Catherine (Kate)

Catherine (Kate) McAllister

Registered Social Worker

My philosophy revolves around helping to free clients from unhelpful patterns and ways of thinking in order to fully embrace the meaningful life they want to live. I have walked alongside people struggling with a wide range of mental health and life challenges and I take a particular interest in anxiety and trauma.

About Me

I help you free yourself from unhelpful patterns and ways of thinking. I have walked alongside many facing mental health challenges, especially anxiety and trauma. We can explore what holds you back, finding new ways to move forward. My aim is to support you in embracing the meaningful life you truly want to live.

Approach

I help you uncover the hidden rules that keep you repeating the same struggles and then gently experiment with new responses so change feels doable. In my Waterloo office or via secure online sessions in English, timing is collaborative — some weeks we focus on skills practice, other weeks on deeper processing at a measured pace. Sessions blend guided exercises, focused reflection, and attention to what your body tells us, with short between-session steps to try out shifts in daily life. This way often fits adults and parents facing persistent worry or past hurt.
Contact Catherine (Kate)

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Services


Services Offered:

  • ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)

    A form of therapy that teaches acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings while guiding action aligned with personal values.

    Learn more about ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)
  • CBT

    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a structured, evidence-based approach that identifies and changes unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours.

    Learn more about CBT
  • EMDR

    Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, a therapy that uses guided eye movements to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories.

    Learn more about EMDR

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Elderly
  • Individuals
  • Parents

Area of Expertise


Scope of Practice:

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • Family Issues

    Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.

  • Parenting Support

    Guidance for the psychological challenges of raising children, including discipline, communication, co-parenting, and managing the emotional demands of parenthood.

  • PTSD

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition that develops after a traumatic event, causing flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.

    Learn more about PTSD
  • Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma

Professional Title:

  • Registered Social Worker

    A social worker registered with a regulatory body to provide social work services including therapy and case management.

Qualifications


Wilfrid Laurier University

Registrations


Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)

Social Worker

Service Area


Catherine McAllister Counselling and Consulting

In-person & Online

Waterloo, Ontario

Canada