Kaycee Whiteside

MSW, LMSW; she/her
therapist

I am passionate about empowering folks to live a life full of meaning and connection. At the core of my client work is the desire to support people in feeling safer in their bodies, more secure in their relationships, and more fully present in their day-to-day lives.

I also believe that…

  • All humans are worthy and capable. Many of us have received messages (implicit or explicit) that lead us to believe that we are neither capable nor worthy of change and stability. By learning how to create a more compassionate space for yourself, you build more resilience to shame, and can actually start to believe that you ARE worthy, capable, and deserving of growth and change.

  • The depth of safety you feel in therapy has a direct correlation to the depth of your healing. And that safety can only be meaningfully expanded through a strong therapeutic relationship and an integrated mind-body approach. I know firsthand that talk therapy alone will not alleviate many of the symptoms and patterns that result from trauma. In order to heal, we have to address what’s happening in our bodies and how that relates to our past and present experiences.

  • To live more into the wholeness that is our birthright, we have to proactively work to counteract the impact of societal (and sometimes family) conditioning. Mainstream society encourages us to ignore our emotions and avoid discomfort— but it is possible to untangle and unlearn that conditioning by doing the work to become more open, vulnerable, authentic, and curious.

  • The things you do that can feel so frustrating make complete sense— and you don’t have to stay stuck there. As children, we develop (often unhelpful) coping behaviors to keep ourselves safe. While these behaviors protected us at one point and may still serve a purpose now in some contexts, they can also wreak havoc on our relationships— including the one with ourselves. I want to support you in developing skills to help you improve your relationships and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your chosen family.

My purpose at The Gaia Center is to provide you with a welcoming & supportive space, compassionate perspective, and valuable tools to guide you in developing more self-kindness, feeling safer in your body, improving your relationships, and designing a life worth living on your own terms.

I work with adults and adolescents individually, as well as with couples/relationships, families, and groups.

I offer EMDR therapy, and am particularly passionate about working with folks living with complex trauma (including religious, relational, and sexual trauma), Borderline Personality Disorder, and LGBTQ+ clients (as a member of the community myself 🏳️‍🌈).

I also have experience working with anxiety, depression, social anxiety, and autism. I am highly committed to changing the way our society views and treats mental health, recognizing the need for healing and justice at the individual, community, and systemic levels as we fight for liberation for all.

Credentials

  • Kaycee completed her Bachelors and Masters in Social Work at the University of Tennessee and currently holds the LMSW credential as she works toward full LCSW licensure under the supervision of Valerie Martin, LCSW.

Human First…

When I’m not at work, I enjoy advocating for human rights, spending time connecting with nature, and watching documentaries. My favorite food is sushi, my favorite artist is Hozier, and I’m obsessed with lavender (the plant and the color).

Do you want to schedule an initial session or phone consultation with Kaycee?

Kaycee works with adults and adolescents (13+).

Fill out the form on our contact page, or reach out to us at hello@gaiacenter.co or 615.270.8117 (call or text). We’ll respond within 24 business hours.

Hours & Rates…

🌱 Typically sees clients Monday-Friday during the day (all virtual).

🌱 Individual 50-minute session is $135
🌱 Individual 75-minute session is $200
🌱 Kaycee reserves several reduced-fee spots for clients in financial need; you can inquire to see if any of these spots are available. Reduced fee services are also available with graduate interns at The Gaia Center.