Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Kay.
Hi Charlotte, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I studied biology as an undergrad because it was the closest option to zoology at my university—I was drawn to animals and the natural world. By the end of four years, I had become intrigued by forensics and animal behavior and briefly wondered what it might look like to move far away and do work like Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey.
After graduating, I spent 15 years in environmental planning for the State of California. During that time, I went to massage school, completed a yoga teacher training while exploring Ayurveda, and learned mindfulness meditation as I gradually clarified what truly resonated for me. I considered returning to school for criminology but ultimately felt more drawn to the emotional and psychological dimensions of human behavior and healing.
That’s what led me back to graduate school for counseling psychology. I’ve been a licensed therapist in California since 2014 and recently became licensed in Colorado. I truly love this work as it brings together my longstanding curiosity about behavior with my commitment to easing suffering and supporting meaningful growth.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to where I am now wasn’t easy. After college, I felt completely lost, both professionally and personally, and landing a steady job with the State didn’t change that.
Returning to therapy became a turning point. It gave me space to explore new possibilities and start uncovering the historical patterns that had been shaping my life. I don’t regret any of the detours, although at the time the pace felt glacial.
Friends began nudging me toward psychology, and enrolling at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where depth psychology, myth, and the arts converge, was the first time I truly felt I was in the right place.
Balancing full-time work with grad school was demanding, but those weekends holed up in my quirky Silver Lake apartment, studying under windows that opened to the sky, remain some of my fondest memories. That period felt like the beginning of real alignment.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), I provide psychotherapy, assessment, and treatment planning for individuals, couples, and families. I use a range of therapeutic approaches to help clients build healthier patterns, improve communication, and address everyday challenges.
My niche is trauma-informed, somatic psychotherapy that blends depth psychology, mindfulness, Brainspotting, parts work, and attachment-based, body-centered methods. My practice is sex-positive and culturally affirming. I work with adults, couples, and families, and offer inclusive relational therapy for any form of partnership or family structure.
I treat anxiety, attention and focus challenges, depression, trauma (PTSD/C-PTSD), compulsive behaviors and recovery, stress management, the effects of growing up with psychologically immature parents, and relationship difficulties. I also provide Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). My goal is to help clients translate insight into practical, heart-centered change.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people find me grounded, practical, and dependable. I don’t scare easily, I have a strong bullsh*t meter, and I bring clear, critical thinking to my work. At the same time, I’m highly sensitive to suffering—whether in humans, animals, or the environment—which keeps me motivated to help wherever I can. I feel like I’m in the right line of work.
Many colleagues know my clinical side, but fewer know I’ve also had a handful of strange, unexplainable experiences in my life. One of the more playful ones was when a praying mantis lived uncaged in my house for nine weeks! During and afterward, I was seeing mantises everywhere—for many months.
Oddities like that keep me curious, connected to the natural world, and in awe of how much we don’t understand. After years of struggling to stay with my writing, I finally pushed past my own resistance and started a Substack, Pint-Sized Altars. My latest post,The Wall, reflects on experiences like this and my fascination with mysterious moments.
Pricing:
- My fee range is $250+ and I do offer sliding scale spots.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://charlottekaytherapy.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottekaytherapy108/
- Other: https://pintsizedaltars.substack.com/
