Caitlin Crolley, LCSW

A little bit about me—I’m Caitlin—a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Winding Roots Wellness, PLLC. I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, where I discovered my passion for trauma work and youth empowerment. My early career included nonprofit and government settings, where I supported youth and women impacted by violence and instability and co-developed a therapeutic program for adolescents in transitional housing.

 

After relocating to Western North Carolina, I continued this work in community mental health, supporting families in both outpatient and intensive in-home settings. It was during this time that I deepened my dedication to working with teens and survivors of sexual violence.

 

Later, as Lead Counselor for a local rape crisis center, I deepened my clinical understanding of how trauma lives in the brain, body, and relationships. In this role, I had the privilege of walking alongside survivors as they reclaimed their voice, sense of safety, and self-worth. It was also a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens through connection, presence, and being deeply witnessed.

 

I went on to serve for several years as a therapist in a therapeutic living program for adolescents, where I provided individual, family, and group therapy, supporting young people through intensive emotional challenges. I further expanded my knowledge of attachment-focused care and had the profound privilege of supporting young girls and their families as they worked through chronic stress, trauma, and deeply rooted relational wounds. This work not only strengthened my clinical grounding in trauma and attachment repair, but also sparked a passion for supporting parents in healing wounded connection with their children.

 

That passion ultimately led me to become Clinical Director of the same program. In that role, I supervised a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, developed trauma-informed programming, and facilitated clinical trainings for both staff and families. This chapter of my work deepened my leadership skills and reinforced my commitment to creating safe, attuned spaces for healing—especially for youth navigating identity, emotional regulation, and relational repair.

 

I’ve since returned to the work I love most: direct individual therapy. Founding Winding Roots Wellness has allowed me to reconnect with the heart of this work—supporting teens and adults in a therapeutic space grounded in trust, relationship, and deep emotional attunement.