Kathleen Joseph & Associates - Gainesville, Florida

Brian A.

When I reached out to Kathleen I was dealing with emotional distress due to a hostile work environment. Throughout my meetings with Kathleen I felt that I was in a safe place to open up and explain to her everything that I was experiencing. Kathleen also showed a great deal of compassion and allowed me to truly open up, which usually it's hard for me to open up and speak on my internal feelings.

Kathleen provided resources that assisted me in getting through one of the toughest times in my life.

Kathleen was great and I recommend anyone in need of trusted counseling to contact her.

Camille J.

Therapy with Kathleen has offered me a safe space to explore the parts of myself that I was too afraid to explore previously. In therapy, Kathleen skillfully walks me through the use of trauma informed tools and resources that help me regulate in moments of intense emotional activation. The first time Kathleen introduced a grounding practice to me, the actions felt so simple and easy to do, yet I saw myself as too broken to benefit from such a simple practice. Kathleen patiently and compassionately walked me through the process which ultimately helped me to accept that I am not too broken, and these techniques are simple and helpful to navigate emotional activation in my body.

I once believed there were parts of me were too dense and overwhelming to explore on my own, and I was too ashamed to share them with just anybody. Since starting therapy with Kathleen, I now have a reliable and grounded space to traverse the dense and sometimes overwhelming aspects of myself. I now use those same tools outside of the therapy office. I now feel more equipped to navigate the turbulent waves of emotions that once overwhelmed and shut my spirit down. This practice has helped me build more understanding, self-compassion, and patience with myself.

For anyone in search of a therapist, especially someone that is trauma informed, I highly recommend Kathleen. I already recommend her to anyone that will listen to me celebrate how much she has supported me in my growth and development. When I meet Kathleen I feel like I am speaking with a mentor, a friend, an auntie, a sister, and a friend. Her presence is very comforting, and I always feel relieved after our sessions together. I cannot recommend her enough.

Kyle Z.

Therapy has provided me with a platform to be able to communicate the complex feelings and emotions that have been brought out through various life experiences. Good or bad, therapy provides me with a safe space to be able to express, communicate and better understand my emotions.

Kathleen's ability to provide unbiased perspective through sharing personal experiences allows for a trusting, safe, and welcoming environment to be fostered. Kathleen is able to analyze the specific needs of her clients in a way that is extremely compassionate and focuses on allowing emotions to flow naturally. She advocates for 'pause' points within the session to allow the client to sit with their feelings. This approach has helped me better understand and regulate my intense emotions.

Most recently, I had an intense wave of emotions in one of our sessions. These were emotions Kathleen had never encountered from me in such a fashion. Kathleen physically got up from her chair and knelt on the ground next to me and just held my hand as I worked through what I was going through. She coached me on breath work and reminded me that it was okay to show these emotions and after a few moments I was back to center.

I would recommend Kathleen to anyone looking to start counseling services. I have recommended Kathleen to a few people who are around the same age as me. I feel that Kathleen is able to connect with the younger generation in a way that is compassionate, understanding, but also assertive enough to have people reflect properly. I feel like therapy with Kathleen has provided me with the skills and tools to get through some VERY difficult times and I cannot be more grateful to have the opportunity to work with you. Thank you Kathleen. Always.

Taylor H.

Kathleen is phenomenal. I was hesitant to start therapy initially, but when my beloved pet unexpectedly passed away, many of my struggles and mental health concerns came to a head, and I needed help. From my very first screening call with Kathleen, I knew I made the right choice contacting her. Three years later, and doing the work alongside Kathleen is one of the best things I continue to do for my mental health. She is incredibly intuitive — always with me and clocking, even when I’m jumping around or speaking abstractly. She provides amazing anecdotes, studies, and resources as a supplement to our conversations, and she consistently makes me feel seen, supported, and understood. Therapy is a very vulnerable process, and Kathleen really understands that and encourages me to go at my own pace. She’s just the best, and I couldn’t be more thankful for her constant support over the years.

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Since starting therapy with Kathleen, I have definitely seen much progress in my healing journey. I notice that I am comfortable feeling and sharing more heavy/complex emotions that I previously dismissed as "bad" or something I shouldn't feel; now, I don't shy away from feeling multiple things at once. I also feel that I've improved with standing firm with my boundaries and communicating them in multiple areas of life/relationships.

