About Kathy
Kathy Branning uses practical, evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help people manage stress, anxiety, addiction concerns, trauma, and mood struggles. She brings 30 years of clinical experience and two professional licenses to her work: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Kathy writes in plain language and focuses on clear, doable steps clients can try between sessions.
Kathy believes each person knows their own story best and taps into those strengths.
How Kathy works
She helps people build confidence, restore motivation, and develop coping skills for panic, low mood, and self-doubt. She also addresses concerns such as body image, guilt and shame, and problems with impulse control. Her background includes long-term practice across Illinois and Wisconsin, with a steady focus on trauma, addictions, and anxiety-related concerns.
That experience shapes how she structures sessions and sets realistic goals with clients. She aims for straightforward, measurable progress rather than vague promises. Kathy works with people dealing with caregiving stress, chronic illness, relationship breakups, financial worries, isolation, and a search for life purpose.
Sessions emphasize problem-solving, emotion regulation, and building routines that support daily functioning. She helps clients talk through painful memories and find practical ways to move forward. The first steps are simple: a short questionnaire and a session plan based on the client’s goals.
Kathy supports clients as they try new skills, adjust plans, and track what helps. Her approach is steady, compassionate, and oriented toward real-life change.
What Kathy works with
The areas below are the ones Kathy selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Training and background
| Registers | LCPC, LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 30 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Illinois |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Evidence-based approaches and online therapy options
Two common evidence-based approaches Kathy uses involve practical skill building and trauma-focused work. Skill-based work teaches specific techniques for managing anxiety, panic, and mood swings such as breathing, grounding, and behavioral routines that reduce overwhelm. Trauma-focused work helps people process difficult memories and reduce their ongoing impact, often by pacing exposure and teaching coping tools to manage strong emotions.Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. Kathy will talk with each person about their goals, symptoms, and preferences, and then suggest methods to try together. She adjusts the plan over time based on what helps and what feels manageable for the client.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversations when visual cues matter. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier on busy days. Live chat or text-based messaging supports brief check-ins, skill coaching between sessions, or ongoing written reflection. These options make attending sessions easier for people balancing work, caregiving, or health challenges.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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