What is it like to work with me?
I’m warm, direct, and collaborative. I pay close attention, ask clear questions, and share what I’m noticing in a way that helps things make sense. I’ll support you, and I’ll also challenge you when you’re ready.
My work is grounded in specialized training in Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), which shapes how I understand what you’re going through and how we approach change. I’m always considering the role of self-criticism, emotional engagement, and the ways you’ve learned to cope in relationships, not as flaws, but as patterns that developed for a reason.
You don’t need to show up a certain way or have the right words. You just need to show up.
Clients often say it feels like they’ve found a light along their path when we begin working together. Many come in feeling alone in their distress, and early on there’s a sense of relief as that experience becomes shared and understood. I’m engaged, present, and genuinely care about what’s happening for you both in session and between sessions.
My background in education also shapes how I work. I explain things clearly, offer examples when needed, and check that what we’re talking about actually lands. I help you practice new ways of responding to yourself and others as we go. Therapy isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about understanding yourself with more compassion and less pressure.
What is a typical session like?
Sessions usually start with a check-in: what’s been sitting with you since we last met, and what feels most important that day. I keep your larger goals in mind, but I stay flexible. If something feels heavy or urgent, we focus there.
Using a CFT lens, I help you slow things down and look closely at specific moments where you felt overwhelmed, shut down, or self-critical. We explore these experiences with curiosity rather than judgment, so you can better understand what’s happening underneath your reactions.
Together, we identify patterns in a way that feels clear and usable, not abstract.
Sessions are a mix of conversation, reflection, and practicing new ways of responding. This may include compassion-focused exercises that help you relate to yourself differently in difficult moments.
You won’t just leave with insight. You’ll leave with something concrete to try, whether that’s a shift in how you relate to yourself or how you show up in your relationships.
How can I help clients?
I work with people who are thoughtful, self-aware, and worn down by the pressure to keep everything together.
You may find yourself overthinking, people-pleasing, or being hard on yourself. These patterns developed for a reason, often as ways to stay safe, connected, or in control, but they’re no longer helping you in the ways they once did.
With my training in Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), I help you understand these patterns and build a more supportive relationship with yourself.
Our work focuses on:
Building self-compassion
Learning how to respond to your emotions without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down
Understanding and shifting relationship patterns
Communicating your needs more clearly
Over time, you’ll feel more grounded, more confident taking up space, and more able to show up honestly in your relationships.
If you’re ready to stop managing everything and start showing up more fully as yourself, this is the work.
Now, Courtney@bepsychotherapy.comfor the more "traditional" information:
Courtney Katzenberg joined be. in 2021 after a career transition that left her seeking a clinical internship while pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Towson University. Prior to that Courtney worked in the field of education for 10 years and received her Masters in Education from Marymount University. She brings her knowledge of the learning process to the therapy room knowing that compassion and mindfulness are skills that can be fostered in all clients when given a safe and compassionate environment to grow and heal.
Courtney has completed various trainings in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), including those with a special focus on Compassionate Parenting and CFT for Grief and Loss. Courtney is connected to the International CFT community, attending international trainings, ongoing meetings, and special focus groups.
While Courtney does not see couples at this time, she has completed training in Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples which allows her to hold a balanced view of relationship complexities while working with individuals struggling in relationship.