Meet Katy Hagenbach
I wear a lot of hats these days, but for the first time in a long time, they're hats I actually chose.
I'm a therapist, mom, wife, friend, former corporate girlie, recovering people-pleaser, pumpkin enthusiast, and someone who is endlessly curious about what makes us human.
This work matters to me more than I can put into words.
I believe women make incredible things happen every single day while quietly carrying far more than most people realize. Somewhere between achievement, caregiving, relationships, expectations, and the endless stream of advice about who we should become, many of us lose touch with our own inner compass.
Helping women find their way back to themselves is one of the greatest privileges of my life.
I’ve always been a “personist."
Looking back, becoming a therapist feels less like choosing a career, and more like finally finding the name for something I'd been doing all along.When I was little and people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered, "a personist."
It isn't a real job (or even a real word), but somehow it made perfect sense to me.
I've always been fascinated by people. Why we do what we do. How our relationships shape us. Why two people can live through similar experiences and carry them so differently. What helps us heal. What keeps us stuck. What allows us to change.
Before Therapy, there was Corporate Life
Before becoming a therapist, I spent nearly ten years in corporate finance and recruiting.
I managed teams, hired and mentored employees, presented to senior leadership, traveled often, and experienced firsthand the pressure, urgency, perfectionism, and invisible mental load that so many ambitious women carry every day.
Those years shaped me just as much as graduate school did.
They continue to influence how I understand burnout, high achievement, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the complicated relationship many women have with success. They also remind me that healing doesn't happen in a vacuum. None of us live outside of the families, workplaces, relationships, and cultural expectations that shape us.
How I Practice:
My approach is warm, collaborative, relational, and grounded in both research and genuine curiosity.
I draw from, attachment theory, IFS-informed parts work, nervous system-informed care, somatic awareness, evidence-based trauma treatment and EMDR. Rather than fitting people into one approach, I integrate what I know to meet the unique person sitting across from me.
I don't believe insight alone creates lasting change.
We spend SO much time in our heads that leaning into what our bodies, relationships, and emotions tell us provides us a richer understanding of ourselves and therefore real change and stability.
Whether we're exploring anxiety, trauma, OCD, relationships, burnout, or life transitions, my goal is always the same: to help you better understand yourself so you can move through life with greater discernment, self-trust, and connection.
Outside the Office
My favorite title is simply "mama."
My two toddlers remind me daily that life is messy, joyful, unpredictable, and rarely goes according to plan. They keep me grounded, make me laugh constantly, and reinforce many of the same lessons I talk about with clients every day.
When I'm not in the office, you'll usually find me spending time with my family and friends, writing for my Substack Modern Womanhood, strength training, rearranging something in my house, or convincing myself that planning another trip is a completely reasonable decision.
My Credentials
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA #21436)
National Certified Counselor (NCC)
EMDR Trained (EMDRIA)
M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling — Wake Forest University
B.A., Business Marketing — Elon University
Charlotte Healing Collective
Charlotte Healing Collective is a shared therapy practice I co-founded alongside two incredible therapists with a shared vision: creating a warm, collaborative space where both clinicians and clients feel supported.
In addition to seeing my own therapy clients here, I'm passionate about helping cultivate a community of therapists who value connection over competition.
If you're a clinician looking for office space, community, or future professional workshops, we'd love to connect.
Ready when you are!
You don't have to know exactly what you need before reaching out.
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, navigating a difficult season, or simply wondering if therapy might help, I'd be happy to answer your questions.