Kathleen McShane, MA, LCPC, CCTP, Clinical Director

Kathleen is not currently accepting any new clients.

“People start to heal the moment they feel heard” – Cheryl Richardson.

Kathleen McShane, MA, LCPC, CCTP (she/her pronouns) is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified clinical trauma professional.  She is also the Director at Begin Within Therapy Services, Inc. She uses a client-centered, attachment-based approach in the treatment of her adult clients. Kathleen specializes primarily in trauma, as well as women’s issues such as grief and loss, infertility, mood disorders during pregnancy and during the post partum period and post-divorce recovery. Kathleen is a certified clinical trauma professional through the International Association of Trauma Professionals and is able to use EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy in the treatment of trauma. She has completed the Traumatic Stress Studies certificate program through the renowned Trauma Center at the Justice Research Institute in Boston (while it was under the supervision of Bessel van der Kolk). She also specializes in couple’s issues using a combination of the Gottman method and emotionally focused couples therapy. She has experience with adoption, foster care, medical trauma, depression, anxiety and a variety of special needs.

Kathleen has worked with children and families for 22 years. Kathleen spent seven years working for a local adoption agency working with couples experiencing infertility, adoptive families and adopted children. Kathleen has also worked extensively with children and families of children with special needs.

Kathleen received bachelors degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. She received her masters degree in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Kathleen has completed the Postpartum Support International certificate program in the care of perinatal mood disorders. She is also a certified clinical trauma professional through the International Association of Trauma professionals. She is trained in EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). She has completed several major trainings in her field, including the Gottman Method of Couples Counseling: Level 1 and Level 2, as well as level 1 training in Theraplay. She has completed numerous trainings on the topics of attachment and adoption.

Kathleen is an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.

Contact Kathleen at Kathleen@beginwithinchicago.com.