Kristina "Kris" Yates

Kristina "Kris" Yates is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in California with 20 years of professional experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, and the fallout from life changes. Kris works with clients who are navigating trauma, LGBT concerns, compassion fatigue, and the emotional work around divorce and separation.

Her approach starts with the belief that each person knows their own story best. Sessions are built around listening, asking clear questions, and helping people notice strengths they already have. Kris aims to make the process feel collaborative and straightforward, not overwhelming.

Over two decades she has supported people facing attachment wounds, feelings of abandonment, and post-traumatic stress. She also addresses practical struggles like money stress, caregiving strain, chronic illness, and body image concerns. Many clients come for help with guilt, shame, loneliness, or mood shifts.

Kris uses client-centered therapy, which places the person’s perspective at the center of work. That means the topics and pace come from the client, and the therapist follows their lead while reflecting back what she hears.

When someone is ready to begin, Kris helps them set small goals and steps they can try between sessions. She aims to make therapy useful for everyday life and to support lasting change without rushing the process.

How client-centered care fits with online therapy

Client-centered therapy is about following the client’s lead and reflecting what they say. It focuses on empathy, listening, and helping people notice their strengths so they can make changes that matter. This approach is often used for stress, anxiety, trauma-related concerns, and life adjustments like separation.

Because client-centered work is collaborative, the therapist and client decide together what to try. That may include setting small goals, testing new ways to communicate, or practicing coping steps between sessions. The therapist checks in and adjusts the approach based on what feels most helpful for the person.

Practical benefits of online therapy can include fitting sessions into a busy day, avoiding travel time, and making it easier to keep regular appointments. Some clients prefer shorter check-ins that fit a work break, while others like a full session that replaces an in-person visit. The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm which options are available before booking. A licensed professional will help match the right format and approach to your needs.