Kathleen Pederson

I was inspired to become a therapist as a young child, with the value of wanting to help others. Early in my career I had many mentors who encouraged me to become a therapist, they believed in me. In some moment, I realized I wanted to help people believe in themselves and to see their own possibilities. Validation is one of the most important tools I value as a therapist and as a person. I use the phrase, validate the other person’s reality that may be different from your own. I teach clients to self validate, to know what you experienced is true and real. I value the process of creating this safe space where one can see themselves just as they are. I ask for feedback to see if how I respond through validation fits for the client, if they felt heard and validated.

My first response is over time. I think trust is built with consistency. I tend to follow a consistent pattern in session, I try to have a beginning, middle and end to every session. The beginning can be more of a welcoming and social experience. The middle can be sharing and revealing the deeper part of a person and what they are going through. This can feel emotional and intense at times. The end, is closure. I will help a client have some closure at the end of every session. I talk to the client about next steps, how will you spend the time after the session, and confirm when we will meet next.