Kelly Hendricks, M.A.
Couple and Family Therapist in San Diego
My passion for helping people navigate and create more satisfaction in their lives – especially in their romantic relationships – came through my own personal experience of pitfalls and triumphs.
I have compassion for others, a natural ability to sit with someone’s deepest worries or sadness, and can help move people from negative patterns that get in the way of living their desired life. My skills as a couples therapist developed through my extensive education, training, supervision, and professional experience.
It brings me joy when I watch my clients flourish, make positive changes and experience satisfaction. I easily connect with clients because I can empathize, and even relate, with their struggles. Whether it was learning how to feel confident, finding my desired man, maintaining a close romantic relationship or learning how to nurture couplehood in parenthood with my husband, I developed and practiced effective strategies and tools in my own life and relationship. I am excited to share those same strategies with you.
I know how past experience and family history can affect an individual’s personal and romantic life. My mother was the first born of six kids. Needless to say, she was expected to take care of others, and this became familiar to her as she helped raise her siblings, learning to put others before herself – a trait that I ultimately inherited.
Although there is good in caring for others, a constant of putting others before myself ended up leaving me with results less desired for me in my adult life and romantic relationships. Growing up in my family, I experienced first-hand what it’s like living with someone struggling with anxiety, depression and a challenging relationship with substance use.
I did not have a very good example of what a vulnerable sustainable relationship looks like, or how to experience my world confidently. Therefore, as an adult, I continually doubted myself and questioned my self-worth, and found myself in troubling relationships with men, where I was fearfully anxious with my partners, usually creating problems that weren’t there or feeling haunted by the belief that my partner would leave me because I wasn’t good enough for them.
Although there were many areas in my life where I struggled, God, through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, has always been a constant solid rock in my life, giving me hope and a purpose. I have grown up in the Christian church singing in worship bands, attending Bible Studies, and later earning a Certificate as a Director of Christian Education from Concordia University Nebraska, and completing an internship in Hong Kong through the Church of All Nations facilitating discipleship programs for all ages.
Even though I am personally a Christian, I do not expect my clients to be. I am intentional on using ethical non-religious and empirically supported therapeutic techniques for my clients; however, I will be assessing the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual parts of each client as it relates to holistic mental health care to examine how all body systems are effected by a client's reason for coming into therapy.
Through my relationship with God, making my own mistakes, and obtaining an education and training in therapy, I learned how to prioritize my own needs before helping others without feeling guilty, understand the drive behind my fearful abandonment issues, develop tools to calm my anxiety, feel more confident about myself and most importantly, learn how to maintain a long-lasting healthy and emotionally close relationship.
Now, it is my passion to support my clients in harnessing their power to experience happiness and relief in their personal and romantic lives, just as I did.
In sessions, I will use proven and trusted techniques for optimal treatment. I will regularly assess which strategies and techniques work best for you in order to help you reach your goals quickly. Most of my clients have been dealing with the issues that bring them into therapy for quite some time, so I am eager to help relieve you of your suffering.
I want you to have the life and relationship you desire as soon as possible, so I will be focused and intentional about what happens in our therapy sessions. I am here to accept you for who you are and help tap into all of your innate strengths to become the version of yourself you most want to be in your personal life and relationships.
My ideal clients are those who are willing to do what it takes to make a change, even if they are worried or hesitant, and ready to trust that, through my proven techniques, we can co-lead to their ideal lives and relationships. My clients are quick to point out my detailed and thorough treatment strategies as well as my energetic, caring, accepting and people-friendly demeanor.
At home, I have a loving husband, special needs son and dogs. I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends, performing music, dancing (since I was five years old), watching live sporting events and attending live concerts.
I also prioritize working to improve my community. I participate in various activities to politically advocate for citizens and vulnerable populations related to human, animal and environmental rights, and I educate and encourage others in my community on nutrition practices for a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Professionally, I engage with the community through hosting workshops and meetings, where I can help others in a collective space. I also speak at local events; such as, Second Saturday divorce workshops, discussing the effects of divorce on the family and best strategies for success in the divorce process.
If you feel lost in life and lack confidence in who you are, or if you are struggling to maintain a rewarding romantic relationship, worried about your upcoming marriage or feel like your relationship needs a boost, I invite you to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation to discuss your specific needs and answer any questions you may have about therapy.
Kelly Hendricks, M.A., California Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, AMFT #112784 earned her M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Behavioral Science. Kelly is also certified in Latin American Family Therapy and as a Prepare/Enrich Facilitator (Premarital Counseling).
In addition, from 2010 to 2012, she was certified as a Domestic Violence Treatment Provider. Kelly is currently working toward her certification as a Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist through the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT).
Kelly is also verified by Psychology Today
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