MEET TATUM:

Therapy should feel like a place where you can show up as yourself and know that who you are—and where you come from—matters. Tatum Young welcomes individuals, couples, children, and families into a warm, genuine, and supportive environment where they can feel comfortable exploring what is happening in their lives. As a Master's Candidate Therapist and second-year master's student in the Applied Clinical Psychology program at Penn State Harrisburg, Tatum approaches each client with curiosity, compassion, and respect. She understands that beginning therapy can feel intimidating and works intentionally to make the experience feel natural, collaborative, and genuinely human.

At the heart of Tatum's approach is the belief that there is no single definition of what is “normal.” While earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bucknell University, Tatum was deeply influenced by a Culture and Child Development course taught by Chris Boyatzis and its central idea that “culture determines normal.” That perspective continues to shape the therapist she is becoming. Tatum recognizes that every client enters therapy with a unique combination of family experiences, relationships, culture, identity, strengths, and challenges. Rather than approaching people through a one-size-fits-all lens, she seeks to understand each client's world and create a therapeutic relationship in which their experiences are respected and valued.

Tatum's developing clinical approach incorporates evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), strengths-based therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She views therapy as a partnership: a place to better understand thoughts and emotions, recognize patterns, build on existing strengths, and develop new ways of navigating life's challenges. Her clinical interests include anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, identity development, women's mental health, child therapy, life transitions, family relationships, and couples therapy. Whether working with one person, a couple, or an entire family, Tatum's goal is to help clients feel understood while moving toward meaningful and sustainable growth.

What draws Tatum to counseling is a genuine interest in helping people understand themselves more deeply. She knows that clients may arrive feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, disconnected, or simply aware that something in their lives or relationships needs to change. Tatum does not expect clients to arrive with all the answers—or even know exactly where to begin. She offers a safe place to slow down, talk openly, and begin figuring things out together. Through warmth, collaboration, and compassionate support, she hopes to help clients develop greater insight, confidence, and connection as they determine what moving forward means for them.

Outside of the therapy room, Tatum enjoys staying active, spending time outdoors, and connecting with the people in her life. She loves playing pickleball with friends and taking scenic walks, and she balances that activity with quieter interests like Sudoku and word puzzles. She especially appreciates the combination of challenge and calm that comes from solving a difficult puzzle—an opportunity to focus, slow down, and enjoy the process. That same sense of patience and curiosity carries into her work with clients. Tatum wants every person who enters her office to know they do not have to navigate life's challenges alone—and that therapy can be a place to feel supported, understood, and hopeful about what comes next.