About

Hi and welcome!  My name is Catherine. I own Mind the Nest LCSW PLLC, a small private therapy practice on the south shore of Long Island.  We offer in-person sessions in Blue Point, NY as well as teletherapy across New York State. 

Here’s a bit about me: Born in Burlington, Vermont, I was raised in San Francisco and New York City during the 70s and 80s. I earned my undergraduate bachelor’s degree in 1997 after studying at University of Vermont and at Goldsmith’s College, London. Post-graduation, I worked in production and art departments for TV, film, theater, and print in NYC before pursuing a masters in social work at New York University in 2007.

My career in social work began with a coveted internship at the children’s inpatient psychiatric ward at Bellevue Hospital, exposing me to valuable research and insights into child development, psychology, trauma and resilience. Subsequent work included school social work in the South Bronx and Suffolk county, as well as inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment group facilitation and private counseling across NYC and Long Island. In 2015, I established my private practice in Bellport Village, NY, before relocating to Bayport, NY in 2022.

Sounds great, right? In many ways it is and was. There were also many years that I was not living a happy, fulfilled, or connected life. We don’t talk about those in online bios. But there are reasons why I became a social worker. Let’s just say a fair amount of things were pretty rough. But people helped me. A lot. And eventually, I listened. I got sober, and better and clearer, and less angry.

Some of my helpers were wonderful.  Others, poised as “the best in the field”, made dreadful errors in judgement.  I have developed a discerning eye for poor clinical judgement and am on a mission to correct areas this field has gotten all wrong. 

Now, the work we do together will be about you.  Your goals.  Your visions for the life you want.  I just want you to know up front that I do a ton of work on myself too. I will not ask of you anything that I have not asked of myself. 

When you are ready to connect, I’m here.  

“Life is slippery.  Here, take my hand.” 

—H. Jackson Brown, Jr