Katherine Malensek, ATR, LPC

Katherine Malensek, ATR, LPC, is a mental health clinician and registered art therapist who cares for children, adolescents, and their families. She works with young people who are facing emotional, behavioral, or family challenges and may be struggling at home, in school, or in their communities.

Malensek uses art therapy and talk therapy to help children express feelings that can be hard to put into words. She sees each child in the context of their family and daily life, and she works with caregivers to support change at home. Her goal is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where children can explore their experiences, build coping skills, and strengthen relationships with the adults who care for them.

As an assistant clinical professor of social work at Yale School of Medicine, Malensek teaches and supervises trainees who are learning to work with children and families. Her academic work focuses on the use of creative therapies, such as art therapy, within child mental health care and community-based services.

Malensek earned her graduate degree in art therapy from Albertus Magnus College, through which she was certified as a licensed professional counselor and as a registered art therapist by the state of Connecticut. Before joining the Child Study Center, she worked as a psychiatric technician, art therapist, and health educator at Yale New Haven Hospital.