About Kathryn
Kathryn Shafer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with ten years of professional experience in California. She focuses on practical, down-to-earth help for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, or life transitions. Kathryn aims to create a respectful and compassionate space where clients can start making small, manageable changes.
Her work often focuses on relationship and family concerns, self-esteem and motivation, and challenges like ADHD, eating concerns, and mood disorders.
How Kathryn works
She also helps with anger, career stress, parenting strains, and the specific pressures veterans and armed forces members may face. Kathryn pays attention to how day-to-day patterns affect emotions and behavior. Sessions are tailored to each person's situation.
She listens first, then helps set clear, realistic goals and steps to reach them. Conversations are practical and direct, with an emphasis on skills you can use between sessions to reduce overwhelm and build confidence. People who do best with Kathryn tend to want straightforward guidance and a partner in problem-solving.
She supports those coping with panic, obsessive thoughts, seasonal mood shifts, social anxiety, and the ups-and-downs of young adulthood. Her style is adaptive and focused on what will work for each client’s life. Kathryn values sensitivity and respect in therapy.
She encourages clients to try small experiments, practice new ways of communicating, and notice shifts that point toward a more balanced life.
What Kathryn works with
The areas below are the ones Kathryn selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 10 |
| 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
Evidence-based approaches and online care
Many clients benefit from approaches that teach practical skills and help change everyday patterns. Kathryn uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on skill building for anxiety, mood regulation, and coping with life transitions. These approaches typically involve learning specific strategies to manage panic, obsessive thoughts, low mood, or impulsivity in daily life.Another common strand emphasizes working on relationships and communication. This involves identifying interaction patterns, practicing clearer ways to express needs, and trying small behavior changes to reduce conflict and increase connection. These methods can help with blended family issues, parenting stress, and improving communication problems.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Kathryn collaborates with each person to figure out which techniques match their goals, needs, and preferences. She listens to what matters most and adjusts the plan as progress is made so therapy fits the client rather than the other way around.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care easier to fit into life. Video is useful for in-depth conversation and seeing nonverbal cues, while phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or messaging can be a shorter check-in option or a way to get support between longer sessions. These formats give flexibility for different schedules and communication styles.
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Common questions
What kinds of concerns does Kathryn address?
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
How much clinical experience does she have?
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
Which languages and international arrangements are supported?
What session formats are available for working with her?
How are costs handled for therapy with Kathryn?
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
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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