Katherine J. Stefanelli PhD, LPC, NCC

11/26/2025

Quick little exercises to calm the system down for the Holidays and beyond. Breathing and Grounding.

12/29/2024

Publication: I am proud to announce that my empirical study which explores the effects of mindfulness on chronic stress and its influence on individuals’ perception of their mental health quality, will be published in the peer-reviewed Journal of American College Health!
From Taylor & Francis Online: JACH publishes research on health in higher education institutions, focusing on preventive medicine, community health, mental health, pharmacy and sports medicine.
I am beyond excited to add my “brick in the wall” on this important research in mental health.

10/15/2024

Thrilled to co-author two pieces of distinct research: “Addressing Empathy Fatigue in Professional Counselors: An Assessment and Wellness-Based Approach for Cultivating Empathy Resilience” - primary investigator, Dr. Megan Whitbeck and “Youth Leadership Programs as a Pathway to Female Career Readiness” - primary investigator, Dr. Mary Troy; coauthor, Dr. Samantha Herrick. We will present our findings at Pennsylvania Counseling Association in Harrisburg on October 26th!

10/09/2024

Honored to be speaking today the University of Scranton Annual Conference on Disability- the importance of stress management for providers, self-care as self-preservation, and the use of mindfulness 🧘🏼‍♀️

06/30/2024

Often we are plagued by thoughts or situations we can’t stop thinking about. This can be distressing. Often times with clients I use a principle from Gestalt Psychology which capitalizes on a perceptual phenomenon called “figure/ground”.
Look at the photo here. What do you see? You may see two faces looking at each other. You may see a vase in the center. What you see depends on perspective, in what you are attending to.
In life, what we attend to most will emerge, just like the figure in the picture. Often times when we become fixated on the “figure” or the problem or thought we can’t shake, we dismiss the “ground” which is everything else happening in life. The ground is also everything else we can’t imagine. For example, if I’m so fixated on losing a relationship, I might lose sight of what I have going for me in life, my support network, my inner strengths, and the possibility of an even better future!
Next time you worry about the future or can’t shake something in the present, consider context. Ask yourself: What else might I attend to? What else is happening that is or will be good? Who or what might be coming my way that I can’t even imagine that will add richness to my life?
Namaste

05/05/2024

Honored to give the TUA (Tau Upsilon Alpha) Keynote Speech this year at the University of Scranton, where I am also an Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Service. A big congratulations to all inductees who will go forth in service to others.

03/10/2024

National presentation at American College Counseling Association (ACA) was a success! The 8th most requested program of 85 programs overall. Mindfulness and presence is a powerful tool to help mitigate anxiety and stress. Focusing on the here and now empowers us and increases overall happiness.
Taking new clients with limited availability for spring and summer.

03/28/2023

Humans have over 70,000 thoughts a day! We do a lot of thinking!

Not surprisingly, some of those thoughts can be self-defeating and sometimes counterproductive. Sometimes our minds even convince us that our negative thoughts are really true when they are completely inaccurate. We call these cognitive distortions.

One example of a common cognitive distortion is called overgeneralizing: In this cognitive distortion, a person comes to a general conclusion based on a single incident or a single piece of evidence. If something bad happens just once, they expect it to happen over and over again. A person may see a single, unpleasant event as part of a never-ending pattern of defeat.

Fortunately, we can learn to recognize our cognitive distortions and challenge them! This helps us think more clearly, accurately, and positively. Challenging our thoughts and changing our thinking can be a powerful exercise in empowerment. So, think about your thinking today!

A licensed therapist and education specialist. Specializes in treating mood, anxiety, and stress.