Kristi Tomlinson, LCSW

Professional Bio

Hi my name is Kristi and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California! Much of what I see is anxiety and panic, trauma, and mood difficulties. I’m an EMDR Certified Therapist, and a lot of my work involves helping people heal from things that happened to them, question the beliefs they’ve absorbed about themselves along the way, and get more comfortable setting boundaries and speaking up for what they need. Depending on what would help you, I draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and somatic work, which means we’ll pay attention to what your body is doing and not just what your thoughts are saying.

What I care about most in this work is the relationship itself. Therapy tends to go well when there’s a real match between therapist and client, so getting to know you is where I start rather than something I fit in around the clinical work. Early on that means a lot of questions and a lot of listening. I like piecing together the story of how someone got here, what they’ve already tried, what’s been working and what hasn’t, and I find a lot of joy in it. From there we’ll figure out together what you actually want to be different, and I’ll adjust as we go rather than running you through a set plan.

Therapy with me can be hard, and we will go into difficult things, but I want it to be a respectful and even enjoyable place to spend an hour. There’s room to laugh in my sessions. You can tell me when something isn’t landing, and I’d rather you did. My honest read on people after years of this work is that most of us are kindhearted, carrying strengths we haven’t found yet, and deserving of being seen and heard.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Kristi Tomlinson, LCSW