About me
My name is Katerina and I’m the daughter of Anna and Russell, Eva and Constantine, Mandel and Ruby, and many more who’ve spanned the American South from Africa, and Greece. Mental health and therapy are two concepts that weren’t talked about much amongst my family. Not because people didn’t experience any psychological stressors or care about how others were doing, but more so because it wasn’t part of our cultures to explicitly talk about using words like “depression”, “anxiety”, “trauma”, or even the t-word “therapy”. It was more so talking about it without talking-talking about it.
My interest in psychology and the human condition stemmed from sheer curiosity and my parents, two very different though similar people. One is a daughter of Greek immigrants from Crete, who grew up trying to fit in with the kids with white bread sandwiches and rebel against traditional parenting from the motherland. The other is a son of Black migrants whose roots had been in the South, who grew up watching the Watts Riots from his roof as a boy and who later became a Los Angeles Fire Department paramedic and firefighter.
For those who are interested in why a part of my practice is focused on the Fire Department Community…
I grew up in Los Angeles (“The Valley” for those more familiar with the area) as a mixed kid in the 90s who’d chase down the ice cream truck, scrape my knees while trying to unsuccessfully roller blade, and have “wars” with other kids while we lobbed spiked seed pods from the liquid amber trees. Being a kid with a dad in the fire department had its perks of having the most venerated parent on “bring your parent to school” day, and also being able to visit the fire house and climb all over the rigs.
However, until I got older, what I didn’t realize was how different it was compared to others. So other families didn’t have a dad/mom who’d be gone for four days in a row leaving the other parent as the main caregiver while balancing a full-time career? So it’s not normal to feel extra anxiety when there’s news about a brushfire that’s started somewhere? And other houses don’t have a plaque hanging somewhere with the title of your parent’s profession and the word “prayer” in it, hoping that they come home safely that night? Huh. Gotcha.
Having a family member who’s a first-responder comes with a unique set of experiences, from really awesome to real stressful. Having a space to talk and be understood can make a huge difference in being able to feel less anxious, sleep better, and interact in a more relaxed way with other family members and friends.
Education
MA Counseling Psychology- The Wright Institute 2011-2013
BS Psychology, minor Philosophy- Santa Clara University 2005-2009
Corporate + Educational Institution Experience
Workday, US + EMEA, Dec. 2021- “Risk Screening & Mental Health” workshop
Coinbase, San Francisco, Apr. 2021- “Defining Your Needs” workshop
Santa Clara Unified School District, Santa Clara, Mar. 2021- Three part series for BIPOC staff on self care and their profession
Coinbase, San Francisco, Feb. 2021- mental health therapist panel
Santa Clara Unified School District, Santa Clara, Jan. 2021- “Re-charge, Re-center, Reflect” workshop x3
University of California Hastings, San Francisco, Sept. 2020- “Stress + the Brain” workshop
Work Experience
Santa Clara Unified School District, Santa Clara- Wellness Coordinator
Family and Children Services of Silicon Valley (as of 7/1/17 Caminar), San Jose- Mental Health Therapist
Richmond Area Multi-Services, San Francisco- Mental Health Therapist and Mental Health Consultant
Bayview-Hunter's Point Foundation Youth Services, San Francisco- Case Manager
San Francisco Unified School District Wellness Initiative, San Francisco- Mental Health Therapist, Community Health Outreach Worker
...for more details please don't hesitate to ask or feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile, Psychology Today profile, or TherapyDen profile.