NATALIE CROSS-KETLER, LPC

Natalie Cross-Ketler (pronouns: she/her) is an experienced licensed professional counselor who works with adolescents, young adults, and women. Her specialty interests include: trauma and PTSD, pastoral counseling, religious trauma, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and integrating creativity and connection into counseling practice. She utilizes treatment approaches that are evidence-based and uniquely tailored to each client.

Natalie completed her undergraduate education at Walsh University, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology with a focus in pharmacology. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Malone University. Natalie continues to increase her knowledge of trauma by attending training whenever possible.

Prior to private practice, Natalie worked in prisons, safe houses, and community mental health including both inpatient and outpatient settings. Over the last 5 years, she has had many unique opportunities – such as equine-assisted therapy, and facilitating groups that focused on empowerment, accountability, and finding meaning to one’s life as well as complicated grief support – that have contributed to her passion for helping others and her clinical approach.

Beyond her clinical work, Natalie is an ordained minister and has volunteered helping victims and survivors of human trafficking to rewrite their stories, increase self-confidence, and establish a voice. She also has extensive experience working with those who have suffered from religious and sexual abuse. Because these experiences can create intense emotions and be difficult to express with words, Natalie has integrated sand tray therapy techniques into sessions to help clients process their trauma experiences in a non-intimidating, creative way.

Natalie’s approach to counseling is trust-based and relational, focusing on bottom-up regulation by utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused approaches as needed. She assists clients in making sure that immediate needs are being met, that their voices are heard, and that they feel supported to begin rewriting their stories in empowering ways. Natalie is known to use psychoeducation, humor, and expressive arts such as sand tray therapy techniques in her counseling sessions.

Her strengths include: building rapport, genuineness, empathy, non-judgmental, loves to learn, and meeting clients where they are at.