About Kathryn
Kathryn Opfer is a licensed clinical social worker in Wisconsin who focuses on stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, bipolar disorder, depression, and coping with life changes. She draws on five years of direct therapy experience alongside a longer history in social work. Kathryn focuses on helping people find practical steps forward when life feels overwhelming.
She approaches sessions with respect for each person's knowledge of their own life. Conversations are collaborative and paced to match what feels doable.
Background and approach
Kathryn often uses straightforward tools to manage mood swings, reduce anxiety, and build confidence. Her work blends talking and skill practice. Clients learn ways to spot unhelpful thoughts, try different behaviors, and use mindfulness to steady strong emotions.
Kathryn also uses motivational interviewing to help people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward change. She has experience supporting people who identify with autism or Asperger syndrome, caregivers under stress, and those feeling isolated or stuck. Kathryn also addresses communication struggles, dependent personality patterns, and questions about sexuality and life purpose.
Sessions include goal-setting and regular check-ins so progress stays focused and practical. Kathryn aims to make therapy readable and usable, with tools that people can apply between sessions. Her style is warm, direct, and solution-oriented.
Practical therapy approaches for online care
Kathryn uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in ways that are easy to use online. CBT helps people notice unhelpful thought patterns and try different behaviors; it is often used for anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. DBT focuses on emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills, which can help with mood swings and urges to self-harm.She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to keep the work grounded in each person’s priorities. That means sessions begin by listening and setting goals together, then testing approaches that fit the client's needs and preferences. Choosing the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process that can change as progress is made.
Online therapy offers flexibility for different rhythms of life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and sharing of worksheets. Phone sessions work when bandwidth is low or a quicker check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief updates, asking questions between sessions, or working through small skills in real time. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent without major scheduling disruptions.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 5 years
- Licensed
- Wisconsin
- Languages
- English