- Client-centered therapy
- Guilt and shame work
- LGBT related issues
About Kristina
Kristina "Kris" Yates is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, LGBT concerns, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue. Kris also addresses issues such as guilt and shame alongside related concerns like attachment, forgiveness, and isolation.
Kris frames the client as the expert of their own story and looks for strengths to build on. Sessions focus on practical conversation and reflection rather than jargon. She listens for patterns tied to relationships, beliefs, and past hurt, and then helps people notice options they might not have seen.
Her approach is grounded in client-centered therapy, which puts the person's perspective and goals at the center of each session. That means she often follows what matters most to the individual and adjusts the pace accordingly. People commonly bring situations about grief, relationship endings, or moral distress that leave them ashamed or stuck, and conversations aim to make those feelings clearer and more manageable.
Over two decades Kris has worked with a range of life transitions and stressors. She pays attention to cultural and identity factors, including LGBT-related concerns, when they affect how someone experiences guilt or shame. Sessions are conversational and focused on real-life problems such as money stress, caregiver strain, or chronic illness.
Her practice supports people who want to understand how their past and relationships shape current feelings. Before booking, readers should confirm current session options and formats.
How her client-centered approach translates to online work
Client-centered therapy centers the person's own experience and goals. In practice this means the therapist listens closely, reflects back what she hears, and follows the topics the client brings up. This approach helps when someone wants to talk through guilt, shame, relationship struggles, or stress without being steered toward a fixed agenda.Because the method privileges the client's perspective, sessions often begin by identifying what feels most urgent. Together they set the pace and decide whether to focus on current events, past wounds, or coping skills. That collaborative process helps shape short-term goals and the topics for ongoing work.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm the available online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow for shorter check-ins when time is tight, or remove commuting time so conversations can happen between other responsibilities. Therapists and licensed professionals use different approaches to make sure sessions match a person's needs and practical constraints.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, LGBT concerns, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue, plus related issues like guilt and shame and attachment problems.
How would she approach shame or guilt?
She uses a client-centered approach that follows what matters most to the person, helping them talk through the feelings and notice patterns that keep the shame or guilt active.
How much experience does she have?
Kris has 20 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of stressors and life transitions.
What is her credential and where is she based?
She is a California LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in California.
Does she work in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are provided.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.