Therapist Serving Sherman Oaks, CA
I am Kirstin Carl, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT #53759) with nearly twenty years of experience helping adults, couples, and parents make sense of the patterns that keep showing up in their lives. As a therapist serving Sherman Oaks and the surrounding San Fernando Valley, I offer attachment-based, trauma-informed therapy for people who want to understand what is underneath these patterns and why insight, coping skills, or trying harder may not have been enough to change them.
My office is located at 16530 Ventura Blvd #400 in Encino, near the corner of Ventura and Hayvenhurst and a short drive west from Sherman Oaks on Ventura Boulevard. I also offer online therapy for Sherman Oaks residents who prefer to meet from home or another private location anywhere in California.
Therapy for Sherman Oaks Residents
By the time people reach out to me, they have often been struggling with the same patterns for a while and have spent a lot of time trying to make sense of why they keep happening. You may know what you wish you could do differently and still find yourself reacting in familiar ways when you feel anxious, hurt, criticized, or overwhelmed. Insight can be important, but knowing why something happens does not always make it easier to respond differently when you are in the middle of it.
My approach is attachment-based and trauma-informed, which means we look at more than what you are thinking or doing. We may explore how earlier experiences with closeness, comfort, conflict, and repair influence what you expect from yourself and other people, what happens inside you when you feel uncertain, rejected, disconnected, or under pressure, and why certain responses can feel automatic even when you want to handle things differently. The work also stays grounded in what is happening in your life now, whether that is conflict in a relationship, anxiety that is hard to quiet, the strain of parenting, or a major life change.
Therapy Services Available for Sherman Oaks Clients
As a Sherman Oaks therapist, I offer the same full range of specialties in person and online, so you can choose whichever format works best for you.
Trauma Therapy
Work through painful experiences that may still affect how you feel, relate to others, and respond to stress.
Attachment-Based Therapy
Explore how attachment patterns may influence trust, closeness, conflict, and what happens when important relationships feel uncertain or strained.
Therapy for Dating and Relationships
Look at who you choose, what you want from relationships, and the reactions that can arise around commitment, closeness, and uncertainty.
Couples Therapy
Recognize the cycle that keeps the two of you caught in conflict or distance, what happens between you when tension builds, and why disagreements can be so difficult to resolve.
Therapy for Parents
Make sense of your reactions and experiences as a parent so you can respond more intentionally and make thoughtful choices about the kind of parent you want to be.
In-Person and Online Sessions for Sherman Oaks Clients
Sherman Oaks residents have several ways to work with me. In-person sessions take place at my Encino office on Ventura Boulevard near Hayvenhurst — an easy drive from Sherman Oaks, with on-site parking and ample free parking nearby. You can join online sessions from wherever is most convenient: home, a quiet office, or anywhere else with privacy.
Some residents prefer the structure and ritual of showing up in person to a serene, modern office space, especially at the beginning of therapy. Others prefer the flexibility of online sessions, particularly during a demanding week. Many choose a hybrid format, alternating between the two. Whichever format works best, you will receive the same focused, attachment-based, trauma-informed care.
What Starting Therapy Looks Like:
- Free thirty-minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit
- Intake paperwork completed through my secure online client portal before your first session
- First scheduled session, typically fifty to sixty minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you see clients from Sherman Oaks?
Yes. My office is located on Ventura Boulevard near Hayvenhurst in Encino, a short drive from Sherman Oaks. As a therapist near Sherman Oaks, I see clients in person at my office or online, whichever works better for your schedule and your week.
Is online therapy available for Sherman Oaks residents?
Yes. Online therapy for Sherman Oaks residents is available, as well as across California. Many Sherman Oaks residents choose online sessions for the convenience, while others prefer visiting the Encino office in person for a dedicated space that is peaceful and discreet, set apart from daily life.
What can I expect from our first session?
Your first therapy session consultation is a free thirty-minute phone call, with no obligation to continue. We will talk through what brings you to therapy and get a sense of whether we are a good fit, before scheduling your first session.
