Kate Mageau

LMHC, Registered Telehealth Provider

I am a mental health counselor/therapist, but first I was an IPV/DV survivor. I went to support groups at a DV advocacy agency, and I loved the experience so much that a few years later I returned to run the groups as a volunteer. This inspired me to become a therapist, and now I counsel IPV/DV survivors and run counseling support groups. I help people understand what happened, and empower them to find their self-esteem to move forward. I also wrote Rose-Colored Glasses, a memoir about my IPV experience — after every chapter there is an explanation of the warning signs as they occurred at the time.

My key values are social justice, curiosity, and empowerment. I bring these values to my life and to counseling: Through life: My friends in school to become a therapist nicknamed me "AdvoKate" and I absolutely melted. I do advocate for people, and I also show people how to advocate for themselves. I have a lot of advocacy passions, though some are: DV, SA, BLM, LGBTQ+, personal body autonomy, and climate change. I organized phone banks and canvases for, and was a precinct delegate for Bernie Sanders; I went to the CHOP almost every day; and I have spoken at city council meetings; as well as attended other protests, marches and activities. I stay on top of the news and I find ways to help whenever I can. I believe finding even small ways to give and advocate for change can be incredibly therapeutic and empowering. Though, I also like to remind people to put their own mental health first and to find that balance. We must always put our own life jackets first and take care of our own needs, before we can help others. Once we're ready, though, it can make us feel so strong, connected, and alive. Through therapy: Feminist therapy: (Social justice and Empowerment) I love feminist therapy because it is for all genders and all people: It analyzes power structures and their effects upon people. Each person's intersectional identity, along with their unique lived experience, is differently affected by the current politics and systemic structures. This model helps frame issues to show that they are likely externally caused, which can remove feelings of self-blame. It also uses education, advocacy, and strength-building to encourage self empowerment. Existential therapy: (Curiosity and Empowerment) Finding meaning, direction, and purpose in life can be some of the greatest sources of anxieties for a person. Existential therapy looks at a person as a whole, in a humanistic context, to look at all the factors affecting a person and how those manifest into anxiety. It centers on deep, introspective discussions to help a person learn how to search for answers to meaning in life, to choose the way they want to live, and help people find connectedness to the world - ultimately reducing anxiety. Narrative therapy: (Social Justice, Curiosity, and Empowerment) Society, our families of origin, and negative relationships can create narratives that people can inadvertently retain as self-talk and otherwise truth. Narrative therapy helps us deconstruct those narratives and look at other ways people can write the stories of their lives -- those they tell themselves and share with others. Fun, insightful, and empowering activities (not all involve writing!) can encourage clients to see their strengths and positive experiences in life, to make decisions to lead the lives they desire.

I write books and create resources to help toxic relationship survivors! Rose Colored Glasses teaches about toxic relationships through story, with psychological explanations written by a therapist after every chapter. Available everywhere books are sold, including Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. The Healing from Toxic Relationships Workbook and course teach people about the psychological components of toxic relationships and help people heal and feel empowered in their next relationships. I also love helping people write their memoirs — it's such a powerful tool for healing. https://www.katemageau.com/books