Kim Polinder (she/her)

APCC
Accepting Clients

Calm and direct, no fluff. I focus on patterns and practical tools. I work with couples, attachment wounds, and life transitions.

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor in California
Supervised by Zane Julien LMFT

Free Initial Consultation
Book consultation

Free 15-minute call, no obligation.

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples

About My Clients

You are the overthinker who intellectualizes and ruminates about feelings and wants concrete tools over vague advice. You are moving through a big change, a new job, a breakup, a new relationship, and want steady support for working through old patterns. Or you are part of a couple stuck in the same argument, both wanting to be heard. You value structure and want to know what we are doing and why before we do it. You are ready to practice new patterns, not re-litigate old storylines.

My Background and Approach

I spent over 20 years as an IT engineer before transitioning to counseling and training as a therapist. This background shaped how I work: I notice patterns, explain what we are doing and why before we do it, and value structure over open-ended talk. In session, we focus on what keeps a cycle going more than replaying old arguments, and practice new ways of responding so change carries outside our time together. I draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Attachment-Based Therapy, and I lean heavily on psychoeducation. Understanding why you are wired a certain way, whether it is an anxious or avoidant pattern, a trauma response, or a specific way your brain processes stress, changes how effectively a tool can be integrated. I work with individuals and couples on anxiety, attachment wounds, and life transitions, and on the repetitive arguments that leave couples feeling unheard.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I am a lesbian, married to my wife. Coming out in my twenties was hard, in large part because of my mother's conservative religious beliefs. It gave me a real sense of what it costs to come out later in life, and what kind of support helps most. I believe most people are good and well-intentioned, shaped by what they lived through. Patterns can change at any point in life. My own path included working through abandonment wounds from being adopted, and learning how to handle anger as a kid adjusting to a new biracial family. Working through my personal challenges with attachment shaped how I sit with clients who carry similar wiring now. Outside of work, I study philosophy, volunteer cooking for a local women's group, and follow women's soccer, pro tennis, and Ted Lasso.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Attachment Theory Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Internal Family Systems
Other Techniques
  • Anger Management Therapy
  • Attachment Theory
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Couples Counseling
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Relationship Counseling

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Anxiety Attachment Relationship Issues
Other Issues
  • Addiction
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Adoption Issues
  • Anger Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Divorce
  • LGBTQ-Friendly Therapists
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Relationship Issues
  • Self-Esteem
  • Spirituality

Client Focus

Age
Adults
Participants
Individuals, Couples
Languages
English

Qualifications

License
APCC, State of California · #18422
Education
M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Additional credentials
M.A. Spiritual Psychology
Supervision
Supervised by Zane Julien LMFT
Years in practice
14 years
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Optum
  • United Healthcare
I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • Hinduism

Hours & Availability

Monday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
SundayClosed
New clients welcome
Currently accepting new clients
Telehealth
Available

At A Glance

  • Experience: 14 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $100 - 150/session
  • Sliding scale: Available on request

Reach out to Kim