01 · Who Kathy works with

Kathy works with stress, Anxiety, trauma and abuse and anger management

Kathy lists 13 specialisms and 19 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Kathy chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Kathy's own words

What Kathy says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Hello, it is nice to meet you. My name is Kathy, and I live in Knoxville, TN. I have 33 years of experience working in the mental health profession and over 25 years of practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I have extensive knowledge in the treatment of depression, mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, anger management, low self-esteem, relationship issues, ADHD and substance use. I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with individuals and couples dealing with difficult life circumstances, unexpected changes and past/present trauma. Over the course of my career, I have assisted individual in learning to manage some of the most difficult and often life-altering situations.

My approach combines cognitive behavioral, person-centered and psychodynamic therapy. I am particularly interested in the use of cognitive behavioral therapy as I firmly believe in the connection between our thoughts and how they affect our functioning. I will approach each visit with an open mind and non-judgmental attitude. I have had many former clients report that I am warm, empathetic, compassionate and affable. It is my belief that a strong therapeutic rapport is the foundation for a successful treatment outcome.

I look forward to meeting you soon and am so glad that you have decided to take this step forward in your journey towards better mental health.

Kathy Duncan, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Kathy works

The 5 approaches Kathy lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Kathy lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Kathy's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Kathy runs a session.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Reads present-day relationship difficulty through the lens of how safety and closeness were learned early on. The therapeutic relationship itself is treated as part of the work, because it is where the pattern tends to show up first.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Works on the assumption that current patterns - in relationships, at work, in how you treat yourself - have a history, and that seeing the history loosens the pattern. Less structured than CBT, usually longer, and more interested in what comes up unbidden than in a weekly agenda.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Kathy practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Kathy's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Kathy at this point.

2. Naming Kathy specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Kathy is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Kathy.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Kathy

Built from what Kathy actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Kathy's - Kathy has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 30 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

Tennessee

Licence

TN LCSW 3543

Licence number

3543

Licence expires

31 Jan 2027

NPI

1215987193

Years in practice

30

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Kathy's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Kathy. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.