Katie Bangert

Areas of Support

Certifications + Training

Katie Bangert is a Licensed Master Social Worker who specializes in helping children, teens, and young adults navigate anxiety, big emotions, life transitions, and difficult experiences with greater confidence and resilience.

Katie understands that children and teens do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling. Sometimes emotions show up as worry, frustration, withdrawal, big reactions, or simply feeling stuck. She creates a warm, supportive space where clients feel safe being themselves,
exploring their experiences, and discovering their strengths.

Katie believes meaningful growth begins with connection. When children and teens feel truly seen, accepted, and understood, they are better able to build confidence, strengthen coping skills, and access the resilience they carry inside to create lasting change.

Her approach is trauma-informed, attachment-focused, and tailored to each client’s needs. She integrates play therapy, talk therapy, expressive arts, sandtray therapy, and animal-assisted
counseling to help clients support emotional expression, insight, and skill-building in emotionally appropriate ways.

Katie views caregivers as an essential part in a child’s healing process and partners with them to strengthen relationships and support progress beyond the therapy room. Before entering private practice, she spent nearly a decade supporting children and families in educational settings. That experience gives her a deep understanding of how emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges intersect across home and school environments. She has specialized training in Child-Centered Play Therapy, sandtray therapy, and Animal-Assisted
Counseling. When appropriate, Katie’s certified therapy dog partner, Teddy, joins sessions to offer a calming and comforting presence.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys hiking, reading, playing Mahjong, spending time with family, and soaking up sunshine in nature. She values the simple moments that bring joy and connection.

Children (Ages 5–10)

Young children often communicate through play rather than words. Katie uses Child-Centered Play Therapy, art, sandtray, and storytelling to help children express emotions, process experiences, strengthen emotional regulation skills, and develop a stronger sense of confidence and security.

Teens (Ages 11–17)

The teenage years can bring increasing social pressure, academic stress, and intense emotions. Katie provides a supportive, nonjudgmental space where teens can work through anxiety, self esteem concerns, communication difficulties, and moments when life feels overwhelming. Using talk therapy, sandtray, expressive arts, and therapeutic games, she helps teens gain insight, recognize emotional and behavioral patterns, strengthen coping skills, and feel more confident as they navigate life’s challenges.

Young Adults

Young adulthood often brings new responsibilities, changing relationships, and important life decisions. Katie uses a collaborative, strengths-based approach to help young adults process uncertainty, navigate transitions, deepen self-understanding, and build resilience as they create a life that feels meaningful and authentic.

Supervised by Julie Rocha, LCSW-S (Texas #375350) and Sheila Wessels, MEd., LPC-S, RPT
S (Texas #68008, RPT supervisor)