Our Team

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Cat Kliegle, a white person with long blonde hair, leaning forward towards the camera with their arms crossed. They are wearing a white sweater with a rainbow stripe diagonally across the front of the sweater. She is also wearing gold-framed glasses and gold hoop earrings.
  • Leadership & Admin
  • Therapist

Cat Kliegle

She/Her

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Staff Psychotherapist, Intake Coordinator

ckliegle@liveoakchicago.com

312.970.1344

English

Supervised By:

Get Answers About

  • Intake Support

Values & Philosophy

I have a tattoo that says “two things can be true” because dialectical thinking – the notion that multiple seemingly-opposing things can co-exist – changed my life. Human life is complicated; Our experiences and identities often can’t be captured through binaries. In that same vein, I believe that healing exists at the intersection of acceptance and change, and that both are crucial as we work to improve our lives.

As a neurodivergent queer person who grew up in the south, I know how important it is to have a safe space to figure out who you are, separate from all of the voices telling you who you “should” be. I sometimes joke that I’m a “professional wonderer” because I’m constantly curious. I ask questions not only so I can better understand my clients, but also in hopes that by wondering together, clients can deepen their understanding of themselves too. I also feel it’s my responsibility as a mental health professional to acknowledge ways that systemic oppression contributes to mental health challenges. Of course trauma and brain chemistry impact our well-being, and I believe that living in a white supremacist, colonized, patriarchal, capitalist society takes a toll on our mental health as well, so we owe it to ourselves and our communities to validate that!

I’m a relational therapist above all else, as I believe a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation that supports all other interventions. I incorporate a lot of DBT and narrative therapy in addition to some somatic interventions and basic IFS parts-work. I’m also a big believer in harm reduction. In the past, I’ve facilitated CBT groups for justice-involved youth and adults, worked in acute and sub-acute inpatient settings, and provided outpatient psychotherapy at a youth center. All in all, my aim is to non-judgmentally meet my clients where they’re at, and with their permission, gently push them in the direction they want to grow.

Education & Training

Licensure

LCSW, C015056
North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board, 2022

LCSW, 149.021141
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, 2019

Degrees

MSW
JMSW Program; UNCG & NCA&T State University, 2016

BSW
Appalachian State University, 2012

Areas of Focus & Specialization

  • Religious Trauma, Spirituality, and Deconstruction
  • Identity Exploration, Development, & Intersectionality
  • Sex- and Body-Positive Practice
  • Consensual Non-Monogamy and Kink Affirming Practice
  • Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation
  • Family of Origin Concerns
  • Developmental Trauma
  • Depression, Anxiety, & Stress
  • ADHD

I Work With

  • Individuals (Adults and Adolescents age 12+)

Modalities

  • Relational
  • LGBQ+ and TGNC Affirmative Practice
  • Harm Reduction
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Solution Focused
  • Strengths-Based Approach