Katherine Peña, MHC-LP

My journey into mental health counseling began long before I started seeing clients. I grew up in Bushwick and Ridgewood, raised by an immigrant family whose experiences deeply shaped how I view community, identity, and resilience. My approach is grounded in an intersectional perspective that I have refined over years of personal and clinical experience. Through my former roles as a bilingual teacher and school psychologist, it became clear how crucial it is to view every person holistically, honoring their environment, culture, and unique lived experiences.

A fundamental truth I have learned through my years working with people of all ages: real, lasting growth takes time. People don't transform overnight, and applying new ways of thinking and coping requires patience and consistent practice. I enthusiastically sign up for that process alongside my clients because I know how profoundly meaningful it is when you finally experience fulfilling progress in your life.

I genuinely enjoy connecting with people from all walks of life. Early in my career, I naturally gravitated toward clients who reminded me of myself: young women of color working to figure themselves out. Over time, however, I discovered that the clients who gained the most from our sessions were often the ones I least expected. Even without direct overlap in our lived experiences, we found deep alignment on a human level. Today, I don’t believe in a single "ideal client." Instead, I am best suited for anyone who is ready to be active in their own growth and identity formation. I use an intersectional framework as a core anchor in our work so we can make sense of the full context of your life—including the nuances, systemic pressures, and unique layers of who you are.

Sessions with me are interactive, grounded, and rooted in mutual trust. You can expect a thinking partner who meets you with warmth and clinical clarity. We will move at a pace that respects where you are today while building the momentum needed for real, long-term change. Together, we map out practical strategies tailored to your lived reality, ensuring therapy feels purposeful and directly applicable to your day-to-day life.

My goal as your counselor is to weave together everything I have learned across my careers, balancing evidence-based practices, trauma-informed care, and insight-oriented interventions. Together, we will build a foundation for deep self-understanding and sustainable growth.