Kathleen Petrak, LCPC, LPC

Kathleen Petrak is a licensed counselor in Texas who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, parenting questions, and the day-to-day weight of life changes. She speaks plainly and offers steady support while people sort through what matters most. Kathleen draws on two decades of clinical work to guide practical steps forward.

Her approach is calm and nonjudgmental. She centers sessions on the person in front of her, asking questions and offering tools rather than making decisions for clients. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is part of the toolbox she uses to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors.

She has worked in community mental health, a pain management clinic, and primarily in private practice. That variety has given her experience with mood disorders, trauma and abuse, ADHD, workplace stress, and young adult issues among other concerns. Kathleen blends client-centered care with focused, skill-based work to match each person's needs.

In sessions she aims for clear, doable steps. Conversations often include setting small goals, practicing new ways to respond, and checking what worked between visits. Her style supports problem-solving while also attending to strong feelings.

People who want a respectful, steady clinician who uses CBT techniques alongside a person-centered stance may find her approach helpful. She emphasizes collaboration and practical strategies tailored to each person's life and goals.

How Kathleen’s Approaches Translate to Online Sessions

Kathleen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify thoughts that keep them stuck and to practice different responses. CBT is helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, and managing mood and workplace challenges. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening carefully, reflecting what a person says, and letting the client lead the pace and goals of work.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Kathleen works together with each person to choose which methods to try first, and adjusts those methods as goals change. That means sessions can blend skill practice, supportive conversation, and trauma-focused steps when needed, all based on what the client prefers and needs.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and comfort levels. Video lets people use visual cues during skill practice, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat and messaging work well for brief check-ins or ongoing support between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives while keeping the same therapeutic focus and tools used in in-person work.