Katie Chen

I'm a licensed psychotherapist based in Maryland who works with adults seeking deeper connection with themselves and others. My practice is grounded in Somatic Experiencing, Emotionally Focused, and Nature Informed Therapies. I specialize in anxiety, grief, life transitions, burnout, and chronic illness. My background in visual and performance arts lends itself well to supporting creatives, caregivers, and those who give a lot to the people, communities, and passions that bring their lives meaning. Many of my clients are high-functioning people who are quietly struggling — people who are more practiced at caring for others than caring for themselves, and for whom slowing down can feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or even unsafe. They've frequently tried traditional talk therapy, done a lot of self-reflection and self-work on their own, and arrive with a foundational understanding of their strengths and challenges. Getting care in the first place can be its own challenge — whether because time feels scarce, because shifting from the role of giver into receiver feels unfamiliar or even uncomfortable, or because trusting that rest and calm are available to them doesn't yet feel possible. This is precisely why a slower, body-based approach can offer something different — one that doesn't require you to have the right words, only a willingness to pay attention. My work builds on and deepens existing insight by holding space to explore and tend to those parts that cannot be fully reached and processed through thinking and language alone. Somatic Experiencing works with the body's own intelligence — the sensations, impulses, and patterns held in the nervous system that often sit beneath words and conscious awareness, keeping us safe and allowing us to survive even the most difficult moments. Rather than solely talking about an experience, we turn toward it gently, allowing the body to process and complete its natural arc, feeling all of the related sensations and emotions that it did not have the time, space, or support to experience at the time. Nature is another powerful resource I draw on, even in virtual sessions. Research consistently shows that exposure to the natural world — its rhythms, textures, and presence — regulates our nervous systems in ways that are both immediate and profound. I find nature to be a remarkable attachment and relational resource, and invite it into our work as a grounding and healing presence. Our pace is slow and intentional, so that together we can observe your nervous system and its patterns. Attention becomes our most powerful form of care. It is my hope that we learn what support looks and feels like for you, so that we can expand your body's vocabulary into one that includes rest, calm, and regulation. My style is collaborative, gentle, and curious. I look to you as the expert of your own body and experience. I believe you hold the wisdom and understanding of what you need to become the truest version of yourself. I believe that healing happens through being witnessed deeply — in trusting relationship, embodiment, and compassionate attention to the inner world.