Cait Krulock
MSW, LSW | Therapist
they / them
What draws me to this work is a deep-seated belief in the human capacity for transformation and the profound honor of witnessing a client's journey toward reclaiming their life. I am driven by a core set of values centered on social justice and the conviction that no one should have to navigate their darkest moments in isolation. I love what I do because it allows me to show up as my authentic self to build genuine, healing connections that foster real change. There is an incredible fulfillment in providing the understanding and specialized support that I once sought myself, bridging the gap between clinical expertise and lived experience.
Therapy, for me, is about creating a space where you can explore your history without the pressure to censor your reality or "perform" wellness. Rather than pathologizing your survival, weโll illuminate the strengths that have carried you this far and dismantle systemic barriers to make room for your most authentic self.
As an authentic, values-driven therapist, I was inspired by Open Spaceโs mission to dismantle barriers for marginalized communitiesโspecifically LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent communitiesโensuring that no one has to "shrink" to belong.
My work is grounded in social justice, radical self-care, and transparency. I believe healing happens when you feel genuinely safe, respected, and understoodโwithout judgment.
I approach therapy as an act of personal and collective liberation, viewing challenges like trauma, chronic pain, and religious harm through a lens of systemic impact rather than personal failure. I am driven by the principle that you are the expert of your own life; my role as a therapist is to provide a non-judgmental space where we can dismantle the systemic and personal barriers holding you back.
In our sessions, you can expect me to step into the room as a deeply perceptive advocate, drawing on my own lived experience to foster a connection that is grounded. I strive to foster a relationship where you feel safe enough to be your most authentic self, utilizing evidence-based tools that respect your cultural identity and personal agency. Iโll honor your nervous system and boundaries, and help you navigate lifeโs complexities with solid support and adaptive strategies, ensuring that every session is a step toward your own self-defined healing and change.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
English
THERAPY APPROACHES
Trauma-Informed
Decolonization
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Strength-Based
Narrative
IN THE THERAPY ROOM
Transparent
Intuitive
Exploratory
Justice-Oriented
Radically Accepting
YOU CAN FIND ME
Attempting to convince my wife that we should play another round of Yahtzee, looking for another hot drink, buying concert tickets last minute, falling asleep to the โMy Favorite Murderโ podcast, and traveling.
IโM ALL ABOUT
Having something to look forward to, learning and unlearning, talking to pets, and the healing capacity of nature.
Clinician Details
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Anthem
BCBS PPO Plans
Capital Blue Cross
Highmark
Independence Blue Cross (IBX)
Optum / United Healthcare
Insurance credentialing for the below panels is in progress:
Aetna
Geisinger
UPMC
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$115 (53-minute session)
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Telehealth
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Individual Therapy
Relationship Therapy
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Preteens / Tweens (11-13)
Adolescents / Teens (14-18)
Adults (18+)
Specialties
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In our work together, I show up as a competent and empathetic partner who values radical transparency and the profound strength of your lived experience. Having navigated my own journey of healing, I use my lived experience as a bridge to offer genuine validation without judgment. You can expect a safe, collaborative space where you lead the pace. I prioritize your physical and emotional safety by ensuring you maintain full agency over your healing process through transparent and collaborative goal-setting.
My approach comes from a Master's program specifically designed around trauma-informed care, shifting the focus from "what is wrong" to understanding the adaptive ways your body has survived. I utilize evidence-based interventions while remaining sensitive to how systemic factors and past experiences shape your current neurobiology and behavior. Rather than pathologizing your survival, I recognize the profound strength it took to get here.
In the therapy room, I integrate evidence-based modalities tailored to your needs as well as knowledge on regulating your nervous system. I maintain strict professional boundaries and practice cultural humility to prevent re-traumatization and foster a secure therapeutic alliance. My goal is to empower you with tangible grounding tools while honoring your cultural context and personal agency, ensuring you never feel alone or re-traumatized in the process.
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As your therapist, I show up with a dedicated, steadfast, and authentic presence, rooted in my own lived experience navigating the complexities of health challenges. I aim to validate the grief and invisibility often associated with these conditions, ensuring you feel truly heard and supported in your journey. In our sessions, you can expect a collaborative partnership that prioritizes your agency and pacing to prevent burnout or flare-ups.
My social work study, training, and practice allow me to view chronic illness and pain not as personal failings, but as profound stressors that impact the entire nervous system. I understand that living with chronic conditions affects not just your body, but your relationships, your identity, your daily functioning, and your sense of self. The exhaustion isn't laziness. The need for rest isn't weakness. The grief is realโand it deserves to be honored. Together, we'll acknowledge both the visible and invisible impacts of your condition, creating space for the full complexity of your experience.
In our sessions, I weave together grounding techniques to help regulate pain responses, psychoeducation to understand the mind-body connection, and mindfulness-based interventions to manage symptoms. We'll work at your pace, building sustainable coping strategies that respect your body's limits rather than pushing through them. By combining clinical competency with genuine compassion, Iโll provide you with tangible tools to navigate your diagnosis while honoring the resilience you demonstrate every day. Through this work, you'll develop ways to hold both the reality of your condition and the possibility of meaningful lifeโnot in spite of your illness, but alongside it.
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While working with you, I offer a genuine and unwavering presence, informed by my own lived experience of deconstruction and healing. I strive to honor the bravery it takes to navigate high-control environments, ensuring you feel empowered to redefine your own values and spiritual autonomy. In our work, you can expect a collaborative, judgment-free space that prioritizes your safety and agency, allowing you to process the complexities of your past without fear of being shamed.
I view religious trauma as a deep rupture of trust and identity rather than a personal deficit. I understand that leaving or questioning your faith community isn't rebellionโit's often an act of profound self-preservation.
The guilt you carry? It was carefully constructed.
The shame around your doubts? It was taught.
The fear of eternal consequences? That didn't start with you.
Together, we'll acknowledge how deeply religious harm impacts not just your beliefs, but your relationships, your sense of right and wrong, your body's responses, and your very understanding of who you're allowed to be.
In our sessions, I utilize narrative therapy to help you reclaim your personal story and cognitive-restructuring techniques to untangle harmful dogmas. We'll work at a pace that respects the complexity of deconstructing beliefs that may have shaped your entire worldview, building new frameworks that honor your authentic values rather than inherited rules. By bridging clinical skill with deep empathy, Iโll provide the tools necessary to navigate life after religious harm while celebrating the resilience of your authentic self. Through this work, you'll develop the kind of spiritual autonomy that's rooted in your own truthโnot in fear, not in compliance, but in the freedom to define meaning and morality on your own terms.
