Grief counselors and therapists in Vista, CA

Hi, I'm Brian! I'm a licensed counselor with a background in holistic medicine as well. I've worked with a variety of mental health concerns, with my primary specialty being treating trauma.

Hello! I'm Kris and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California and the founder of Village Wellness Center, a thriving group psychotherapy practice based in San Juan Capistrano. I have over 25 years of experience in the mental health field, and I specialize in maternal mental health, depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship challenges, and the unique needs of women and mothers.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Sacramento State University and returned to school 15 years later to earn my Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology.

The beginning of my career in mental health started in residential care helping at-risk youth, and over the course of 20 years, my work and experience evolved into leading and developing clinical programs for outpatient and court-mandated facilities while also building my specialty in perinatal mood disorders and maternal mental health in my private practice. Additionally over the past two decades, I was raising my family and actively contributing to the Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano communities.

Through my own struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety, I became a passionate advocate for maternal wellness and thriving families. This became the catalyst to opening Village Wellness Center, where the ability to serve entire families and promote holistic mental wellness with a team of therapists can be achieved.

I have a Master's in Counseling and have practiced in the field of mental health for nearly two decades. My experience as a therapist includes extensive training and work in eating disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, relationship issues, women’s issues, and spirituality. I am licensed in both California (LPCC) and Washington (LMHC), and I’m a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). I also hold a certification in Grief (CGP). I emphasize a whole-person approach to care, considering the full spectrum of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual factors that impact your overall health and well-being.

I work with adolescents and adults and offer individual, couples, and family therapy. I help individuals identify their goals and make the changes necessary to help them lead more productive and fulfilling lives. I am directive, and I provide a warm, caring and non-judgmental environment to explore the issues and life-events with which you may be struggling.

Most of us aren't born knowing how to navigate relationships, understand our emotions, or process trauma. Many things influence how we react and behave, but that doesn't mean we can't grow. My goal is to help you build confidence through discovering your self-worth and practicing self-compassion. My priority is creating a safe, judgment-free environment where you feel comfortable. I show up as my authentic self to build trust with you. I'm an empathetic listener and communicate in a calm, gentle, respectful way. My job isn't to tell you what to do, but to help you process and explore topics to build self-awareness and confidence.

I work with adults and teens navigating trauma, burnout, identity, and the particular exhaustion of being a sensitive person in a fast-changing world. My work goes beyond talk therapy to build a flexible nervous system, helping to regulate it, reduce symptoms of trauma, and build resilience.

Many of the people I work with are doing everything right on paper. They are the ones who keep showing up, holding it together, being the person everyone else leans on. And they are exhausted in a way that is hard to explain to the people around them. They worry they are making the wrong choices or that everyone else has it together.