A Conversation with Kim

How would you describe therapy with you?

While in therapy with me, you will feel heard, seen, and honored for the unique path you have walked thus far. I endeavor to look for the good in each person I meet, and it is my greatest honor to help you navigate the murky waters of life. In the therapy room there is permission to heed your body’s cues. Wanna take a walk, and talk? I’m all for it! Perhaps an organic posture or song or drawing better expresses what you are experiencing. Bring it on! We are certainly not isolated to the couch or just talking.

Of course, effective therapy requires collaboration. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m good at helping you tap into your innate wisdom to discover what you’ve been longing for. I bring to therapy an accumulation of training and experience in trauma recovery, grief support, and the healing arts. If you are seeking couple therapy, I will help you and your partner learn to communicate better, understand the parts of you that struggle to change so that you can deepen your relationship with yourself and your partner. Transitions can be challenging as well: bringing a baby into the family, changing careers, going through a breakup or divorce. From my own experience, I know therapy can be intense at times, but it can also be incredibly helpful. My intention is to hold the space for your inner journey. I’m here to support you in your challenges as well as celebrate those beautiful ‘aha’ moments that inevitably arise with organic self-discovery. 

How did you decide to become a therapist?

My path to becoming a therapist was anything but straightforward, and yet in hindsight, it all fits. The short answer to this question is that life threw me nearly more than I could handle: my parents’ breakup, my mom’s suicide, my own cancer diagnosis, my dad’s poor health. I got help from an incredible therapist whose unconditional love and care enabled me to move forward with my life instead of getting caught in a downward spiral. As the fog of pain and grief lifted, I experienced a deep gratitude and naturally wanted to support people in the way my therapist supported me. 

Except for one thing: I doubted myself. This doubt kept me in a career as a massage therapist and yoga teacher for many years, which was fulfilling, but the hunger for more nagged at me. I was afraid to go back to school, to write papers, or worse yet…to fail. Yet, I talked about my longing to help people in this deeper capacity all the time. With a gentle nudge from a dear friend, I applied to graduate school and finally took the first steps towards becoming a therapist. This was a compelling reminder of the beneficial power of accepting help.

The journey I have taken to this point has taught me that tragedy, trauma, and disappointment changes us, stays in our hearts, and molds us for years to come. My post-traumatic growth shaped me into who I am today and continues to inform who I hope to become. As Leonard Cohen sings, “there is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.” 

What is one thing about you or your work that you would want clients to know?

I revel in the mind/body connection, and I approach therapy holistically and experientially. My work is influenced by my immersion in Yogic philosophy, Sufi studies, and Vipassana meditation. As a long-time yoga practitioner, I am aware of the importance of keeping a beginner’s mind, and I continue to attend professional trainings to feed my desire to learn. Most importantly, though, I continue to explore all the parts of myself (including the shadows) through continued therapeutic consultation.