Profile / United States
Kathleen Ries, LMFT
California
LMFT in California - relationships and trauma
See online therapy options- CBT informed methods
- Attachment focus
- Goal oriented work
About Kathleen
Kathleen Ries is an LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with 13 years of experience. She focuses on relationship concerns, family and parenting strains, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, stress, anxiety, addictions, intimacy issues, self-esteem, career questions, depression, and coping with life changes.
Kathleen uses practical, structured methods to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and habits. She combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with attachment and client-centered ideas to look at patterns in relationships and everyday responses. Sessions aim to identify small, concrete changes people can try between meetings.
She works with people who need help after loss, who are rebuilding after trauma, or who feel stuck by anger or anxiety. Kathleen also helps those handling job stress, compassion fatigue, and the fallout of major life changes. She frames problems in terms of thoughts, behaviors, and relationship patterns to make next steps clear.
In sessions she listens for recurring thoughts and relationship patterns, then helps clients test alternatives. Work can include short behavior experiments, communication practice, and exercises to change unhelpful thinking. Progress is tracked in specific ways so people can see what’s working.
Her background includes over a decade of clinical practice in California as an LMFT. Kathleen asks clients to set clear goals early and revisits them regularly so sessions stay focused and practical.
How Kathleen applies practical approaches in online sessions
Kathleen draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot and test unhelpful thoughts and habits. CBT sessions often focus on specific problems, set clear goals, and use small behavior experiments to change how someone reacts to stress or relationship triggers.She also uses Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early relationship patterns show up in current partnerships and interactions. That work helps identify repeating dynamics and suggests new ways of connecting or setting boundaries.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. Kathleen works with clients to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and adjusts the plan as progress is made. This is a collaborative, step-by-step effort rather than a fixed program.
Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not listed in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example, it may be simpler to schedule a shorter check-in during a lunch break or to avoid travel time. Talk with Kathleen about practical needs and timing so sessions can be arranged to match everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
13+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What problems does she commonly help with?
She helps people with relationship issues, family and parenting concerns, grief, trauma and abuse, anger, anxiety, depression, addictions, and stress from life changes.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is practical and structured, using CBT ideas alongside attachment and client-centered techniques to change thoughts and behaviors.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 13 years of clinical experience working as a therapist in California.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.