MEET THE THERAPISTS

Gabrielle (Gabby) Katz is the Practice Owner of Coastal Collaborative Care. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia. She is also an approved LCSW supervisor for those working towards clinical licensure in the state of Virginia. She received her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn).

Due to her extensive experience working in eating disorder treatment centers, she received the designation of a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and approved Consultant (CEDS-C) from the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp). With this designation, Gabby can supervise clinicians looking to get their eating disorder specialist certification through iaedp.

Since 2014 Gabby has worked with clients in the most vulnerable stages of their eating disorder treatment process in higher-level-of-care eating disorder treatment settings – inpatient, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive outpatient programs. Gabby started off as a Clinical Therapist, moved to a Program Manager, and concluded her time in higher-level-of-care settings as a Program Director. Gabby opened her own private practice to help her clients with the initial stages of treatment and to be able to support them in maintaining long-term recovery in their real world. Since working in the outpatient level of care, Gabby has increased her knowledge and experience treating those with trauma as well. To help her clients reprocess their trauma, Gabby completed a full basic training in an EMDRIA-Approved Program, and is now a EMDR Therapist. She is also IFS-informed and has been trained in the Flash Technique (FT).

On top of her extensive higher level of care eating disorder treatment experience, Gabby was the Board President of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Capital Area Chapter (AFSP NCAC) from 2014-2018. Through AFSP NCAC and LivingWorks, Gabby received her certification as a safeTALK trainer. Gabby continues to provide suicide education and prevention trainings, and trainings on different topics related to general mental health and eating disorder education, to communities in the DMV area.

Kelsey received her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Loyola University Chicago. Kelsey has extensive experience working with survivors of trauma in several settings, which has contributed to Kelsey’s belief in providing trauma-informed care to every individual she works with.

Some trauma therapeutic modalities that Kelsey uses are IFS-informed and the Flash Technique (FT). Kelsey has also completed Phase I Certification for the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT™), which Kelsey uses to identify interventions and explain the neuroscience behind behaviors. Kelsey believes in understanding how a person’s individualized experiences in life impact their unique behaviors and identity.

Kelsey’s clinical experience includes working with adolescents and adults in settings which include mental health inpatient, eating disorder partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, as well as in school and legal settings. She has experience in helping clients navigate through eating disorders, trauma, substance use, anxiety, suicidality, and other mental health concerns.

Kelsey is passionate about empowering clients and their loved ones as they navigate the road to living their most fulfilling life. Kelsey aims to create a safe and supportive environment where clients can be heard without judgment. She is passionate about hearing an individual’s story from their point of view, and working side-by-side to overcome life’s challenges. 

Kelsey also specializes in the treatment & care of those with neurodiversity, and those individuals who seek help during or after leaving intimate partner violence. Kelsey has received the certification of ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider from Evergreen Certifications. This certification shows that Kelsey is a leader in helping clients with ADHD overcome their emotional, behavioral, relationship, and achievement challenges so they can thrive in life.

A fun fact about Kelsey is that she loves knitting and crocheting. The cool thing about this is that Kelsey not only uses it as her own self-care, but she also likes to use it in sessions with her clients. Kelsey has taught numerous clients how to crochet in session. Kelsey’s trauma-informed therapy and neuroscience specialization help her incorporate crocheting as a tool of bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is stimuli (visual, auditory or tactile) which occur in a rhythmic left-right pattern. This allows for activity in both sides of the brain which helps clients with better emotional processing and regulation. Bilateral stimulation has four main effects: 1) a relaxation effect including decreased physiological arousal, 2) increased attentional flexibility (thoughts become less ‘stuck’), 3) distancing effect (the problem seems smaller and further away), and 4) decreased worry. 

Kianta received her Masters in Counseling with a concentration in mental health from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kianta has always had a strong passion for understanding and helping those struggling with mental health conditions. Kianta is passionate about helping her clients empower themselves, to stand in their truth, while building a life worth living.

Kianta has extensive clinical experience working with adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use/abuse. Before her transition to eating disorder treatment, she worked in a community mental health setting serving individuals with severe and persistent mental health concerns, individuals and families who are homeless, Veterans, and youth. Her eating disorder treatment experience started in 2018 and spans across numerous settings which include inpatient (hospitalization), residential, and partial hospitalization. 

