About me
Hi! I’m Kaitlin Van Benthuysen, psychotherapist and owner of Riverstone Counseling. Here’s a little about me — I’m open and happy to answer any questions you have about my background, clinical experience and therapeutic style.
Education & Background
I graduated from Rutgers University in 2018, and completing a dual major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. During my undergrad years, I was passionate about psychology research and began supporting a research project about interventions for adolescents with depression early on. I also was part of the Aresty Research Center and collected data for a research study about recidivism rates for specific populations. Although I enjoyed contributing to these studies, I came to recognize I had a deeper passion for more clinical, therapeutic work. I had volunteered to take crisis hotline calls as part of Scarlet Listeners at Rutgers, and this experience shaped the beginning of how I learned to connect, empathize, and intervene on behalf of the individuals I served in my role.
Honestly, my path to becoming a therapist started long before college. In my early teens, I began taking psychology classes, and actually started going to therapy. I learned a lot about myself through those sessions and recognized I wanted to make an impact on others, just as my therapist had on me. But there was mixed information about the “best path” to become a psychotherapist. I thought I had to pursue my PhD to get here — that led me to those early research opportunities — and learned from my mentors that instead, I could choose to pursue social work.
In 2020, I completed my Master of Social Work degree at Rutgers University with a specialization in Violence Against Women and Children. During my studies, I completed two internships: one focused on supporting the needs of children/families in the community, and the second was a placement where I worked with women in recovery from substance use disorder and PTSD. I became even more interested in treating co-occurring disorders, and completed a training with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk which guided me to understanding the mechanisms and interventions for trauma. I also took on a role at the Center for Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) where I contributed to research about bystander intervention in college settings.
Since 2021, I’ve provided individual therapy, group therapy, and family/couple’s therapy at a local mental health/substance use clinic. I met with clients part time in two different private practices before becoming independently licensed (LCSW) in late 2024, and formed Riverstone Counseling in early 2025. My License in Drug and Alcohol Counseling (LCADC) is currently pending. In the last 5 years of working with folks of diverse backgrounds, I’ve developed a stronger ability to attune and connect with my clients, use interventions that work specifically for their needs, and have become trained in trauma-focused interventions, such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
My style
I can confidently say becoming a clinical social worker/therapist is my life’s path and truest passion. Many of the clients I started to work with 4 years ago are still meeting with me for sessions! It is an honor to be part of their journey, and I look forward to helping more folks improve the quality of their lives, relationships and overall well-being. My goal is to always make sure you feel comfortable, so I want to share here a bit about what it's like to meet with me.
My style is eclectic, holistic, warm, and client-centered. I care about getting to know you, what you know about yourself, are seeking to learn/change, and making sure you feel supported every time we meet for session. I have successfully provided care for individuals with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, PTSD, substance use disorders, and Obsessive Compulsive/related disorders. I believe you are always so much more than your diagnosis, so while we focus on treating the symptoms that impact you, we’re still zooming out to make sure we capture the full picture of your life experiences. Whether this means learning to cope with life transitions, grief, loss, relationship challenges, burnout, or other adversities that come up, I’m here to support you and guide you all the way. With me, you’ll learn how to ground yourself in the moment with mindfulness, learn cognitive skills to balance your worldview, ease distress with hands-on coping skills (such as somatic and DBT skills), and — if applicable — use trauma-focused therapy to heal from the pain of the past.
Clinically, I believe in maintaining healthy boundaries while still being my authentic self as a therapist. I like to bring some humor when a laugh is needed, and bring up my own experiences if it will be helpful to your goals. Some other things about me: I have a wild orange cat (Carrots) who may pop up in our virtual space occasionally. I love to drink tea, roller skate, craft (currently doing lots of diamond painting), travel, and spend time with my loved ones. I’m often described as a “old soul,” empathic, kind, and consider myself a very spiritual person.
I know connecting is the source of healing from emotional pain, and I look forward to connecting more with others who are seeking to align themselves to their highest potential.
Let’s connect
I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to answer any questions you have, learn about your goals, and decide if we are a good match for therapy. Please complete the inquiry form here and I will reach out to you to schedule a time we can chat.
—> Here you can find information about session costs & insurance.
—> Here you will learn more about the interventions I use in session.