Kristy Long

Hi, I’m Kristy Long, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) providing telehealth therapy to adults and couples throughout California. My work is grounded in the belief that healing involves more than understanding what happened to us—it also involves learning to listen to and work with the body.

I specialize in somatic, trauma-informed therapy for people navigating anxiety, trauma and PTSD, relationship patterns, life transitions, grief, and the lasting effects of difficult experiences. I also work with couples and families using attachment-based and systems-informed approaches.

My clinical background includes training in somatic psychotherapy, mindfulness, Hakomi, attachment theory, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Polyvagal Theory, and other body-centered approaches. I integrate these perspectives to help clients better understand their nervous system, develop emotional resilience, and create meaningful change in their relationships and daily lives.

I especially enjoy working with thoughtful, self-aware people who may understand their patterns intellectually but still find themselves feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or repeating familiar cycles. Therapy with me is a collaborative space where curiosity, compassion, and genuine human connection are central.

You do not have to have everything figured out before beginning therapy. We can start exactly where you are.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, relational, and body-centered. I believe that our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and nervous systems are deeply connected, so therapy should address the whole person rather than focusing only on symptoms.

I draw heavily from somatic psychotherapy, attachment theory, Polyvagal Theory, mindfulness, and Sensorimotor approaches. Together, we may explore what happens in your body when you feel anxious, overwhelmed, shut down, disconnected, or activated—and develop practical ways to help your nervous system feel safer and more regulated.

I also believe that insight is important, but insight alone does not always create change. You may understand why you respond a certain way and still feel unable to respond differently. Somatic therapy gives us an opportunity to slow down, notice what is happening in the present moment, and gently create new experiences.

I will not tell you what you “should” feel or rush you toward a particular outcome. Instead, I’ll help you become more curious about yourself, understand the patterns that developed for good reasons, and build greater choice in how you respond to yourself and others.

My goal is not simply to help you cope with life, but to help you feel more connected to yourself, your relationships, and the life you want to create.

Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what brought you to therapy. We’ll talk about what you’re experiencing, what you hope will change, and the areas of your life that feel most important right now.

I’ll also ask questions about your history, relationships, stressors, and previous experiences with therapy so that I can better understand the bigger picture. You won’t be expected to tell me everything at once. We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable and respectful of your boundaries.

Because I practice somatic therapy, I may also gently invite you to notice what is happening in your body as we talk—such as changes in breathing, muscle tension, sensations, or impulses. You don’t need to have any experience with somatic therapy, and you will always have a choice about what we explore.

Most importantly, the first session is about establishing safety and connection. I want you to leave with a clearer sense of who I am, how I work, and whether you feel comfortable continuing this work together. Therapy is a relationship, and finding the right fit matters.