Meet Cat van der Westhuizen: Austin EFT Couples Therapist
Cat is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)—and the Clinical Director and co-owner of Austin Relational Wellness. She provides couples therapy and individual counseling for adults who are struggling in their relationships and looking to create deeper, more authentic connections.
Cat helps individuals and couples who feel stuck, anxious, or disconnected. Many of her clients come to her worn out from managing others' feelings, struggling to experience their full range of emotions, or caught in painful relationship patterns that feel impossible to break. She supports them in exploring what's really going on beneath the surface so they can understand themselves better and show up more authentically in their lives and relationships.
Cat's Approach to Therapy
Cat’s therapeutic style is shaped by attachment theory, relational psychology, and modern psychoanalytic frameworks. She has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Narrative Enneagram, and she continually invests in her own growth through consultation groups focused on couples work, Enneagram, and modern psychoanalysis.
As an Emotionally Focused couples therapist, Cat acts as a process consultant for couples stuck in painful interaction cycles. She helps by slowing down the emotional process, identifying the patterns that keep couples disconnected, and shaping positive experiences that can heal relationships and deepen emotional bonds.
Couples Therapy with Cat
Cat works with couples facing:
Communication breakdowns and recurring conflict
Disconnection and emotional distance
Premarital preparation
Life transitions that strain the relationship
Rebuilding after trust has been broken
She uses EFT to help couples reconnect, rebuild friendship and intimacy, and develop healthier ways of navigating conflict. Cat believes deeply in the power of a healthy, loving relationship—and she's committed to helping couples create that for themselves.
Community & Professional Involvement
Connection and community are central to who Cat is, both as a therapist and as a person. She recently completed her term as board president for the Austin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (Austin AMFT), where she served in various roles for over 6 years, and she is an active member of the Austin Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Outside the Therapy Room
When she's not in session, Cat enjoys trying new recipes, camping, and getting out in nature with her husband, daughter, and pit bull.
Looking for a Couples Therapist?
Cat is currently not accepting new clients. But don't worry—our team of experienced couples therapists shares Cat's commitment to evidence-based, relationship-focused care.
If you're ready to start couples therapy or individual counseling, we'd love to match you with one of our other clinicians who can help.
Cat van der Westhuizen, MA, LPC, LMFT, is the Clinical Director and co-owner of Austin Relational Wellness. She has been practicing in Austin since 2017.