Meet Kathryn Alvarez of Kathryn Alvarez, M.Psych Coaching and Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Alvarez.

Hi Kathryn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a California native, born and raised, and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to work in a field that helped people. At 19, I was a peer counselor at Orange Coast College, with dreams of transferring to Chapman University to earn a degree in psychology.

At 22, my life took a detour. I was blessed with my son at 22, and at 25, I was blessed with my daughter. I put my college dreams on hold to work full-time and raise my children. Even though I couldn’t pursue a career in mental health at that time, I found ways to give back. I worked with children at a homeless shelter, mentored teen moms, taught Sunday school for children with autism, and helped a non-profit fighting child abuse connect with the community for much-needed resources.
Volunteering was deeply fulfilling, but that quiet, persistent dream to be the first in my family to graduate from college and work in mental health never went away. It stayed with me like a small, steady voice reminding me that it wasn’t too late.

By my mid-thirties, I was ten years into a career that made me miserable. I realized I was stuck in a loop, repeating the same patterns that kept me from growing. This time, I decided to break the cycle. I started taking a few night classes, and eventually, I went back to college full-time.
It wasn’t easy. I was working full-time, raising three children, and going to school. It took me over ten years to complete my B.A. in Social Science, my M.A. in Psychology, and my certified coaching program, but I finally did it.

I didn’t realize how long the journey would take when I started, but I knew one thing for sure: time would pass either way. I could reach that age with my degrees and the career I’d always dreamed of, or I could stay in the loop. I chose to move forward.
Today, I am a mental health coach specializing in ADHD and supporting the neurodiverse community. I recently completed my first book, The ADHD Book of Tools, which will be released in a couple months.

My journey into this work began in 2002 when my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD. At the time, resources were scarce, so I immersed myself in every book I could find. Over the past 23 years, the passion I discovered as a mom has only deepened, and I now blend it with my professional training and degrees to support the neurodiverse community and the loved ones who support them. I’m what some might call a late bloomer, completing grad school and starting my own practice in my forties, but now I get to spend my days doing the work I always dreamed of. My story is proof that it’s never too late to become who you were meant to be.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Going back to school later in life while working full-time and raising three children had its fair share of ups and downs. There were moments I didn’t know how I’d pay for my textbooks, but somehow, at the last minute, God always provided a way. In the middle of grad school, my older children’s dad, who was also my best friend, passed away at the age of 55 from cancer. Our entire world changed overnight. That was, without question, the hardest thing our family had ever been through.

After graduating, I opened my own practice and, ironically, started making less than I did before earning my degree. Leaving a salaried position to work for myself was terrifying, a true leap of faith. For several years, I earned less than I had in my previous career, and that planted seeds of self-doubt. How could I have a master’s degree, finally feel aligned with my purpose, and still struggle to pay my bills?

We often hear about success stories, but not about the gray area, that “waiting room” season life sometimes places us in. You’re no longer where you used to be, but not yet where you want to be. It’s in that space where fear and doubt can creep in… but it’s also where the deepest growth happens.
Life gave me a few detours, but I’ve learned that sometimes those detours lead to the most beautiful destinations.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, I run a private practice and also work with Shimmer, an incredible coaching platform dedicated to ADHD coaching and supporting the neurodiverse community. In addition to specializing in ADHD and neurodiversity, I’ve taken certification courses in trauma and family systems, which allows me to support clients with a deeper understanding of how past experiences and relational patterns shape their current lives. I help clients navigate relationships, boundaries, career challenges, life transitions, and personal growth. I take a holistic approach, focusing on helping each person build systems that support emotional regulation, balance, and self-compassion. My mission is to provide tools, guidance, and hope so that my clients can thrive in ways they might not have thought possible.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
KathrynAlvarezMPsych.com

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kathrynalvarezmpsych.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-alvarez-m-psych-0062a51b