Contact
Kari Kagan, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
PSY 27544
(415) 494-7041
drkarikagan@gmail.com
About Dr. Kagan
My approach to psychotherapy is collaborative, empathic, and oriented toward achieving the results my clients desire. I provide my clients with skills to increase awareness of and change problematic patterns that can lead to feeling stuck. Left unaddressed, these patterns can take a toll on relationships, work, health, and self-esteem. My goal is to create a comfortable, non-judgmental, and supportive space for exploration and change and to help people get back to living a more meaningful and enjoyable life. In addition, while historically the field of psychology has embraced a medical model that emphasizes pathology and deficits, in my practice, I emphasize a “strength-based” approach to treatment in which I help clients identify and build from strengths, resiliency, and other positive qualities they already have, and use those to overcome obstacles.
I enjoy working with adults, and draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches to psychotherapy to provide the most effective treatments. I use a flexible approach in order to meet the unique needs of each individual.
My approach to psychotherapy is collaborative, empathic, and oriented toward achieving the results my clients desire. I provide my clients with skills to increase awareness of and change problematic patterns that can lead to feeling stuck. Left unaddressed, these patterns can take a toll on relationships, work, health, and self-esteem. My goal is to create a comfortable, non-judgmental, and supportive space for exploration and change and to help people get back to living a more meaningful and enjoyable life. In addition, while historically the field of psychology has embraced a medical model that emphasizes pathology and deficits, in my practice, I emphasize a “strength-based” approach to treatment in which I help clients identify and build from strengths, resiliency, and other positive qualities they already have, and use those to overcome obstacles.
I enjoy working with adults, and draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches to psychotherapy to provide the most effective treatments. I use a flexible approach in order to meet the unique needs of each individual.
Clinical Specialties
- Mood Disorders (depression and bipolar disorder)
- Anxiety Disorders (worry, panic, phobias, social anxiety, OCD, stress)
- Insomnia
- Substance abuse (alcohol and other drugs)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Treatments
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- CBT for Insomnia
- Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure (for trauma)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and mindfulness strategies
- Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy
Education and Training
I earned my doctorate in psychology from the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium in Palo Alto. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles and my post-doctoral training in private practice in San Francisco. My other clinical experiences include providing evidence-based treatments in outpatient clinics at the Palo Alto VA, San Jose Job Corps, and the San Francisco VA. In addition, for four years I researched methods of substance abuse prevention for college students. Prior to graduate school, I worked at a residential adolescent drug rehabilitation center in Malibu, CA. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.