Catherine Tamayo, MS LPCC
FOUNDING THERAPIST, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR
Bilingual in Spanish and English
I am dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and adults facing challenges related to anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, depression, life transitions, emotion regulation, and interpersonal relationships. A significant part of my career has been spent in intensive hospitalization settings, where I received specialized training under the guidance of leading experts in the fields of OCD, depression, and PTSD.
I have experience supporting children and families as they transitioned from the California juvenile detention system. I have also supported individuals who have struggled leaving their homes by gradually assisting them to regain a sense of independence, inner trust, and awareness ultimately facilitating their return to daily activities and pursuit of personal goals.
While my approach is person-centered in nature, I draw strongly from evidence-based treatment practices, including ERP, I-CBT, PE, CPT, ACT, and BA. Although knowledge and experience are important, I believe one of the key aspects of successful work in therapy comes from the strength of the client-therapist relationship. I strive to create an atmosphere of respect and empowerment for individuals of all statuses, affiliations, backgrounds and identities. I may assist in navigating but you’re the driver in your life.
MMC is founded on the value of providing an environment that feels collaborative, safe, and free of judgment.
I am a Minnesota Board-approved clinical supervisor and also provide mental health performance consultation services.
Meet Sunny
Sunny is a service dog in training being prepared to assist in a behavioral health treatment setting. His training focuses on specific, task-based behaviors that support evidence-based interventions for trauma-related and anxiety-based disorders. These tasks are intended to help mitigate physiological arousal, avoidance, and distress responses that can interfere with treatment progress.
Training Plan
Sunny is enrolled in pre-service dog training emphasizing:
Task-based behavioral conditioning and cue reliability
Controlled desensitization and graded exposure protocols
Environmental acclimation to therapy settings
Preparation for formal therapy-dog certification through a recognized organization
Intended Clinical Role
Upon completion of training, Sunny will:
Participate in structured animal-assisted behavioral therapy sessions under professional supervision
Support exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, phobia, and trauma-related conditions by facilitating approach behaviors without providing reassurance or re-enforcement of avoidance.
Assist clients in maintaining treatment engagement, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation during high-intensity interventions
Contribute to improved outcomes within tailored evidence-based behavioral therapy modalities
Certification and Oversight
All training and clinical participation occur under the direction of Catherine Tamayo, MS, LPCC, a licensed behavioral health clinician. Documentation of Sunny’s training progress, certifications, and participation will be maintained for compliance and verification purposes.