Women Who Inspire: Katrina

Who: Katrina Todd- Wife, Mom, and LMFT, BCBA, MT-BC

Working Hard Can Start Young

Katrina has embodied the definition of hard work since becoming a violinist at the age of two.  Two. As in, two years old. I don’t even think I was potty trained until I was three, but Katrina was playing the violin.  As she got older, her first job at the age of 13 was working a paper route. At 15, she had the super sexy job of stocking raw chicken at an Air Force Base commissary.  Throughout college, she worked as a waitress. She thinks everyone should wait tables because it teaches you to multitask and work with all types of people while completing a goal. The more I talked with Katrina, the more I realized that efficiency is very important to her.

It’s Ok to Change Directions

Remember how Katrina starting playing the violin at two years of age?  Well, fast forward to her college years and of course, she decided pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Violin) at Pacific Lutheran University.  But, she realized rather quickly that sitting in a practice room for 6 hours a day wasn’t her thing.

At the time, Arizona State University was one of only five schools offering a degree in Music Therapy.  Katrina flew to Tempe, auditioned for the program, was accepted, offered a scholarship, and of course said yes to move from the damp state of Washington to the desert of Arizona.  Throughout college, she worked in various therapy locations, including speech therapy clinics, mental institutes, an early intervention program, and schools.

After college, she moved to LA and interned in developmental hospitals and psychiatric settings. Here she learned the value of staying calm as the patients could sense any apprehensions you may have.  In general, this is probably good life advice. After her internship, she began work at a practice geared towards autistic children.  She filled many roles including clinical coordinator, play therapist, behavior analyst and music therapist all while working on her masters degree in Counseling.  After working her butt off for five years at the practice, she realized she was burnt out and needed a change of scenery, so she and her husband moved to San Francisco.  This change of pace and location allowed her to slow down and figure out what was next… wrapping up her Masters degree and becoming a mother.

How to Run a Successful Practice

Ever since first grade, when she got in trouble for trying to help a classmate with special needs understand the teacher’s instructions, Katrina has realized her strength in communicating.  She has an innate sense to pinpoint quickly and exactly what someone needs who is struggling emotionally. I have since nick named her the “Therapy Triage Queen”. This talent is a huge gift that very few therapists have.  Many will try to treat the symptoms but Katrina’s approach is to get to the core of the child. Thus, this is where the name of her practice, Core Therapy, gets its name.

Core works to normalize therapy for it’s kids by calling group sessions “club meetings” which allow children to openly share their feelings.  They offer music therapy, play therapy, lego activities, gym time, group and individual therapies, cognitive therapy, parent classes, and so much more to help their patients be as successful as possible.  Summer camps are a huge success as each week offers a theme complete with crafts, science, snacks, play time, time outdoors, and music. It’s a beautiful thing to see typical children and those with special needs spending time together having fun throughout the summer.

The Goal: Efficiency

Her mom gave her some great shoe advice as a teenager, “quality over quantity”.  Katrina definitely takes this advice to heart when it comes to buying shoes, but also translates it into her work.  She works to build a strong, committed team of therapists and admin to keep Core solid. She recognizes that efficiency is key to keeping therapists, patients, and parents happy.  Children need stability and commitment from those who provide them care in order to feel safe, understood, and supported. Katrina also recognizes that providing mental and emotional support for children can be taxing, but her team is able to rely on one another to get through difficult days.  This level of efficiency and support is key to continuing to make Core Therapy a reliable source of care for its young patients.

To you, Katrina

Today, I raise a glass to the community you have created, the many families who you have supported, and the positive energy you put into this world.  Thank you for inspiring me to work hard, focus on my strengths, and always be willing to make a change. You are an inspiration to me and so many others!

For more info: www.mycoretherapy.com