Kristine Karaca, Psy.D.

I received my B.A. in Psychology with Honors from UC Santa Barbara and my doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute located in Berkeley, CA. Since 1998, I have worked extensively with children, adolescents and adults in a variety of clinical settings including Casa del Mural in Santa Barbara and Cleo Eulau Center and the Wright Institute Clinic in the bay area. I completed my pre-doctoral training at St. Mary’s College Counseling Center and my post-doctoral training at the Ann Martin Center. In addition to private practice, I was formerly a staff psychologist at Ann Martin Center in the School-Based Program. Along with providing teacher consultation, I worked closely with parents and caregivers in supporting their well-being and in collaborating on ways to support the psychological and social-emotional development of their child. In this role, I was an individual therapist for children exposed to trauma and strived to strengthen the caregiver-child relationship. Psychotherapy The first several meetings give us a chance to get to know each other and to better understand what you are looking for and what might be most helpful for you. If we decide to continue our work together, sessions are at least weekly for 50 minutes. ​ ​As a therapist, I offer a warm, curious and honest approach. I listen carefully, offer observations, help clarify your concerns and remain inquisitive about what might be getting in the way of personal fulfillment. I take into account contextual, societal and cultural factors to discover how they might weave within your unique situation. Together, we can work to bring you closer to the kind of life and relationships that you seek. Parent Consultation Some parents seek consultation around a particular behavior in their child or in themselves. Other parents want to discuss effective ways of intervening with their child that create a more satisfying experience as a parent. As a psychologist with years of training in child development, I will share information on strategies while remaining curious and open-minded to collaborate with you on how to apply what we know to your unique child and situation. I have found that my strength-based approach in consultation helps parents to cultivate and strengthen their personal style while being developmentally-appropriate with their children.