kat zwick, ma, lpcc, lcpc, cgp-s, cccs

owner, consultant, trainer, individual, family & group therapist

she/her, they/them

Certified Group Psychotherapist & Qualified CGP Supervisor

Certified Coercive Control Specialist


It is a privilege to walk with others on a healing journey…

The therapy space with me is a place clients can receive understanding, presence and curiosity as well as a place we can work together to set goals, investigate struggles and barriers to change and create strategies for solutions that will work. I do this using the techniques that might work for the specific client or group in front of me rather than using a “one size fits all” approach.

I have specialized in treating and leading the treatment of eating disorders, patterns of relational dysfunction, emotion dysregulation, complex trauma, substance misuse and neurodivergent and queer and trans/gender expansive populations for 17 years. I spent five years in management at higher level of care treatment centers, including at the executive level, before stepping into running my own business where I provide therapy, training, supervision and consultation.

I also have been a practitioner and learner in the field of group and organizational dynamics and group psychotherapy since 2007. I have been running therapy groups since 2009 in a variety of treatment settings, including Residential, PHP, IOP and outpatient. I specialize in process groups and skills groups, and I am the Director of the Core Principles of Group Psychotherapy Course for the International Board for the Certification of Group Psychotherapists and the American Group Psychotherapy Association. I also have deep training and practice in the field of study known as Group Relations/Tavistock, which is a particular way of understanding how systems of people function in small and large groups and organizations and assisting groups and organizations in functioning more effectively.

Over the past four+ years, I have been pursuing training and education in the field of coercive control and cultic studies, and I am honored to work today with survivors of high-control groups, cults, institutions and relationships.

My approach to treatment is multi-disciplinary and culturally contextualized, meaning I consider clients in their whole-person context, such as their macro and micro cultural and familial realities and identities, as well as their medical, nutritional, and psychiatric needs. While not all clients need or wish for me to work with a team of providers, it is something I have a passion for and long-term experience with. Patient advocacy and assisting clients in navigating health systems is also an experience area I bring to the work, as needed.

Most of my practice areas and specializations are listed below.

We might be a good fit if:

  • You are seeking a curious and non-judgmental approach

  • You would like to change some of your behaviors or challenges

  • You would like to understand yourself and your experiences better

  • A non-dogmatic, anti-oppression framework is important to you

  • You have been involved in a high-control group, cult, institution or relationship

  • You would like help with relationship challenges

  • You are recovering from eating disorders/disordered eating and/or substance misuse

  • You would like to work on executive functioning challenges

  • You are neurodivergent, queer and/or transgender/gender expansive

schedule a consultation call with kat

special training in:

  • Organizational Dynamics, Management & Executive Training

  • Group Psychotherapy & Supervision

  • Coercive Control / High-Control Groups, Cults, Relationships & Institutions

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Adapted for Marginalized Populations

    • DBT-PTSD

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for CPTSD

  • Harm Reduction

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Trauma-Informed Care

  • Internal Family Systems

  • Psychodynamic & Relational Approaches

  • Family Systems

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)

  • Group-As-A-Whole & Modern Group Analytic Adapted for Multi-Cultural & Marginalized Populations

  • Social Justice, Equity, Diversity & Accessibility in Therapy, Supervision & Organizations

  • Patient Advocacy

special populations/treatment & supervision areas:

  • LGBTQIA+

  • Neurodivergence

  • Eating Disorders

  • Relational Challenges

  • Coercive Control Survivors

    • High-Control Groups & Cults

    • Narcissistic Abuse

  • Substance Misuse

  • Complex Trauma

  • Chronic & Acute Suicidal Ideation

  • Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

  • Borderline Personality Disorder

  • OCD

To read about RtW’s 4 years as a group practice and training site in Santa Cruz for gender affirming and eating disorder care, please visit RtW’s Legacy Page


professional memberships:

American Group Psychotherapy Association

International Cultic Studies Association

International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp) - Heartland Chapter

GAYLESTA: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists