Katie Estrella, LCSW

Katie Estrella is a licensed clinical social worker in North Carolina with five years of professional experience. She helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, trauma or grief. Katie focuses on creating a trusting space where thoughts and everyday habits can be talked about without judgment.

She centers sessions on what matters most to each person. Katie listens first, then works with clients to set small, practical goals. Conversations often look at unhelpful thinking patterns and everyday routines that keep problems stuck. She uses cognitive behavioral strategies alongside attachment-based and client-centered ideas to guide this work.

Katie also integrates relationship-focused skills drawn from the Gottman Method when couples or partnership challenges are part of the picture. Mindfulness practices are used as short exercises to calm the body and reduce reactivity. These tools are explained in plain language and tailored to each client’s needs.

Her background includes supporting people through loss, abuse, chronic illness, and complex stressors like caregiving and blended family dynamics. Katie pays attention to how past attachment experiences shape current behavior and communication. She encourages practical steps clients can try between sessions.

Sessions aim to be collaborative and down-to-earth. Katie helps people notice patterns in thinking and daily habits, offers simple skills to try, and adjusts the approach as goals evolve. The work is paced to each person’s readiness and real-life demands.

Working online with thought and habit-focused approaches

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early caregiving shapes current relationships and trust. It helps people notice patterns in closeness, fear of abandonment, and how those patterns show up in day-to-day behavior. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and acting. This approach is useful for anxiety, depression, and breaking repeating habits. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental conversation where the therapist follows the client's pace and priorities, helping people feel heard and understood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Katie will collaborate with each person to decide which strategies fit their goals, life demands, and preferences. She adjusts tools over time and checks in about what is working and what needs changing.

Confirm current session options before booking, since session formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit meetings into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow brief check-ins when needed. It also allows practicing skills in real-world settings and following up on homework between meetings. Ask about available formats when you schedule so sessions match daily life and practical needs.