Albany Therapists

Ellie Cates
LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor
Hi, my name is Ellie Cates and I am a licensed professional counselor. While originally from the Willamette Valley, I have lived all over to include Seattle, Bend, and many years abroad. My love for old growth forests, being close to nature, and the community here in the Willamette Valley eventually brought me back home to this area after finishing my counseling degree. Connecting to the world through time spent with animals and in nature is a big part of my life outside of my work as a counselor. I love learning, being curious and open-minded, and broadening my awareness and understanding through continuing education. I am very grateful to be able to do this work and to be trusted by clients as a part of their therapy journey.
Ellie's Approach
I bring a warm and compassionate approach to my work with clients and deeply value the uniqueness of each person who I have the privilege of working with in the therapy space. I often incorporate humor as a connection point with clients and can bring in gentle challenging where needed. It is important to me to incorporate approaches which honor the unique needs and lived experiences of each individual, and for the therapy process to feel accessible and collaborative in that way. I strive for my clients to feel seen, known, celebrated, and supported on this journey. Building rapport and understanding the values and beliefs which form the foundation of each person’s life is an important part of this process. I utilize an integrative approach in therapy, leaning often on acceptance and commitment therapy and elements of mindfulness-based therapies, motivational interviewing, strengths-based perspectives, and solution-focused approaches where appropriate. I am trained in EMDR and am able to offer this as a trauma treatment modality, and I am able to offer ERP and Inference-based CBT approaches for OCD treatment. My areas of focus and work with clients include: ADHD; life stressors and transitions; trauma and PTSD; grief and loss; anxiety; depression; OCD; and climate distress. My approach to therapy is one of non-judgment, curiosity, lifelong learning, humility, and unconditional positive regard.
More About Ellie Cates
Experience
In my role as a mental health counselor, I have previously worked at several group practices before joining Northlight. During my graduate counseling program, I interned at my university’s community clinic as well as working as part of the behavioral health support team at a county adult jail. Prior to that I worked with members of the Military and also provided GED tutoring and affordable housing resource support within local communities. I have previously volunteered with several NAMI chapters, answering calls and supporting resource access relating to mental health.
Education
I received my Master’s degree in counseling from Oregon State University-Cascades in Bend, Oregon. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in public health from The University of Washington in Seattle.
Can I Help You?
I treat patients for:
- Depression, grief, loss, sadness
- Anxiety, worry, stress, panic
- OCD: Obsessive-compulsive thoughts or actions
- LGBTQIA+ related issues
- BIPOC related issues
- Trauma and PTSD
- Veteran issues

