Kirsten Kell,MFT

Kirsten Kell,MFT

Telehealth Available
Professions: Marriage & Family Therapist
License Status: I'm a licensed professional.
Primary Credential: MFT - 41953
Billing and Insurance:

I don't currently accept insurance, but I can provide documentation if clients wish to submit to an insurance company for "out of network" benefit coverage

Fees: $225 per 45 minute session
$450 per 90 minute session
Free initial phone consultation up to 30 minutes
Free Initial Consultation
Weekend Availability
Evening Availability

Offices

1720 S Amphlett Blvd
Suite 220
San Mateo, California 94402

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My Approach to Helping

My style is very interactive, engaged, and open. I work together with couples to understand the places where they are stuck in their relationships. Once the negative patterns that are keeping couples stuck are clearly identified they can learn new skills and strategies to avoid or get out of negative patterns.

Another way I help is by guiding couples to a deeper emotional connection A deeper emotional connection can lead to more emotional and physical intimacy. Couples who are more connected are also more resilient and better able to use communication and problem solving skills to enjoy their day to day lives.

More Info About My Practice

I offer Telehealth sessions via VSEE Messenger. I also offer night and weekend appointments and online scheduling for your convenience. Beginning in September, 2022 I will provide some in person appointments.

I am not in-network with any insurance panels. You must pay your session fee at the time of service and I am happy to provide you a statement that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

I enjoy working with couples doing marriage preparation or pre-marital counseling. I think the research on the success rates of marriage counseling can be disheartening.
One of the reasons suggested for poor results of marriage counseling is that couples seek help when one or both of them has already given up hope or a major transgression has already occurred in the relationship.
I believe passionately in pre-marital counseling for several reasons. Through this type of counseling couples can be sure to really look at common areas of conflict for couples. They can identify areas that might create problems for them and they can start to create a plan for how to handle these problems.
Also by having the experience of couples counseling early on both partners can experience the counseling process. In doing so I hope they each experience that the goal is not to assign blame or to fix the other person. But instead to learn about yourself and to reveal this true self to your partner and to work together to resolve the problems you will encounter.
I also hope they each experience that counseling doesn't have to be painful and it doesn't mean there is something seriously wrong with them or their relationship. With this experience behind them I hope they will be more likely to seek help in the future before their problems are so large or so entrenched the work to resolve them seems overwhelming.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

My practice focuses on working with couples to increase their intimacy and deepen their connection to each other. I believe that families are the foundation of society and couples are the foundation of families. In order to raise healthy, resilient, well adjusted children it is essential to have a solid couple relationship. I truly believe that helping people to reveal themselves to their partner and to be curious about really knowing each other creates a powerful connection that is the underpinning of a healthy society. The process of doing this can feel really risky and scary. It is an honor to me that people will allow me to guide them through the process and to witness the results of their efforts.

Ages I Work With

  • Teens
  • Adults

Languages

  • English
  • French

Groups I Work With

    The primary focus of my practice is relationships. I work with couples and individuals in all stages including premarital, newlywed, new parents, life transitions and also discernment therapy or deciding about divorce.

Client Concerns I Treat

  • Adjusting to Change / Life Transitions
  • Blended Family Issues
  • Breakup
  • Communication Problems
  • Depression
  • Divorce / Divorce Adjustment
  • Family Problems
  • Forgiveness
  • Inattention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity (ADHD)
  • Individuation
  • Infidelity / Affair Recovery
  • Jealousy
  • Midlife Crisis / Midlife Transition
  • Parenting
  • Perfectionism
  • Pre-Marital Counseling
  • Pregnancy and Birthing
  • Relationships and Marriage
  • Sexuality / Sex Therapy

Types of Therapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
  • Gottman Method
  • Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT)
  • Integration of different therapy models
  • Systems Theory /Therapy

See other therapists in San Mateo, CA.


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