Therapist, Mother, Professor, Coach
Kelley Stevens, LMFT
If your teen is struggling, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure this out on your own. I’m Kelley, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Santa Barbara, and I specialize in supporting teen girls and young women as they navigate anxiety, perfectionism, academic pressure, and big life transitions. With over a decade of experience, I offer therapy that’s warm, grounded, and focused on helping your teen feel more confident, connected, and in control of her life again. Parents often tell me they feel relief after our first call—because they finally feel like someone gets it. My job isn’t to fix your child—it’s to help her discover her own strength, and to help your whole family breathe a little easier.
MY CLINICAL FOCUS
A Bit More About Me:
I earned my undergraduate degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.
I received my Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California (License #86395).
I have over a decade of experience working with teens and their families.
I’ve worked in Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), supporting teens in crisis.
I spent more than five years working in teen residential treatment centers, helping young people stabilize and reconnect with themselves and their families.
I’m currently an adjunct professor in two graduate therapy programs, where I teach coursework on alcohol and substance use, case formulation, and training future therapists.
I’m passionate about helping teens feel more understood, empowered, and equipped to handle the pressures they face—both inside and outside the therapy room.
I’m a parent, too
I’m a Mom.
Although I started working with teens long before my two sons were born, I think it’s important to share that I’m also a mom. I know firsthand how hard it is to watch your child struggle—and how overwhelming and tender it can feel to be a parent. I’m not a perfect mother (none of us are), and I face my own parenting challenges every single day. After all, we’re human. No one hands us a manual for how to help our kids navigate life—especially during the teen years.
My goal isn’t to point out what you’re doing wrong, because let’s be honest: we’re all doing some things “wrong,” and we’re all doing our best. Instead, I’m here to come alongside you with compassion and honesty, and to work with you to support your child in a way that feels sustainable, empowering, and rooted in connection.
