The Person Behind the Pattern
Hi, I'm Katie Hummel, LCSW
If you often find yourself overthinking, second-guessing your decisions, replaying conversations, dealing with intrusive thoughts, or seeking reassurance about whether you're making the "right" choice, being a good person, or whether your actions were right or wrong, you're not alone. Anxiety can complicate even the simplest decisions, leaving you feeling trapped in your own mind, especially when it's linked to OCD symptoms or anxiety disorders.
I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in St. Petersburg, FL, specialising in OCD and anxiety disorders. I also offer couples counselling for partners who feel stuck, disconnected, or caught in recurring patterns and want to find a new path forward.
I became a therapist because I believe that understanding the patterns driving your thoughts and behaviours is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself. That's the work we do together — not just managing symptoms, but actually understanding what's underneath them.
How I Work
My Approach
I'm an empathetic, straightforward, and down-to-earth therapist. My goal is to make therapy a comfortable and genuine experience — a place where you can come as you are, feel understood, and collaboratively address what's been weighing on you.
I draw primarily on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — both evidence-based approaches with strong track records for OCD and anxiety. That said, I tailor every treatment plan to the individual. You're not a diagnosis; you're a person with a unique history, context, and set of goals.
As a private-pay therapist, I'm able to focus entirely on providing personalised care that meets your individual needs — without the constraints that often come with insurance-based practice.
Learn About My Approach
The Person Behind the Pattern
Whether I'm working with an individual or a couple, I take the time to understand the whole person — not just what brings you to therapy. I believe our deep-rooted pain, trauma, and life experiences can shape the way we see ourselves, relate to others, and respond to what's happening in the present. What feels traumatic or deeply painful to one person may not feel the same to another, and those experiences can affect each of us differently.
Working with Individuals
In my work with individuals, I've found that past experiences, trauma, and deep-rooted wounds can sometimes intensify OCD, anxiety, low self-esteem, and other struggles. This doesn't mean they are the cause of OCD or anxiety, but our experiences can influence the fears, insecurities, and patterns we carry with us. Sometimes that connection isn't obvious at first, but understanding it can help us make more sense of what you're experiencing and create meaningful change.
Working with Couples
With couples, those same experiences can influence how each person communicates, reacts, and connects. Understanding what each person brings into the relationship can create greater compassion, uncover what's happening beneath the surface, and help couples move out of familiar patterns of conflict toward a different way of relating.
My goal is to look beyond the symptoms and understand the person behind them, while still addressing the concerns that brought you to therapy. Whether you're working through OCD, anxiety, relationship difficulties, or the impact of past experiences, therapy can be a place to better understand yourself and create meaningful, lasting change.
What You Can Expect
What I Bring to Every Session
Genuine Connection
Therapy works best when you feel truly heard. I show up as a real person, not a blank slate.
Evidence-Based Care
I use ERP and CBT because the research supports them — and because they produce real, lasting change.
Collaborative Process
You set the goals. I bring the tools and expertise. We figure out the path forward together.
Safe, Judgement-Free Space
Whatever you're carrying — intrusive thoughts, relationship struggles, anxiety — you can bring it here.
Background
Education & Credentials
Ready to Work Together?
If you're curious about whether we'd be a good fit, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out and we can set up a time to talk.