We all have the potential to create the lives and relationships we want, even in the most challenging of situations

As a therapist, I see my role as a guide to help bring forward that potential. I recognize that people grapple with the normal questions and challenges of being human and that those challenges can, at times, become overwhelming. I work with clients to tap into the inner and outer resources that may have been unrecognized or perhaps forgotten, and to utilize these resources and skills to transform difficulty and pain into ease and wellbeing.
 

Therapy can expand our capacity for happiness and joy, while also building awareness, skills, and resilience.

My areas of practice include:

  • Health (substance use problems, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy/fertility, mindfulness)
  • Relationships (couples & family counseling, prenatal and postpartum transitions, parenting support)
  • Wellness (stress management, anxiety, depression, grief, major life transitions)
  • Culture & Community (women’s issues, LGBTQI community, bi-cultural relationships)
  • Work (work/life balance, navigating work travel and family, life purpose)

 

My Background

For over a decade I have worked as a psychotherapist, educator, clinical supervisor, and researcher. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and my Ph.D. in Social Work at UCLA.  I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and completed much of my clinical training at AIDS Project Los Angeles and Southern California Counseling Center (where I now serve on the Board of Directors).  Currently I am a Lecturer at UCLA (where I've taught for the past 10 years) and I have also provided trainings and workshops for a variety of academic and non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles. My research and writing has focused on mental health and resilience, HIV/AIDS, multicultural psychology, and the experience of parenting.  I am also a KRI certified Kundalini yoga and meditation teacher.  I am happily married and live in Los Angeles with my husband of 17 years, our twin sons, and our dog, Petey. 

Whether working as a therapist, teacher, or scholar, what I’ve come to understand is that meaningful change and development occurs in relationship. We make sense of our lives and our selves through our relationships -- with our partners, our families, our culture and community, our spirituality, and our relationship with our self (our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions).  My job is to help bring forth your own unique motivation, capacities, and values – to enable you to be more fully YOU. We all need communities of support to have the courage to access our inner wisdom, to come home to the best version of our selves, and to live our life to its fullest.  

 
 

How Can I Support You?

Contact me to schedule an appointment and find out what it might be like to work together.
I can be reached by phone at 310.993.5064, or by email at kdornigphd@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you.