Bay Area Clinical Associates has licensed, experienced mental health practitioners who are knowledgeable and compassionate. While each of us has the general training and experience necessary to assist most clients, we each have additional, specialized training and experience for helping with particular issues.
Dr. Kati Arata is a licensed psychologist specializing in treating depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, and abuse-related trauma. She employs an eclectic approach to treatment, focusing primarily on cognitive-behavioral principles, working to help individuals master their negative thoughts and behaviors by changing how they view and respond to life’s challenges.
Dr. Arata obtained her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Auburn University, completing a pre-doctoral internship at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. She has been in private practice since 1991 and was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Alabama from 1991 through 2004.
Dr. Arata’s clinical practice focuses on providing direct care to adults and adolescents and providing forensic evaluations and expert testimony in cases involving sexual trauma and child custody. She has extensive experience in the effects of sexual victimization, depression, anxiety, and coping with divorce. She can also provide assessments to children and adults, including educational testing for ADHD and learning disabilities, gifted evaluations, and college/career counseling.
When not at work, Dr. Arata is an avid tennis player and reader and enjoys spending time on Mobile Bay with her husband and three children.
Dr. Jackson has extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a scientifically supported treatment for anxiety disorders (Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobias),
eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and mood disorders, among others. She has also undertaken specialized training in the Unified Protocol, a cognitive behavioral therapy that allows for the
treatment of multiple comorbid emotional problems at the same time. She also has extensive experience using exposure therapies such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Processing Therapy for anxiety disorders and PTSD.
A key objective of CBT, and central to Dr. Jackson's practice, is empowering patients with skills to transform their response to symptoms, breaking free from the thinking and behavioral
patterns that perpetuate their challenges. In each session, Dr. Jackson focuses on enhancing patients' understanding of their issues (the "why") and equipping them with practical strategies to alter the thinking and behavior that sustains their problems (the "how"). Her approach ensures that by the conclusion of treatment, patients are not only knowledgeable but also adept in applying these skills in their daily lives. This is all conducted in a warm, accepting environment.
When Dr. Jackson isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and animals, reading, making art, and trying to keep her plants alive.
Ms. Boucher is a licensed professional counselor who provides services to children, adolescents, and adults. Susie uses a solution-focused approach and employs evidence-based strategies within the context of a supportive and collaborative therapeutic relationship. Susie works with a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and parenting skills.
Susie obtained her master’s degree in Community Counseling from the University of South Alabama. She also has a master’s degree in Special Education from the Catholic University of America. Susie has post-graduate training in Grief Counseling as well as Trauma Counseling.
Susie is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms as well as anxiety, depression, OCD, and other distressing life experiences.
Outside of work, Susie enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, reading, and traveling with her husband and three children.
Sage has a BS in Psychology and an MA in Marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Mobile. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of Alabama and Mississippi. She is also a Clinical Certified Trauma Professional and Certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Sage spent the better part of her clinical career working in residential and outpatient levels of care, working primarily with individuals beginning their recovery from substance use disorders. From this time, she has developed extensive experience working with substance and addictive use disorders, trauma, and high-conflict relationships. She is knowledgeable in working with anxiety, depression, grief, and personality disorders. Her approach to therapy is supportive and collaborative with clients to help them understand how their life and experiences and their perception of these experiences have impacted them physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Sage is certified in EMDR, a therapy process that targets distressing memories and helps decrease problem areas often associated with these painful experiences, such as emotional disregulation, negative thinking patterns, and unhealthy relationship patterns. She uses EMDR in connection with CBT, DBT, and somatic techniques in therapy sessions. She believes therapy should be a safe space to work on the hard stuff, but she also considers laughter and joy part of the therapeutic process!
When not at work, Sage enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, listening to and singing music (Broadway in particular), reading, and various crafting activities.
