Kat Bates, LMFT

01/30/2026

For those in Madison this is happening tomorrow. If you go, please be safe.

01/20/2026

Today I was reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr. An interesting part of his story is that he moved to Chicago to draw attention to black ghettos. The hatred and racism he encountered jarred him so much he had to move his family back down south. Where he would eventualy be assassinated.
Here in the Midwest we like to think of ourselves as “the good white people” and in doing so we divorce ourselves from our history and from the truth.
With the exception of Minnesota and Illinois Donald Trump won the Midwest handily in 2024, even more so than he did in 2020. And that election’s consequences are playing out in Minneapolis and the country at large.
We are part of the problem, and we must be part of the solution.
“No one is free until we are all free.”

10/14/2025

This is something I often hear about my profession - that I am paid to care. It’s incredibly misleading and I think prevents people from trying therapy. I am paid for my time, I am paid for my expertise and my education.
The caring is free. Because it is impossible to listen to someone, learn about them and watch them try to better themself and to NOT care for them.

Ted Lasso Therapy Bu****it Jason Sudeikis

09/09/2025

An exciting opportunity for artists!

Are you an artist who likes to work with light? The City of Madison has a great public art opportunity for you! Learn more about how your artwork could be incorporated into a major project near the UW-Madison campus: https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-09-02/committee-seeking-artists-for-state-street-campus-garage-public-art

04/16/2025

Don’t hide things from your therapist! We can’t help you if you don’t tell us things (and zero judgement on porch geese!)

02/03/2025

If you or someone you love is concerned about having to leave the US in a hurry, here are some helpful items to consider packing, the list doesn’t include medications so be sure to include those!

While we hold our California family close during these extreme wildfires, we want to take a moment to talk about preparedness—especially for trans folks. As transgender people, we know how much effort it takes to secure our legal documents. The time, the energy, and often the emotional labor requi...

12/10/2024

If you take duloxetine or cymbalta please read to see if your medications are included in this recall!

Some bottles of the antidepressant duloxetine, sold under the brand name Cymbalta, were recalled due to the presence of a toxic chemical.

11/05/2024

Just a reminder that doom 👏🏻 scrolling 👏🏻 is👏🏻NOT 👏🏻 self 👏🏻 care.

Make a plan, and write it down bc if you are stressed those great ideas you had might just float away.

Be kind to yourself and others today.
And regardless of what happens, the political calls and texts stop after today - so there’s always that.

06/12/2024

Full disclosure: I have not read the study they refer to, but I refuse to believe that the pandemic had “minimal effects” on mental health.

02/09/2024

An excellent opportunity for my female (and AFAB) clients to learn about their ADHD.

Later this month, join Family Nurse Practitioner Kelly Pickens for an enlightening look into ADHD. The way we think about and understand this diagnosis has changed significantly over the past 30 years - from who predominantly gets diagnosed to how factors like gender, age, and other mental illnesses affect the presentation of ADHD in patients.

Pickens will use her 20+ years of clinical experience to explain why "Everything You Know About ADHD Is Wrong, Especially When It Comes to Women" on Wed, Feb 21 at Sequoya Library from 7-8:30pm. No registration required.

12/19/2023

An excellent resource as we get close to the solstice!

Don't forget about our new HappyLights! You can check out these little rays of sunshine for up to two weeks from any of our library locations, and they are said to help increase energy, mood, focus and sleep, especially during the colder, darker months. Learn more and see what other unexpected items you can check out from our Library of Things: madpl.org/libraryofthings

11/30/2023

I’ve certainly seen worse coping mechanisms…but still not great. Let’s learn some new ones!