Cathay Lancaster

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Cathay believes therapy is a collaborative experience and that one size does not fit all. Life is complicated and we are ever-evolving. When therapy is client-centered and there is a good fit between client and therapist, change can happen to help people improve relationships with others and themselves.

Cathay’s background informs her systemic approach to therapy. After professional careers in consulting, marketing and as a pastry chef, she earned her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University. She is a first generation Chinese American and parent of multiracial children. Cathay honors each client’s individual experience with cultural curiosity and humility.

As an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Cathay uses play, compassion, and humor to help clients locate and change unhelpful patterns and behaviors. Combined with client feedback, she utilizes a variety of models to identify client strengths by exploring relationships, culture, and family of origin. She most often uses Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Contextual Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Cathay is committed to providing a caring space that affirms all identities, genders, races, ethnicities, and religions. Cathay is passionate about working with families, especially parents and children, and moms at all stages of motherhood including contemplating motherhood.