About
"Women were craving safe spaces to be vulnerable and heal, and I saw my life's journey as lighting a path for them."
Hello! My name is Cathia Walters, but you can call me Dr. C. I was born in Jamaica, where my mother and others who helped model and mold me instilled in me a very strong sense of self. When I was 16, I moved to Connecticut to live with my father where I experienced a complete culture shock. Very quickly, I had to navigate a whole new system on my own. Upon turning 18, I immediately packed my bags and moved to California with a tentative plan to go to UC Berkeley. But I never enrolled, and instead started working with an organization called United Communities for Human Rights and volunteering with Bay Area Women Against Rape. Equities and injustices didn't sit right with me, and I knew I wanted to make an impact. I felt called to be the support, voice, and buffer for women who were in unhealthy situations–and I knew that would need to start with me. This knowing motivated me to become more intentional about who I was becoming, in my own life and in my relationships. I learned to set strong, loving boundaries as well as practice compassion for myself and others. This journey led me to a clearer sense of purpose. The day I saw a panel of women discussing diversity in schools, I enrolled to get my PsyD in clinical Psychology. After receiving my degree, I worked for an organization where I started a Black women's support group that grew from 8 people to 20, and then 40, 60, and kept growing from there. I realized women were craving safe spaces to be vulnerable and heal, and I saw my life's journey as lighting a path for them. I eventually started my private practice with the intention of giving language to women’s pain and hurt, helping them navigate challenges, assert boundaries, and leave destructive relationships so that they could create healthy ones. I established Walters Wellness Group with the goal of supporting women to find their purpose, heal their trauma, and channel their inner strength–even if it means starting with the smallest kernel and building up from there.
MISSION STATEMENT
Walters Wellness Group is on a mission to support individuals to change the core negative beliefs and narratives they hold about themselves. We help our clients create a world where they understand their worth, love themselves unapologetically, and feel empowered in their lives. With compassion as our lens, we provide tools and safe spaces where individuals can find the strength to heal and transform themselves and their relationships. Only once we do that can we heal our communities.
​
DR. CATHIA WALTERS
CEO, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Cathia Walters is a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, mental health advocate, and CEO of Walters Wellness Group. She completed her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from John F. Kennedy University in CA in 2002, and after 20 years of private practice, founded Walters Wellness Group in 2021. Dr. C has over a decade of experience working with national HMOs such as United Communities for Human Rights and volunteering with Bay Area Women Against Rape, providing crisis intervention for battered women, facilitating support groups, and facilitating mental wellness courses.
Dr. C integrates various psychotherapeutic methods and a strength-based approach to empower individuals and promote healing through the lens of compassion. In addition to personalized therapy, courses, retreats, and support groups, she offers consulting for Fortune 100 and 500 companies to integrate mental health education and awareness into the workplace. She has worked with large-scale corporations such as Google, Salesforce, and Quora and has given keynotes at various events nationwide. Her work has been published in noteworthy journals such as the American Psychological Association. She has been an active member of various psychology associations including the California Psychological Association, the Alameda County Psychological Association, and the Black Mental Health Network of Northern California.
Therapeutic Approach & Areas of Focus:
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Narrative Therapy
Solution-focused
Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Multicultural Therapy (MCT)
Group Psychotherapy
Video Counseling
Managing Traumatic Experiences
Managing Depression
Well-Being and Support for Black Women
Walking Therapy
Education & Affiliations:
PsyD in Clinical Psychology from John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA
Mills College, B.A.
Published in the American Psychological Association (APA) Journal
Member, California Psychological Association (CPA)
Member, Alameda County Psychological Association (ACPA)
Member, Black Mental Health Network of Northern California
Member, Bay Area Psychotherapy Network and Bay Area Mental Health Network