About Kathleen
Dr. Kathleen Ayers helps with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and challenges like sleep problems, anger, low self-esteem, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. She also focuses on caregiver stress, chronic pain and illness, disaster-related distress, hoarding, panic attacks, phobias, post-traumatic stress, seasonal mood changes, and somatization.
Dr. Ayers is a psychologist licensed in California and has practiced for over three decades. Her style is direct and practical.
How Kathleen works
Sessions often include clear skills training and homework to try between meetings. She blends cognitive behavioral tools with acceptance-focused work to help people manage symptoms and move toward what matters to them. Dialectical behavior skills are used when emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness are needed.
Dr. Ayers has long experience with chronic medical conditions and pain. She understands how frustrating it can feel when physical symptoms are dismissed.
She makes space for people to describe their experience and for practical steps that can reduce daily strain. She is interested in how diet and nutrition interact with mental health, though she is not a dietitian or nutritionist. She has worked with both individuals and groups over her career and provides supportive, skill-oriented care.
Dr. Ayers combines 32 years of clinical work with an emphasis on acceptance, behavior change, and emotional skills. Her approach aims to help people cope with what they are facing and build routines that support long-term wellbeing.
Kathleen lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What Kathleen works with
The areas below are the ones Kathleen selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Grief
- Hoarding
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Somatization
Training and background
| Register | CA Psychologist |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 32 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How ACT, CBT, and DBT translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches people to notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and to commit to actions that fit their values; it can help with anxiety, chronic pain, grief, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and changing behaviors through practical exercises and homework; it is useful for depression, panic, phobias, and sleep problems. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for regulating strong emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships when emotional intensity gets in the way.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose or blend methods based on their goals, needs, and preferences. Sessions often try out techniques and adjust the plan as progress and challenges become clear.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make therapy more flexible. Video is good for full conversations and teaching skills with visual cues. Phone sessions work if bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat or text messaging can be helpful for brief updates, homework review, or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options help fit therapy into busy schedules and different life situations.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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