Gratitude is an emotional experience that may arise in us spontaneously, swelling our hearts with love and appreciation, and contributing to our sense of connection – to people close to us, to our community, to the many things that ultimately ground us and infuse our lives with meaning. Gratitude is also a practice that can…
I am a co-founder of Wildflower, a psychotherapist, a presenter and a consultant in the area of perinatal and reproductive mental health. Many other aspects of my personal identity shape my clinical work: chief among them is the family and immigrant background which has informed my attunement to the psychological upheaval that accompanies major life transitions and to the many sociocultural forces that impact our lived experience. In my clinical work, I am focused on helping people thrive and cope during periods of significant change, and particularly during journeys towards and through parenthood which may involve infertility, losses, depression, anxiety, and conflict. I work with people from all walks in life. Clients I work with are some of the strongest, most resilient folks I know. They don’t always feel this way, and they come to therapy feeling raw, maybe lost, and certainly quite vulnerable. It takes courage to confront your pain and struggle. I view psychotherapy as a deeply collaborative process that aims to help you discover and tap into your strengths and resources. You already have what it takes to feel better, be happier, face challenges – good psychotherapy basically helps you access all that. This can only happen if your therapist genuinely cares about and respects you and is invested in their own ongoing professional development and personal growth. I have extensive training in perinatal and reproductive mental health, evidence-based treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, sex therapy, and trauma. I earned my bachelor’s degree in international studies at the University of Chicago and obtained my master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. I often present on topics related to mental health. I am an AASECT-certified sex therapist and a certified perinatal mental health clinician. My most valuable learning experiences come from my clients: their experience, wisdom and perspective have shaped my clinical practice the most, something I am deeply grateful for. LCSW License Number:149016046 Type 1 NPI Number: 1841631132 Accepts: BCBS PPO and BlueChoice plans, Lyra, self-pay and out of network clients Pronouns she/her/hers Selected training and affiliation AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Training Bringing Baby Home Educator Training, Gottman Institute Circle of Security Parent Educator Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) training Gottman Method Level 1 training Dialectical Behavior Therapy Training Key beliefs People are stronger and more resilient than they often realize. Our culture teaches us to be fiercely independent. To thrive, we need to embrace being interdependent -- deep connection with others is essential for happiness. More about me I love the outdoors and hiking, camping, kayaking. I can’t live without chocolate. I feel grateful every day for getting to do the work I love.
It Takes a Village to Raise a Mother: Katie Caddell’s Presentation on Maternal Mental Health
At Wildflower, we believe that in order to thrive as a mother and be able to attune to her baby’s needs and feelings, the mother must be nurtured also. Our mainstream cultural narrative extols maternal independence and praises mothers that seem to juggle it all effortlessly, happily, and with little need for support. The reality…
October Is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Experiencing a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss brings on unimaginable grief. Parents not only find themselves mourning the loss of their child, but also that of their dreams, fantasies, hopes for their family, identity, and new social status. Parents often feel lonely and misunderstood in their mourning. Our society tends to have a short attention…
Being with Baby workshop series starts October 21st
We are excited to offer Being with Baby workshop series again this fall. Being with Baby is a 5-week series designed to help women build confidence in their parenting skills and wisdom, bond with their babies, and equally importantly, develop a sense of community with other new moms. The first session will be held on October 21, 2018. For more information, please contact the facilitator Katie Caddell, LCSW. Access Being with Baby flyer here.…
Why is it still so hard for mothers to speak up about postpartum depression?
In the late 19th century, American writer and new mother, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, spoke of her experience of severe postpartum depression in her now famous short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper.” “The Yellow Wall-Paper” goes on to depict the well-meaning but ultimately harmful and oppressive efforts by her physician husband to alleviate the illness by mandating…
The ABCs of Postpartum Self-Care
All life transitions, even the joyful ones which mark the beginning of a new, wished-for chapter, are tough. The transition to motherhood is even more challenging than a move to a foreign country, getting married, or setting on a different career path. Why is that? The arrival of a baby forces changes that are abrupt,…
It’s Complicated: Understanding Postpartum Emotions
I will never forget the feeling that accompanied me when I was finally discharged from the hospital following my first son’s birth. It was a glorious summer day. The blue of the cloudless sky almost hurt my eyes after being inside for what felt like a long time. I sat in the rear seat of…
Anxiety during pregnancy
Chicago Family Doulas is a wonderful organization that cares about the physical and emotional wellbeing of moms and moms to be. We were recently asked by their team to contribute a blog article on dealing with anxiety during pregnancy, as the doulas noticed that their pregnant clients frequently report feelings of worry, irritability and stress (common…
Self-care as a mindset and a practice: Redefining an oft-misunderstood concept
“There is simply not enough time for everything” is probably the most common complaint I hear in my psychotherapy practice from busy moms, busy executives, busy students, busy colleagues. The other day as I helplessly looked at my mile-long task list, I caught myself yearning for a quick fix — a magic pill that could…
New Mom, please be kind to yourself
Dear New Mom, Not long ago, you gave birth to another human being: a precious, but demanding bundle of needs that has turned your world upside down, and in the process, unsettled every idea you had about yourself, your purpose, and your path. You likely feel raw and maybe a little bit lost. Maybe there…
