Catherine Elzie
Compassionate, practical therapy for mood and trauma issues
LCSW Oregon
- Experience
- 15 years in practice
- Focus areas
- LGBT, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Languages
- English
About Catherine
Catherine Elzie is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 15 years of experience in mental health who supports people facing depression, bipolar disorder, trauma and abuse, LGBT concerns, and relationship difficulties.
Background and approach
She blends practical skill-building with a collaborative stance, inviting clients to be active partners in setting goals and shaping the work. Her approach is grounded in evidence-informed practices, and she brings a straightforward, warm manner that can include appropriate humor.
Her clinical interests extend to complex trauma including post-traumatic stress, family of origin issues, and challenges related to prejudice and discrimination. Catherine also attends to issues such as chronic pain and illness, communication problems, guilt and shame, life purpose, and gender-related concerns.
Trained in multiple modalities, she integrates techniques to address mood disorders, sexual assault and abuse recovery, and multicultural considerations. Licensed in Oregon as OR LCSW L13618, she draws on training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing to tailor care to each client’s needs.
Sessions are offered online in various formats to provide flexible access to treatment.
Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Work
CBT offers a structured way to identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and to practice more effective skills; it is often used to address mood disorders and relationship concerns through concrete exercises and behavioral experiments. ACT focuses on clarifying personal values and developing psychological flexibility, helping people move toward meaningful actions even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. DBT emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness and can be especially helpful for intense emotional experiences and patterns that affect relationships.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and how different methods might fit those goals, and then adapt techniques over time so the work aligns with what matters most to the client.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase accessibility and scheduling flexibility. These options allow clients to engage in skills practice, check-ins, and therapeutic conversations in formats that suit their lifestyles, making ongoing work more manageable alongside daily responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Catherine commonly address?
What therapeutic style can clients expect?
How much clinical experience does this clinician have?
What are the clinician's credentials and location?
Are sessions available in other languages or to international clients?
Which session formats does she offer?
How is cost handled for ongoing sessions?
What steps are needed to begin working together?
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Licensed
Oregon
Languages
English