KATHERINE NORDELL FORT, PHD, LMHC

About Me

I am an active Pacific Northwest gal who loves to play outside--rain, shine or anything in between. As an avid swimmer, hiker, biker and runner, I am fascinated by the mind-body connection.  Although born and raised in Seattle, I have spent a number of years living outside of Washington, namely in Southern California for college and in Southern Japan as an English Teacher on the JET Program. At my core, I believe deeply in the healing  and motivational power of human connection.  I am grateful for the many synergetic experiences that I have had as a student, athlete, teacher, coach, counselor, supervisor and professor.

 

As a former NCAA athlete, I am keenly aware of the mind's capacity to help or hinder the ability to connect and tap into to one's physical, mental and emotional strength. Our thoughts often shape our beliefs and our beliefs often shape our actions--for better or for worse--and while there is much we cannot control in life, we do have the power to shape our own thinking for the positive. This can be difficult to do alone.  Lived context, personal and intersectional identity, and social support systems each play critical roles in our existential experience and when we face life's challenges.  

 

Attempting to deal with stress, grief, trauma, and life transitions in isolation does not allow for the essential footing and reflective support that is available when we do so in partnership. In that capacity, I believe that my work as a counselor (and likewise as a supervisor and counselor educator) is quite simple--to listen, see, and connect to the person across from me.  Deeply listening to a client's unique lived experience, their formation of self-concept, and their authentic story helps me to see them for the internal strength and resilient capacities that have supported them throughout their life, and this allows for the essential connection that comprises the therapeutic bond (Safran & Muran, 1998).  In doing so, I am able to reflect upon and explore these assets and motivations with the client in order to best support them in navigating whatever situations have brought them to work with me.

 

Current Positions

I am a Core Faculty in the Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D. Program at Antioch University Seattle and hold a Doctorate in Counseling from Oregon State University. In private practice, I provide 1:1 counseling, career coaching and supervision. 

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Credentials

Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

Washington State Approved LMHCA Supervisor

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Oregon State University, Ph.D., Counseling (2014)

Seattle University, M.A. Ed., Counseling (2007)

Scripps College, B.A. Politics & International Relations; Asian Studies (2002)

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Counseling

I have worked in private practice, conducting both post-graduate level/pre-licensure clinical supervision and 1:1 counseling since 2011, supporting clients as they navigate life transitions (personal or career) and find their strengths and resilience through the challenges that come with being human. I have also worked as a college counselor, supporting students with personal counseling needs and career decision making/planning. In that role, my work primarily focused on supporting first-generation and international college students. My research is centered on resilience, educational persistence, cross-cultural counseling applications, Feminist Counseling theory, and furthering effective dialogues on social and racial justice in counselor education.  

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Teaching

I have taught in undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level Human Development, Clinical Mental Health and Counselor Education and Supervision departments.  I have developed curriculum for international student programs, intersectional identity development, career counseling, gender identity in counseling, multicultural competence, and mindfulness.  As a college counselor, I developed and co-led LGBTQIA+ Safe Space Programs and provided group counseling support and mentorship to a number of student groups. As an undergraduate faculty member, I have taught a wide variety of Human Development classes such as Career Exploration, International Student First Year Experience, Race in the United States, and Practicing Mindfulness. At the graduate level, I have served as Department Chair for the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Program and Co-Chair of the PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision (CES) Program at Antioch University Seattle.  My current assignment is Core Faculty in the PhD program, where I mainly teach Supervision and Instructional Design courses. When assigned to the CMHC Program, my teaching  focused on clinical experiential courses such as Communication & Counseling Skills, Career Development and Counseling, Counseling Theories & Practice, Group Counseling, and Internship Case Consultation/Supervision. I have also served the CMHC and CES Programs as Outcomes Chair and CACREP Liaison.

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Citations

Muran, J. C., & Safran, J. D. (1998). Negotiating the therapeutic alliance in brief psychotherapy: An introduction. In J. D. Safran & J. C. Muran (Eds.), The therapeutic alliance in brief psychotherapy (pp. 3–14). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10306-010