What I appreciate most about therapy with Kathleen is how she pays attention to my multiple identities as Black/woman/queer/artist/grad student. Having a therapist understand these different parts of me makes it easier to be honest or aware about where I do need to continue digging deeper into healing, or just being okay with who I am in a world that is hostile to marginalized groups.

The aspects of each session that have been the most beneficial are how Kathleen is a deep listener, how she always asks beforehand to offer a new perspective or insight, and how she is mindful of how our bodies respond to trauma.

I would highly recommend services with Kathleen to others because she is committed to my overall well-being in a comprehensive way. I feel that I am an active player in my healing journey because she empowers me to strengthen what I am already doing well, in addition to providing me with the tools she feels would be most relevant to my life experiences.

Adia H.

Therapy with Kathleen has given me so much perspective and I am in a place where I could not have imagined in this short amount of time.

I remember my first call with Kathleen where she mentioned that she noticed that I had so much introspection, and asked how I thought therapy would be beneficial? My response was that I did not trust myself and honestly, I did not. After being in therapy for a little over a year I can truly say that I trust myself and have the tools to ensure that my needs are met. I am finally in a place where I can begin to rewrite my story!

Kathleen has a vast amount of experience and I really enjoyed how she was able to curate practices that would best help me. I am an avid reader, so I can count on Kathleen to provide a book to help, but my favorite approach is getting out of my head and into my body. When I am recounting a traumatic experience, I feel safe enough around Kathleen to get up to do stretches or different somatic practices that will allow me to come back to the present. Additionally, unlike sessions I have had with other therapists, I did not feel rushed; I knew that I could take my time recalling my negative experiences while receiving guidance on how to self-regulate.

I hope this does not seem cheesy or cliche, but I can honestly say that I had a powerful positive experience during my first session. I remember having a breakdown in the middle of the session and Kathleen helped me bring myself back to the present by introducing me to the 4-7-8 breath. She didn't just tell me what to do, she did it with me, ensuring me that I would not be alone throughout this process. After performing that technique, my mind was so quiet, and it was so enabling to know that I had the power to do so.

I have recommended Kathleen to any person I know who is having trouble. In fact, I recommended her to a friend, who is currently seeing Kathleen , and she raves about her experience. Kathleen is so affirming and knowledgeable. Her expertise allows her to provide a perspective, which allows me to receive the compassion, that others have denied me, and I have denied myself. With that being said, I would be doing my loved ones a disservice if I did not recommend Kathleen.

Shannon P.

Therapy with Kathleen has helped me to grow my sense of self and build coping mechanisms to better manage stress and anxiety. The lessons I’ve learned in therapy have improved my relationships, helped me set and achieve personal goals, and rebuilt a personal sense of bodily autonomy.

I see Kathleen individually and in her group. I have really enjoyed the group experiences, especially when members are able to showcase their talents and provide support/care to other members. The members of the group are always so positive and nurturing, and the space they help create is very welcoming and warm.

Additionally, the somatic work, particularly the breathing exercises and the across-the-midline exercises that I learned in therapy have been particularly useful to me, and I have also appreciated Kathleen’s calming presence and affirming and open nature throughout therapy.

I recommend Kathleen to other women and femmes who are seeking therapeutic support from a caring and empathetic mental health provider. I feel that Kathleen cares deeply about her clients and takes the time to understand them without judgment.

Alexis R.

Since recently starting therapy with Kathleen, I have seen improvement in how I feel. I did not realize that a lot of my recent traumas underline from childhood, teenage, and early adulthood. Every session I feel as if I’m working and slowly healing learned behaviors about myself.

I love the safe space that our session provides me. I do not feel judged or must worry about what I say. I truly feel that I am speaking with a therapist that understands and has compassion for her clients.

I also appreciate having a therapist that looks like me. Representation is important to me especially with mental health and being in a predominantly white city. There are not many minorities, especially black woman therapists in the area. I enjoy having a black female therapist that is local instead of virtual.

I recommend Kathleen Joseph to others who are dealing with current or past trauma and need to work on healing. Kathleen truly explains and breaks down trauma, diagnosis, assessments, and etc. to make sure you fully understand the therapy plan. Plus, I love the initial phone call you provide to see if you and a new client are a good fit for each other.