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Photograph of Kate Goodell mental health therapist with Complete Health Wellness Group

Kate Goodell, LCSW-C

Mental Health Therapist
Ages: Adolescents, Adults, Families, & Parents
Licensed: Maryland
 

Kate Goodell is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) able to serve clients based in Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College and her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. Kate has gained experience in a variety of settings including in medical centers, treatment foster care agencies, intensive outpatient programs (IOP), school systems and in private practice. She has been a trauma-focused clinical therapist for over 19 years. Her primary focus is working with older adolescents and adults. Kate has worked extensively in diverse settings, particularly in urban and economically distressed areas with marginalized individuals, couples and multi-generational families. She has received specialized training in mindfulness based stress reduction, sound healing, EMDR, and breathwork.

Therapeutic Approach

Kate employs an integrative approach to holistic healing and whole self-living, intertwining disciplines from Western psychology, trauma-informed modalities, and Eastern mind-body-spirit practices such as Meditation, Breathwork, Sound Healing and Qigong. As a therapist educated in somatic psychology, she appreciates the natural wisdom of the body and promotes embodiment as a path to wholeness. Through her compassionate and non-judgmental approach, she creates a secure, supportive space for clients to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Kate is a resilience informed therapist whereby she and the client access internal and external strengths and resources, increase distress tolerance and reprocess traumatic events safely. Kate invites each client to welcome and honor all parts of the self, including both the wounded and unwounded parts, acknowledging the pain carried by wounded parts of self. By focusing on balancing of the nervous system through the understanding and application of the Polyvagal Theory, mindful responses to life events emerge. Kate’s client-centered and trauma-informed style emphasizes the importance of a collaborative therapeutic alliance through which clients can safely take a deep dive and actively participate in their healing and growth. Kate aims to assist individuals achieve balance and inner peace, embodiment and self-compassion.

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Kate utilizes breathwork techniques from BBTRS in order to facilitate the release of deeply held emotions that may have been accumulated during distressing, painful and stressful life experiences. Increasing research indicates that the body holds memory of our life experiences leading to emotional, mental and physical health issues. Through breathwork and sound therapy, clients can somatically release deeply held tension that carries emotional wounding. These releases lead to significant shifts in ingrained thought and behavior patterns and offer a birthplace to new, healthy and adaptive ways of engaging the world. This transformative process nurtures the development of compassion, kindness, awareness of the wisdom inherent in each person and a profound connection with one’s inner self. Clients learn to have unconditional love for themselves, to feel safe in their bodies, to make choices that support optimal functioning and transform conditioning that might have caused disconnection from self and the world. By connecting more deeply with ourselves, we learn how to connect more deeply with others. Regular engagement in these techniques leads to enhanced grounding, inner peace, contentment, symptom reduction, increased emotional resilience, increased distress tolerance, and overall well-being. Relationships improve, health improves and our hearts are re-awakened. This is work that steps out of disconnection and leans deeply into connection and integration of self. Kate seamlessly employs a variety of therapeutic approaches into her practice, including Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, Biodynamic Breathwork Trauma Release, Somatic Therapy, Sound Healing, Parts Work, Mind-Body Therapies and Psychodynamic Therapy. 

 

Whether you're looking for ways to manage stress, heal from past traumas, or simply want to understand yourself better, Kate's holistic, client-centered approach can offer the guidance and support you need. Her wide range of therapeutic techniques caters to your individual needs, fostering personal growth and wellness. She is honored to invite clients to embark on this warrior healing journey towards restorative integration, holistic self-care, inner peace, personal balance and compassionate living.

Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release System (BBTRS) is a comprehensive, holistic approach to body-oriented healing. It integrates deep, connected breathing with conscious movement, touch, sound, and meditation, creating a safe space for individuals to release stored trauma from their bodies. This method aims to restore balance and wholeness by addressing the physical and emotional effects of unresolved trauma. BBTRS helps to release chronic tension, reduces anxiety and depression, improves emotional stability, and enhances self-awareness and personal growth. The system is rooted in various forms of ancient healing modalities such as yoga, meditation, bodywork, and somatic therapy, combined with modern scientific research on trauma and the mind-body connection. The BBTRS approach acknowledges that trauma is not just a mental or emotional concern but also manifests in the physical body through tension, pain, and other symptoms. Thus, the focus is on releasing these somatic manifestations of trauma to promote overall well-being. The method also emphasizes self-exploration and self-awareness, empowering individuals to take an active role in their own healing and growth.

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Polyvagal Theory offers a revolutionary perspective on the way our autonomic nervous system responds to stress and trauma. This theory proposes that we have three distinct responses to perceived threat, governed by different parts of our vagus nerve. The first is the "fight or flight" response, which prepares us for immediate action. The second is the "freeze" response, a state of immobilization often associated with feelings of overwhelm or helplessness. The third, and evolutionarily newest, is the "social engagement" system, which promotes feelings of safety and connection. According to the Polyvagal Theory, our bodies instinctively prioritize these responses, moving from social engagement to fight or flight, and finally to freeze if the threat continues. Understanding this hierarchy of responses can provide valuable insights into various mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Polyvagal Theory emphasizes the importance of the vagus nerve in regulating our physiological and emotional states. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body and plays a crucial role in connecting our brain to our internal organs. It carries important information about our bodily functions, including breathing, heart rate, digestion, and immune response.

 

Sound Healing is a therapeutic practice that uses the vibrational power of sound to restore the body, mind, and spirit to a state of balance. The premise is based on the understanding that all forms of matter, including our body's cells, vibrate at different frequencies. Factors such as stress, illness or depression can cause these cells to vibrate out of tune. In sound healing, tools such as gongs, singing bowls, or the human voice are used to produce sound vibrations that can help bring the body back into alignment. These sounds can induce a meditative state, helping clients to focus their minds and release emotional blockages, thus facilitating deeper exploration of personal issues and mental health challenges.

Areas of Expertise

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Coping Skills

  • Self-worth

  • Negative Self-talk

  • Dual Diagnosis

  • Grief & Loss

  • Life Transitions

  • Mindfulness

  • Communication

  • Mood Disorders

  • Anxiety

  • Emotional Dysregulation

  • Emotional Abuse

  • Shame

  • Stabilize Nervous System

  • Interpersonal Challenges

  • Stress Management

  • Depression

  • Self-care

  • Control & Fear Issues

Therapeutic Modalities

  • Polyvagal Theory

  • Biodynamic Breathwork Trauma Release (BBTRS)

  • Sound Healing

  • Trauma Focused

  • Interpersonal

  • Compassion Focused

  • Meditation

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Parts Work (Internal Family Systems informed)

  • Somatic Psychology

  • Mindfulness-Based Interventions

  • EMDR teletherapy

  • Resilience Therapy

  • Functional Breathwork

  • Conflict Resolution Therapy

  • Psychodynamic

Advanced Trainings & Certifications

  • Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level II: Complex Trauma

  • Certification in Advanced Trauma Treatment (The Ferentz Institute)

  • Certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Center for Mindfulness at University of Massachusetts Memorial Health)

  • EMDR-trained clinician

  • Sound Healing Practitioner (focus in Tuning Forks, Gongs and Tibetan Singing Bowls)

  • Certified Biofield Tuning Practitioner with Eileen Mckusick

  • Biodynamic Breathwork Trauma Release System (BBTRS)

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