Catherine Bustos

I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor. My work is trauma-informed and built for people who serve: law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, veterans, and nurses. I also work closely with families who have lost someone in the line of duty or to suicide. Grief after death has its own weight, and survivors deserve someone who understands both the loss and the world it came from. My education includes a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, and I'm currently completing doctoral work at Walden University focused on mental Health with an emphasis on organizational psychology. I also bring my own 25 years in law enforcement into the room. That doesn't mean I make it about me. It means I understand shift work, the chain of command, the fear of being labeled unfit for duty, and the dark humor that gets people through a bad night. You won't have to defend or explain the culture to me, and I won't pathologize the parts of it that keep you going.

My approach is trauma-informed from the first session. That means you set the pace, you decide what we talk about and when, and nothing gets forced. Many of my clients have spent years pushing things down because the job required it. Pulling that apart takes trust, and trust takes time. I'd rather go slower and get it right.

In practice, I use EMDR, CPT, CBT, and grief-focused therapy, chosen to fit what you need. I'm practical. I want you to leave sessions with something you can use, whether that's a way to get your sleep back, a way to talk to your spouse about what happened, or a way to carry a loss without it running your life.

The first session is mostly about getting to know each other. You don't have to tell me the worst thing that ever happened to you on day one, and I won't push for it. I'll ask what brought you in, what's going on at work and at home, and what you want to be different. If you don't know yet, that's fine. A lot of people come in only knowing that something isn't right.

I'll also be straight with you about confidentiality, including what stays between us and the few situations where the law requires me to act. I know that question weighs heavily on people in uniform, especially when a career feels like it's on the line, so we'll cover it up front rather than leave you wondering.