Dr. Katie Penry

Hi! I’m Dr. Katie Penry, a licensed clinical psychologist (PsyD, Wheaton College) with over 15 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families build stronger connections, deepen self-awareness, and prevent future distress

My journey began in traditional outpatient and hospital settings, evolved through over a decade of private practice, and now extends into the digital realm where I blend evidence-based therapy and assessment with cutting-edge technology to scale compassionate mental health car. You can find out more about my assessment practice by visiting PENRYPSYCHOLOGY.COM

I bring a relational, prevention-focused approach rooted in:

• Psychodynamic & Family Systems Therapy: Exploring early patterns and relational dynamics to foster lasting change
• Empirically Validated Interventions: Including CBT, DBT, ACT, solution-focused interviewing, and mindfulness-based strategies
• Preventive & Strengths-Based Care: Identifying risk factors early and building on your existing strengths to support resilience
• Technology-Enhanced Support: Leveraging AI-driven insights and digital tools to personalize and extend the reach of care

Whether you’re seeking stronger relationships, relief from anxiety or mood concerns, or proactive wellness strategies, I’m here to partner with you in creating a tailored path toward lasting wellbeing.

If you are seeking deep and thorough diagnostics using validated measures with comprehensive reporting, I also have a robust assessment practice which we will book via private pay.

Here’s what you can expect when we work together:

A Warm, Collaborative Partnership I begin by creating a safe, non-judgmental space where your story matters. You’re the expert on your life; I’m here to listen deeply, reflect back what you’ve shared, and help you uncover patterns you might not see on your own.

Relational, Strengths-Focused Style

• We track not just “what” you’re experiencing, but “how” it shows up in your relationships, with yourself and others.
• I lean into what’s already working for you, your strengths, values, and coping skills, and build from there, rather than starting from deficits.

Empirically-Grounded, Yet Flexible

• I draw on a toolkit of evidence-based approaches (CBT, DBT, ACT, mindfulness, solution-focused interviewing).
• If something isn’t clicking, we’ll pivot, because your unique needs always guide which intervention makes sense.

Psychodynamic & Family Systems Lens

• We explore early life themes and family patterns that still influence you today.
• You’ll gain insight into recurring relationship dynamics and learn how to shift them toward healthier, more fulfilling connections.

Prevention & Resilience Building

• Beyond treating symptoms, we look upstream: identifying warning signs of stress, burnout, or relational strain before they take hold.
• You’ll walk away with self-care practices and “early warning” cues tailored to your life.

Tech-Enhanced Insight

• If you’re interested, we can integrate digital journaling or brief check-in tools powered by AI to track mood, triggers, and wins between sessions.
• These data-informed reflections help us notice progress (and stumbling blocks) more quickly.

After each session, you’ll leave with:

• Clear Insight into Your Patterns A deeper understanding of the thoughts, emotions, and relationship dynamics that keep you stuck—and a roadmap for shifting them.
• Practical Tools & Skills Simple, evidence-based strategies (mindfulness exercises, communication scripts, cognitive reframes, self-soothing techniques) you can use immediately when stress or conflict arises.
• Personalized “Small Experiments” One or two bite-sized actions or reflections tailored to your goals, so you can practice change in real life, build confidence, and notice progress in real time.
• A Strengths-Based Plan for Resilience A clear set of early-warning signs and self-care practices customized to your life, so you can head off burnout, overwhelm, or relational strain before it takes hold.
• Enhanced Relational Awareness New ways of noticing how you show up (with yourself and others) so you can deepen connection, communicate more effectively, and break unhelpful family or attachment patterns.