About me

I believe that expertise is most powerful when it’s rooted in lived experience. My background as a clinical psychologist and administrator is informed by my own journey as a neurodivergent, pansexual, first-generation graduate who navigated the rigors of academia and leadership while raising a family. Having successfully led a university counseling center across three cities, before leaving to open my private practice, I offer more than just clinical tools; I offer a partnership built on real-world wisdom. I’m here to share the lessons I’ve gathered along the way, because I believe that when we help each other grow, we all move forward together.

My Style

I practice from a humanistic-existential perspective. Put simply, I believe you already possess the capacity to heal, but life has a way of creating “stuck” points where having the help of a navigator becomes essential. I don’t believe therapy should be a mystery, so I use a direct and transparent approach that is infused with humor and warmth to help you handle whatever life has thrown your way.

In practice, this means our work is uniquely tailored to you. There is no one-size-fits-all roadmap here. Depending on your needs, we might:

  • Build a practical toolkit of coping skills for daily life.
  • Use humor and joy to find ways to rest in the face of oppression.
  • Explore your history alongside your hopes for the future.
  • Simply sit together to find acceptance in the “unacceptable” without the weight of shame or judgment.

My clinical foundation is psychodynamic in nature, however, to give you the most effective support, I integrate and pull from many different types of therapy (such as Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment Theory, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)) in order meet you where you are and provide you with the support that you need.

My Education & License

Picture of Kimberlee DeRushia, PsyD. A white cisgender woman wearing glasses with auburn hair an a merlot colored top.
  • Licensed Psychologist, California (PSY 24992)
  • Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • Bachelors of Science in Psychology, University of Utah

My Experience

Before I was in private practice full time, I worked my way up at a university counseling center from intern through director. During this time I honed my ability to be flexible and adaptable to whatever area of challenge or concern walks through my door, and to provide referrals to other professionals when needed. As a result, I have extensive experience working with anxiety, neurodivergence (including ADHD/Autism/AuDHD), relationships, queer identity concerns, grief and loss, and working in high stress jobs (e.g., health care, technology, and C-suite professionals) 

At the counseling center, I learned to tap into my passion to support early career therapists in my role as the Training Director of our APA accredited internship program. As the Director of the center, I learned to navigate political landscapes and complex systems with finesse while staying true to my own values, and while balancing the need to help my team grow, develop, and refine their own areas of passion in the field. At this point in time, I continue to embrace working with early career professionals through teaching graduate level courses in psychology related fields and providing clinical consultation to licensed clinicians.

Furthermore, as a parent, I understand the difficulties that come with raising children. I know firsthand the intense emotions, doubts and fears that can arise as they grow, and I am sensitive to the immense responsibility of worrying about how to parent without “screwing up.” I continue to learn and grow in my relationship with my (now adult) child, and I use these insights in helping other parents navigate their own experience with their children.

Lifelong Training

I believe that it is important to always be learning and growing in how to better care for my clients. Although it is impossible to list all of the books, articles, and trainings I have consumed and attended, please know that it is my commitment to you that I will always continue learning. If you are curious about my additional trainings or experience, please reach out; I am happy to share more with you.

Books related to mental health that I have read this year (2026) include: