Kim Liberatore is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with over 14 years of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and parents. She specializes in issues of trauma, attachment, and adoption with children and families. Ms. Liberatore has significant experience and enjoys working with teenagers struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, phobias, body image, self esteem, eating disorders, trauma, anger management and self harm.
Ms. Liberatore has extensive training and experience in a variety of treatment modalities which she provides to children, adolescents and families including: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC), Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment (SMART), the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), and the Circle of Security.
Kim has specialized training in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), which is an innovative and highly effective form of treatment that integrates horses into the therapeutic process. Kim is dually certified as an Equine Assisted Psychotherapist and a Therapeutic Riding Instructor.
Kim has provided clinical consultation to the Department of Children’s Services in the state of Tennessee on the emotional and relational needs of children in the state foster care system.
Additionally, Ms. Liberatore has experience addressing the therapeutic needs of children in educational settings, particularly in areas of ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, sensory processing disorders, and test anxiety.
Ms. Liberatore provides play therapy, parent coaching, bonding/attachment therapies for children and parents and a variety of treatments for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. Kim provides therapy to children aged 2 and up and specializes in issues related to family and/or parent/child conflict, child behavior issues, AD/ADHD, anxiety, sensory issues, attachment disruptions, all areas of trauma, foster care and adoption.
Kim has significant training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) which is a comprehensive framework for working with children, teens and parents who have experienced trauma and attachment disruptions. Ms. Liberatore has completed Level 1 training with Dan Hughes, the founder and developer of DDP and Level 2 training with Dafna Lender, Theraplay® and DDP trainer.
Ms. Liberatore completed a 52 hour training course in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 2022. EMDR is an evidence based model for treating trauma. This course, accredited by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) has trained Kim to provide this valuable method to clients.
Kim has been a therapist with Oak City Counseling since 2016 and also serves as Clinical Director, overseeing supervision and training of other clinicians.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, University of Florida
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Minor in English, University of Florida
Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling, University of Florida
Education Specialist Degree in Mental Health Counseling, University of Florida
Licenses, Certifications & Awards:
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, State of North Carolina, 2016
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)-55 hours-2022
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Level 1, 2020
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Level 2, 2021
Registered Parent Educator, Circle of Security International, 2015
Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International, 2012
National Certified Counselor, National Board for Certified Counselors, 2010
Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapist, OK Corral Series, 2009
Relationship Education Facilitator, The Prevention & Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), 2008
Professional Activities & Memberships:
National Board for Certified Counselors
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
Presenter, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Statewide Foster Parent Conference, 2015
Kim currently has a waitlist for new clients