Hi, I'm Kristy Kirby, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in CA.
My approach
I primarily use Solution Focused and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
My focus
I enjoy working with adults, and I specialize in Anxiety Disorders and Depression, as well as helping to improve self-esteem and relationships.
My communication style
I hope to provide a comfortable and safe environment where we can partner together. I range from client-centered to a more direct approach at times. I will often assign homework to give my clients something to think about or work on in between sessions.
My journey to mental healthcare
I have always been drawn to helping, educating, and advocating. My undergraduate work was to be a teacher, but I decided that wasn't the right thing for me in my third year, although I continued through and graduated with my BA in Liberal Studies. Years later, I went back for my Master's in Counseling and have been loving it since. I have worked in nonprofits, schools, communities, and government agencies, working with clients from 5-85. I have been in Private Practice for 14 years.
My first session with you
During the first session, I try to get information about why clients are there, history gathering, and what they hope to get out of therapy. I often times try to leave the session with something for my clients to work on before the next session.