Kate Racine, LPC, NCC

I attribute a lot of my success to taking risks and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Early on, I learned to lean into that discomfort rather than avoid it and to say yes to opportunities, trust my instincts, and know my worth. I’ve stayed curious, made it a point to observe and truly listen, and to speak up and advocate for ideas I believe in.

I surround myself with people who challenge and inspire me, people who breathe energy into the room, who push me to think bigger, and excite me keep raising the bar, especially because the work we do directly impacts the lives of others.

I’ve also been shaped by incredible role models and mentors. I could talk about them for days. These are leaders I’ve worked with, along with my parents, my husband, my sister, and my best friend, to name a few. They’ve modeled resilience, defied odds, adapted through adversity, and instilled the importance of pairing strong academic knowledge with real-world judgment and intuition. That balance has shaped not just how I work, but how I lead. The women in my life are strong-willed women and they don’t let life knock them down. They are my tribe. They remind me we are going to face adversity and hardship, and we are going to get through it too.

It’s simple and highly impactful. My CFO always says, “fail fast, iterate faster.” He has taught me if we play it safe, we will never break out of the mold and truly disrupt something. If it was easy, everyone would do it. These simple concepts have helped me push through in moments where it would have been easier to pivot to the safe option, but instead the outcome was so much more valuable. 

You miss every shot you don't take. Be fearless, but also be humble. Don't just go for the things that you're good at, but go for the things that are outside of your comfort zone. Lean into that discomfort. Build your confidence, ask questions. Find yourself. I think it's important to pursue opportunities fearlessly, even when you feel uncertain or unprepared. Some of the greatest growth happens outside of comfort zones. Stay curious, invest in professional development, and engage with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to expand both your perspective and understanding. Rather than feeling intimidated by being around people who are smarter or more experienced than you, see it as an opportunity to learn, evolve, and continue raising the standard for yourself.

Every challenge is an opportunity. AI has been such a hot topic right now, and I’ve been exploring how AI can automate operational tasks and workflows, allowing clinicians to devote more time and energy to helping people directly. Another important opportunity in our field is community connection and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. I set up these Thrive events in the community a couple years back, where it's just a place where people can get together, connect, and know that you have a community. These are gatherings with no agenda, no therapy happening, it's truly just bonding with one another, and my goal is to relaunch that.

Community has helped me realize we can get through anything when we have a support system. My hardest days are wiped away when I can hug my kids, have a coffee with my husband, sit by a fire with friends, or laugh with my parents.

Compassion is so deeply rooted in me, and I think that's why I love the field that I'm in. That's the soul of our work. It connects us to people, but it also creates an impact.

Creativity has been important to me since being a little girl. It’s the value that keeps me excited, allows me to think through problems differently, and helps me bring new ideas to life.

Trust needs to happen so that everything can function. Without that, you're left in this critter state and you're unable to think freely and creatively.

Integrity is important to me because our words are only as good as our actions. I respect and try to embody doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

I’m a mom of three beautiful children, which is both my greatest joy and my greatest adventure. I love exploring new places with my husband and kids, trying new foods, spending time outdoors, and finding joy in small moments like picking flowers, smores by a fire, sitting in the sun, and having the windows down. I like doing anything that brings a sense of connection, energy, and perspective.