About Me

Couples struggling with recurring conflicts, individuals navigating complex relationship patterns, and communities where mental health stigma prevents healing - particularly in the Black community - need practitioners who understand both the universal dynamics of human connection and the unique cultural factors that influence help-seeking behavior. Katherine Helm has spent over 25 years bridging these gaps, becoming a respected voice in relationship therapy while advocating for culturally responsive mental health care and breaking down barriers that prevent people from accessing the support they need.

As Professor of Psychology and Director of Graduate Programs in Counseling at Lewis University for over 20 years, Dr. Helm has shaped the training of countless mental health professionals while maintaining active clinical practice at Fox Valley Institute for Growth and Wellness. Her featured column "Counseling Is for Black People, too!" in The Black Wall Street Times demonstrates her commitment to dispelling myths about therapy and advocating for mental health accessibility in underserved communities. Her multiple books on couples work and sex education, combined with her TEDx presentation, reflect her ability to translate complex relationship dynamics into practical guidance for both professionals and the public.

Dr. Helm's expertise spans couples therapy, relationship counseling, marital and premarital counseling, trauma and PTSD, multicultural mental health issues, and Black mental health advocacy. Her approach recognises that effective therapy must address both individual psychological patterns and the cultural contexts that shape how people understand relationships, help-seeking, and healing. She specialises in helping couples break destructive patterns, supporting individuals through major life transitions, and training practitioners to work effectively across cultural differences.

What sets her training apart is authentic cultural competence combined with practical relationship expertise. Helm doesn't just teach generic therapy techniques - she shows practitioners how to understand the cultural, historical, and systemic factors that influence client presentations while providing concrete tools for relationship transformation. Her 25+ years of experience with diverse populations gives her deep insight into how to create therapeutic relationships that honor clients' backgrounds while facilitating genuine change.

For your practice, expect to gain specific techniques for working with couples from diverse backgrounds, tools for addressing cultural factors in therapy, and frameworks for breaking down barriers that prevent clients from engaging in treatment. Her approach particularly benefits practitioners working with Black clients, those treating couples with complex cultural dynamics, or clinicians wanting to develop authentic cultural competence.

Quick Win: Helm's "relationship revolution" technique helps couples identify how small daily interactions either build or erode relationship satisfaction - helping to create awareness and motivation for change that transforms everyday interactions into opportunities for connection.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 2001
• M.A., Counseling Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
• B.S., Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Illinois
• Over 25 years clinical experience
• Divorce Mediation Training, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies

Authored Publications

• Multiple books on working with couples and sex education for high school and college students
• Featured columnist: "Counseling Is for Black People, too!" (The Black Wall Street Times, January 2022)
• Several publications about racial and cultural issues in mental health, couples' issues, and pedagogy in multicultural courses

Leadership & Teaching

• Professor of Psychology & Director, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, Lewis University, August 2001–present (23+ years)
• Director of Graduate Programs, Counseling, Lewis University, June 2003–present (21+ years)
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Fox Valley Institute for Growth and Wellness, October 2019–present
• Consulting Specialist, Freelance, February 2021–present

Professional Experience

• Supervisor of Clinical Training, Governors State University, August 2003–September 2019 (16 years)
• Mental Health Counselor, Hartgrove Behavioral Health System, September 1995–August 2002 (7 years)
• Instructor, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, August 1996–August 2001 (5 years)
• Provided college counseling services and created practicum programs
• Supervised MA and doctoral supervisees

Clinical Specialties

• Couples therapy and relationship counseling
• Marital and premarital counseling
• Trauma and PTSD treatment
• Black mental health advocacy and culturally responsive therapy
• Multicultural issues in mental health
• Sex education and relationship dynamics
• Family conflict resolution and infidelity counseling
• Life transitions, gender identity issues, and grief counseling
• Anxiety, depression, and coping skills development

Advocacy & Community Focus

• Breaking down mental health stigma in the Black community
• Training culturally competent mental health professionals
• Dispelling myths about therapy accessibility and effectiveness
• Promoting mental health awareness through media and education

Ready to develop authentic cultural competence while enhancing your relationship therapy skills? Discover how Dr. Helm's culturally informed, practical methods can help you create meaningful therapeutic relationships with diverse clients while facilitating genuine transformation in couples and individuals.