KA Portrait of Dr. Kathleen Ayers

Dr. Kathleen Ayers, CA Psychologist

Calm, practical therapy for anxiety and stress

32 years in practice · based in California · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Kathleen

Dr. Kathleen Ayers is a clinical psychologist who helps people manage stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and the day-to-day effects of medical conditions. She draws on three decades of experience to support people facing depression, trauma, grief, sleep problems, anger, and relationship or intimacy worries.

She aims for practical, down-to-earth work in sessions. She uses clear techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. She often gives short tasks or homework between sessions to build new skills and habits.

Book with Kathleen Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Background and approach

Her background includes long experience treating people with chronic pain and other ongoing medical issues. She also has training related to sleep problems and to the role of nutrition in health, though she is not a dietitian or nutritionist. She has practiced as a licensed psychologist in California since 2001 and brings 32 years of clinical work to each case.

In conversation she stays compassionate and realistic. She notes that people with chronic conditions sometimes feel disbelieved about pain and symptoms, and she focuses on listening carefully to those concerns. She also offers group-based options in addition to individual work when appropriate.

Dr. Ayers uses structured approaches while leaving room to talk about past events when that is helpful. Her goal is to help people find workable steps forward and to build coping tools that fit everyday life.

How ACT, CBT, and DBT work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying what matters most to a person and developing actions that match those values. It helps with anxiety, stress, and coping with long-term health problems by teaching acceptance of difficult thoughts and steady action toward goals.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going and teaches straightforward techniques to change them. It is often used for anxiety, panic, phobias, insomnia, and low mood and commonly includes short practice tasks between sessions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) brings skills for managing strong emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress. It can help when anger, intense emotional reactions, or trouble with boundaries make daily life harder.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals, symptoms, and preferences and suggest options. Together they try an approach and adjust it as needed so the work fits the person’s life.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for people juggling health care, work, and family. Video calls let people use visual cues and longer sessions. Phone sessions work with limited bandwidth or when hands-free time is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging support shorter check-ins, quick skill practice, or steps between sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule.
Book with Kathleen Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does she address?
She supports people coping with anxiety, stress, depression, chronic pain, sleep problems, trauma, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, anger, and self-esteem difficulties.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and compassionate. Sessions include clear techniques and brief homework to build skills between meetings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 32 years of experience as a clinician and has worked with people who have chronic medical conditions and long-term pain.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is listed as CA Psychologist 18954 and practices in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients supported?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does billing and getting started work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time; to begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

What this therapist works with

Experience
32 years
Licensed
California
Languages
English

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