Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Langston.
Hi Catherine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was 5 years old, my parents went through a really tough divorce and as a result, my sister and I were placed into therapy to help us process all the conflict and change that occurred. I don’t remember much about what I did or talked about in therapy, but I do remember exactly how it made me feel. While my day-to-day life felt unpredictable and completely out of my control, I knew for certain that for 45 minutes a week every Wednesday, I got to go to a place where I felt completely safe, accepted, and seen. By the time I was 6, I knew that I wanted to provide the same safety, consistency, and warmth to other people one day. Opening my own private therapy practice to support children, teens, young adults, and families in the DFW area has truly been a dream 24 years in the making.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My last semester of graduate school for my Master’s in counseling occurred in the Spring of 2020, and as you can imagine, it was a very strange time. Becoming a therapist already poses many challenges including many years of higher education, hundreds of hours of unpaid internships, and 3000 hours of supervision to name a few. Navigating all of this during a global pandemic made it all the more challenging. There were moments of sadness such as not getting to have any kind of graduation with or goodbye to my amazing professors and cohort who I had worked alongside for three years. There were big anxieties about trying to enter the workforce and begin a career while the country was shut down. And there were logistical questions that graduate school could never have prepared me for. (Will wearing a mask in this session make my client feel less connected to me? Should I try to do an online session with a 4 year old?) Ultimately, I think this experience strengthened my ability to adapt and be flexible to a myriad of situations, but mostly I’m just so thankful I was able to provide some comfort and support for people during such an isolating, scary time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Catherine Langston Counseling?
I opened Catherine Langston Counseling in July of 2024 after several years of working for a group practice. My office is located in a collective of other private practice owners, and having their expertise and collaboration under one roof has been invaluable. My main speciality as a therapist is child centered play therapy; the most developmentally appropriate form of therapy for children. Play is the natural language of children, and I work incredibly hard to step into their worlds and help them feel heard and understood. I’m also very passionate about working with teens and young adults, especially to address self esteem, anxiety, depression, and life changes. I think my greatest strength as a therapist lies in the true love I have for people and my ability to connect with them in a genuine and authentic way. I may not have every single answer, but I feel certain that clients will feel safe and supported while we discover them together.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
One of the books that guides my work as a play therapist is “The Whole Brain Child” by Daniel Siegel. It offers an incredibly comprehensive but digestible look into the ways children’s brains work, and offers meaningful ways to help support and connect with them. I also love listening to “The Play Therapy Podcast” by Dr. Brenna Hicks, “Where Should We Begin” by Esther Perel, and “Other People’s Problems” by Hilary McBride. Each offers different perspectives into working with clients across the lifespan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.flomocounseling.com/counselors/catherine-langston
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/catherine-langston-lewisville-tx/787768