Kianta provides a safe space for her clients to open up, to feel heard, and to be supported. Some therapeutic modalities that she is trained in are cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and the Flash Technique (FT). She utilizes these trauma-informed modalities to help her clients understand, challenge, and modify their unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. Kianta is a realist. That is one of the things she loves about therapy. She loves helping her clients accept a situation as it is and learn to deal with it accordingly. She strives to help her clients find a path of healing, enlightenment, and empowerment to love themselves beyond their current challenges, and to accept themselves as they are in their challenges.  In polyvagal theory, we teach a concept called glimmers. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. Glimmers are anything and everything that you see, smell, touch, hear, taste or do that cue safety, connection, peace, and calmness. Actively noticing glimmers, or participating in activities and practices that bring you calmness and joy, can reduce emotional triggers. Outside of the therapy office, Kianta loves running, mindfulness practices, breath work, and photography. When partaking in these activities, Kianta is present, at peace, grounded, and connected to herself, others, and the world around her. Kianta helps her clients find their own glimmers, their own hobbies, activities, and moments, that bring them a sense of peacefulness, safety, and connection in all of life’s messiness.

Jennifer (Jenn) received both her Bachelors in Sociology and her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University. Jennifer has extensive experience working with clients who struggle with eating disorders, addiction, depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders. Jennifer has worked in a variety of settings, including: general mental health inpatient; an eating disorder residential treatment center; in-home services; outpatient services where she helped clients facing homelessness, clients experiencing crises including suicidality, and clients with severe mental health diagnoses. 

Jennifer is passionate about helping clients discover the tools they have always had within themselves. Jennifer believes the client is the expert in their own life and uses a person-centered approach in her work. Jennifer also uses trauma-informed, evidence-based, and solution-focused interventions in her work with clients. She has a passion for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She has also been trained in the Flash Technique (FT). These therapeutic modalities help patients shift negative self talk, reprocess their trauma, and improve adaptive coping skills. Jennifer likes to get creative in her therapy sessions and with her interventions. She uses tangible interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy thought logs, self-soothe boxes, coping skill lists, and journal prompts for additional self reflection. Jennifer believes that learning doesn’t stop when the session ends. These tangible skills are transferable to the real world where they are tested and tried throughout the week. On top of this, Jennifer loves to read with her clients. She calls it her “mini book club” with her clients. This process helps extend the client’s learning, processing, and reflection. It could be a book related to eating disorder recovery, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) practices, or something else that is related to what the client is working on. Jennifer will find the book, they will read it together outside of sessions, and then part of the session can be used to connect the book to the therapeutic work they are doing together. 

Jenn is a TRICARE non-participating certified provider.

Marissa received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Mary Washington and her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from George Mason University. Marissa has extensive experience working with clients who struggle with eating disorders, depressive and anxiety disorders, chronic pain, grief and dementia. Before her transition to eating disorder treatment, Marissa worked in a variety of settings, including: home-based and facility-based services to older at-risk individuals including hospice and grief counseling. She followed her passion for therapy and recovery by  transitioning to eating disorder treatment – working in both intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs with the goals of providing an empathetic, genuine and constructive space for growth and healing.

Marissa strives to empower clients and their loved ones to take back ownership of their lives by assisting them to find and utilize the strengths they’ve always had within themselves. She strongly believes her clients are the experts in their own lives and can experience healing and personal growth through regaining self-efficacy in their own abilities. Marissa utilizes evidence-based and trauma-informed modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Polyvagal Theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, and the Flash Technique (FT). These modalities assist her clients in addressing negative thought patterns, gain acceptance towards themselves and increase their tool box of helpful coping skills. Marissa wholeheartedly endorses the importance of the therapeutic process and relationship between clinician and client. She prides herself on always providing a safe, nonjudgmental space allowing clients to reach their fullest potential.

Fun fact, Marissa was a drummer for 10+ years and loves incorporating music into her therapeutic practice. Marissa has developed and led multiple music therapy groups and is hoping to become a trained music therapist in the future. Having an educational background in Psychology and Neuroscience, Marissa understands that music can be a powerful coping skill and it has also been known to improve mood, reduce pain, and stimulate neuroplasticity, the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.

Madison received her Bachelor’s in Social Work from St. Olaf College and her Master’s
in Social Work from George Mason University. She has experience working with young
adults struggling with eating disorders, personality disorders, general mental health
concerns, executive functioning, and difficulty managing life transitions. 
Madison aims to create a warm, supportive space where clients can lead the way in
exploring what’s holding them back, connect more deeply to their values, and move
toward a life that feels meaningful and authentic.
Madison draws from evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
(ACT), and mindfulness-based interventions. These tools help to build insight,
develop coping skills, and shift patterns that no longer serve you, all while honoring your
individual experience and strengths.
Much of Madison’s experience has been in Intensive-Outpatient and Partial
Hospitalization settings focused on general mental health and eating disorder
recovery, offering both individual and group support. Madison brings a collaborative,
compassionate, and down-to-earth style to therapy that honors the unique and
individual life experiences of her clients. Outside the therapy room, Madison is someone
who values humor, creativity, and the quiet magic of slowing down—all of which
often find their way into her work.