Kathleen Langley

AMFT# 147948

I believe lasting change comes from an ability to explore our worlds and our experiences to better understand how they have shaped us. We are not our parents, our childhoods or our trauma. We never stop learning or growing and it is never too late to reclaim our more authentic selves and lead more fulfilling lives. Our struggles do not exist in a vacuum, however. Both our hardships and ultimately our healing come through how we relate to others. As a marriage and family therapist, I can utilize my skill set to help you identify patterns in how you interact with others and help you build healthier and more positive relationships.

My passion for my work as a therapist comes from my belief that it is a unique way to transform my lived experiences into meaningful and positive work. I became fascinated with understanding how others think and behave as a coping mechanism at a young age and originally wanted to pursue a career in Psychology. A love of language led me instead to a Linguistics degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a career working as an editor and writer primarily in the academic world. This left me with a strong impression of the importance of the language we use with ourselves and others and a greater understanding of communication. My own experiences with therapy as a client, both positive and negative, led me back to the profession.

I have been lucky enough to live in different parts of the country and learn lessons from different cultures including humility and greater awareness of social justice issues. My work in caregiving for the elderly and my work with children in educational and home settings has helped me better understand issues facing each stage of development. I have worked for years as an instructor in a meditative sport and have seen first-hand how self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotional regulation skills dramatically affect positive outcomes. I strive to bring all of this knowledge into the therapy room to greater benefit my clients.

Working as a therapist feels natural to me because I can utilize my natural skills as a grounded, focused listener to help create a safe space for my clients. I am a life-long volunteer and feel fortunate to take on as much sliding scale work as a therapist as I am able to. Outside of work, I especially enjoy spending time in nature and with animals and I love puzzles of any kind. Humor has always been a favorite outlet for me and I particularly enjoy irreverent and absurdist comedy.

Whether you are experiencing temporary distress or working towards long-term goals, I will sit with you in the tough places and help you build your toolkit. The therapeutic space should always be safe and genuine, and I strive to work from a culturally-responsive and non-judgmental perspective. I work with individuals, families, and couples and I have experience working with anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, personality disorders, and grief.

“Wisdom does not lead to madness, nor denial to sanity: the confrontation with the givens of existence is painful but ultimately healing.” Yalom