Following My Calling To Become A Relational Therapist
From a young age, I envisioned myself becoming a therapist. At every turn in my education, I was pulled toward the study of human relationships. I wondered what made a relationship healthy, how relationships dynamics evolve over time, and why I was so deeply affected by the people around me. These questions kept me up at night, reading and researching for hours on end.
If you asked my family and friends, none would tell you they were surprised by my career choice. I was always dedicated to building and deepening my connections with others and understanding how we influence each other, for better or for worse. This led me to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon. Later, I went on to complete my Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University.
Answering my calling opened the door to work that resonates with the deepest part of my humanity. Each day, I guide people from the belief that trust, safety, and human connection are at the root of resilience.
Compassion is at the heart of my work. When we cultivate mutual respect and emotional safety, we create the foundation for empowerment and transformation that feels sustainable.
Personalized Support That Meets You Where You Are
Today, I work with couples, families, adolescents, and adults who are dealing with trauma, relational struggles, anxiety and depression, difficult life transitions, and other challenges. I believe my clients are the experts of their own experiences, and it’s my job to bring curiosity and warmth to every session.
My approach is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and attachment theory, which honor our innate need for safe and secure human connections. This lens helps individuals uncover the patterns that keep them stuck and isolated, opening up new ways to engage with yourself, your emotions, and the people in your life.
Fostering Secure Connections For Couples
I use EFT alongside the Gottman Method to guide couples in communicating more effectively and deepening their emotional attachments. Many couples get trapped in painful patterns that feel impossible to escape. Maybe one partner reaches for connection while the other pulls away, or perhaps both have surrendered to silence, which creates its own kind of noise in the relationship.
My role as a couples therapist is to help you and your partner look at these patterns with fresh eyes and understand what has made change so difficult. Together, we take risks. We tap into vulnerable emotions, and from there, we create new patterns grounded in authentic insights into both of your emotional experiences.
Previous to working at RCC Colorado, I trained across three specialized clinics, including the Center for Family and Couple Therapy, where I conducted over 400 sessions with couples, families, and individuals. Watching clients move towards secure, loving connections solidified my commitment to EFT.
Supporting Families Through Relational Hardships
If one family member struggles, the whole system feels it. I know this firsthand. As a family therapist, I ensure each person feels seen and emotionally safe. We slow down cycles of blame and withdrawal to make room for the vulnerable feelings underneath.
When a family can explore hurt, longing, or fear of disconnection together, hostility gives way to empathy and avoidance can transform into connection. Attachment-based family therapy guides each person toward a felt sense of safety so the whole system can reorganize around trust and belonging.
Empowering Adolescents Toward Self-Discovery
Supporting adolescents through anxiety, depression, life transitions, social pressures, and identity formation is some of the most rewarding work I do in therapy. I grew up navigating the same social and digital pressures my younger clients face today, granting me with a unique, relatable perspective that lays the groundwork for a strong therapeutic relationship.
I incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and attachment-based approaches to help teens challenge unhelpful thought patterns, build positive coping skills, and gain honest insights into their emotional lives. As they discover lasting self-worth and confidence, adolescents step into the driver’s seat of their own lives and enjoy healthier relationships with themselves and others.
Previously, I worked as a Campus Connections Therapist, supporting at-risk youth ages 10 to 18 in an afterschool program. I collaborated closely with parents, teachers, and social workers to provide wraparound care, and I draw heavily on these experiences to help adolescents in counseling today.
Walking With You Through Trauma Healing
Trauma shows up in many forms. In the body, it can manifest as chronic pain, fatigue, or a tightness in your chest that just won’t go away. In relationships, it might appear as difficulty connecting with others or keeping those bonds healthy. Many of us who have experienced trauma can frequently live in chronic dysregulation, and the ripples touch every part of life.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I believe the patterns holding you back today are the same ones that once kept you safe. I honor how your nervous system has adapted while gently inviting you to a new way of relating with the world, one marked by empowerment, belonging, and feeling at home in your own skin. We move at your pace to discover the resilience your body and mind already hold.
During my time at the CSU Trauma and Resilience Assessment Center, I helped create therapy support plans that fostered post-traumatic growth for clients from age 5 to late adulthood. That experience shaped my strengths-based, client-led approach, allowing me to hold each person’s story, honoring how difficult chapters leave their mark.
My Philosophy
My most important role as a therapist is my role as a human being. For me, that means letting go of assumptions, leading with curiosity instead of judgment, staying grounded in each session, and letting you be the expert of your own experience. A little humor never hurts, either! Sitting across from people who trust me with their stories is a privilege I will never take lightly.
I aim to create a space where trust and security come first so that together, we can explore the patterns that are keeping you stuck, harness the strengths you already possess, and understand how your experiences have influenced the way you relate to others.
My Life Outside Of Therapy
Showing up for myself is also how I show up for my clients every week. Outside the therapy room, I fill my own cup through connection, movement, adventure, and intentional rest. You might find me baking sourdough goodies for my friends, practicing yoga, hiking with my partner, FaceTiming with someone I love, planning my next trip, or curling up on the couch with a good book or TV show.
Investing in yourself and your relationships through attachment-based therapy can change your life. If you would like to learn more about working together, I invite you to schedule a consultation using the button below. I would be honored to walk with you on this path.
Kaitlyn Henner is a therapist at RCC Colorado in Boulder, CO, where she works with couples, families, and individuals, including adolescents and young adults. Kaitlyn is trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), Certified Gottman Level 1 Couples Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy for Youth and Adults, Clinical Application of Compassion (Through the NICABM), and Certified Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS). Kaitlyn earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon and completed her Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialty in Marriage and Family Therapy at Colorado State University.
