Hi, I'm Kristen!

 

I like my therapy collaborative, my feminism intersectional and my coffee strong. 

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My Style:

 

I think therapy works best when we can have an honest and authentic conversation. You'll find my style warm and engaging and I prioritize working from a place of respect and non-judgement. I approach therapy with compassion, humor and a genuine desire to hear your story. You are the expert in your own life, and you have the resources you need-- my goal is to help you reconnect with those resources.

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I believe that if we aren't paying attention to our bodies or talking about the ways in which our bodies and mind function as one system we are doing ourselves a disservice.

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I encourage talking about the ways in which our personal stories are impacted and influenced by the the world around us. Experiences of systemic oppression including institutional racism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism and misogyny impact all of us and our well being, and I believe acknowledging these broader dynamics is essential. For me, that starts with my own personal work of understanding my privilege and locating myself within these systems so that I can work from an anti-oppression framework.  

 

Education and Experience:

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I graduated from the Wright Institute in 2009 with a master's in counseling psychology and have worked in several capacities since then. Outside of my private practice, I currently serve as the Chief Program Officer for San Francisco SafeHouse, which is an organization that supports womxn who are unhoused and have experienced sexual exploitation. This work has given me a solid foundation of working from a trauma-informed perspective, and has influenced my work in supporting people in healing from both personal and systematic trauma. It has also deepened my desire to speak out about gender-based violence, advocate for sex workers' rights, and work against stigma around drug and alcohol use.

 

In addition to this experience, I have worked in a broad range of other settings, including in community day health for adults as well as with young children through the San Francisco Unified School District.

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