. I felt it comforting, her soft voice, too. It does something to me."
Partner
"Never would I have thought I would be able to leave after three days feeling hopeful. I felt cared for and a priority (as a partner of a sex addict) in the healing process. I felt heard and understood. I left with usable tools that could be effective immediately. I appreciate the respect for my place in the struggle with faith/religion and that it was not a factor."
Three-Day Intensive Partner
"Kate has a vast array of therapeutic knowledge and experience that she uses to skillfully stabilize and support her clients in their recovery.”
Intensive Client
"I have seen some very talented therapists over the years, but I can say without hesitation, that Kate is one of the best! She has trained with leading experts in the field of addiction and trauma, and she has lots of experience as well. I have made more progress and grown more as a human being, working with her than at any other time in my life. As a client, I have always found Kate to be safe and affirming. She is compassionate and supportive of me as a person in recovery, and yet she can tell me the truth that I don’t want to hear (“tough love”) when it is in my best interest. She has helped me take in, and ultimately believe, that I am a good person who did some terrible things – and not a terrible person because I did them, as I had believed for many years. I trust that Kate goes above and beyond to collaborate with my wife’s therapist so that collectively we receive the best treatment possible. Without exaggeration, thanks to Kate, I am on a path to saving my marriage, my family and my life."
Male Addict
"Thank you for all you have done for us. I know that very likely I would neither be sober nor married, were it not for your dedication and hard work. I truly appreciate you and the enormous contribution you make to the Bay Area recovery community and beyond. We are so fortunate to have someone like you to (help) navigate this painful addiction and recovery process. 'Cunning and baffling' aren't strong enough terms to describe the power of the demons you help us take on - and hopefully defeat - every week."
Male Addict
"The flexibility of treatment was key for me. For instance, Kate realized drawing was helpful so I did more of it, or if something came up out of a conversation, we addressed it even if it was not on the "agenda". Lastly, the EMDR is amazing; what a great resource.... I came feeling so heavy not just emotionally but physically. I was able to concentrate and care for myself in a way I could not if I wasn't alone in the process. I felt cared for and loved during the process, and such compassion (which I needed). I needed someone to be on my side, and there is no doubt that Kate is on my side. I felt I was understood and there was zero confusion. Each day I felt a little bit lighter and more confident in the process. I feel like I have cleared away some wreckage, and am free to use that space to do other work. I am so grateful."
Three-Day Intensive Partner
"The polygraph was essential for me to establish a clean slate for the first time in my 24-year relationship. Originally I did not think the polygraph was necessary, but it held my husband accountable for his actions and his words. It ultimately gave me a lot of peace, knowing I finally had the truth. I feel the Three-Day Intensive is much better than doing a [standalone] Disclosure, and then having the couple leave that day. It was day 2 and 3 that were really most helpful: emotions had a chance to settle down, and we were able to share and work together to start taking the steps for a life beyond Disclosure. I was frightened of the process but knew it was necessary if we were ever going to get to a place of honesty and healing. The weekend was absolutely worth it. Friday was painful, and extremely emotional. Saturday morning I wasn't even sure I would make it through the day, but as the day went on I began to see hope and have more clarity. The Disclosure, as long and horrible as it was, gave me data so I could really see the addiction. The homework and exercises you asked us to do were very powerful and created an avenue for safe and open communication. I am fortunate that my husband is so committed to the recovery and took the weekend and the process very seriously.
Thank you so much! My husband and I each said how powerful and worthwhile the experience of the Three-Day Intensive was. You know my husband was petrified and doubted the process in the days leading up to disclosure. For us it was absolutely the right decision. I do feel hopeful that we can be so much better than ever before. Since my husband is one of your clients, it was nice for me to get to know you and understand how you work. You now know me better and can understand our personal dynamic which should be helpful going forward. I know he is in good hands."
Three-Day Intensive Partner
"I was in a state of panic but you gave me a ray of hope that things would get better. I had no idea why I was behaving the way that I was, just that it was wrong and that I seemed unable to stop. You helped me to end my acting out by teaching me why I was doing it and giving me an understanding of the sources of my problems. Your gentle but firm guidance allowed me to do things that I never would have before: most importantly, and as much as I resisted it, I learned that it was only by speaking up in front of other people about my sources of shame that I could reduce it to a point where I could see through it to who I really am. I am so thankful to have someone as caring as you to help me."
Male Addict