Kelly Anderson

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with American Psychological Association (APA) accredited training from graduate school through my postdoctoral residency.  I received my Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Texas Tech University and completed my internship at the Durham Veterans Affairs in North Carolina before returning to my home state of California to complete my postdoctoral residency at the San Diego Veterans Affairs/University of California, San Diego psychology training program.

I was trained as a generalist meaning I obtained both clinical and research experience working with clients with a number of presenting issues, allowing me to effectively treat a diversity of psychiatric concerns. Much of my training is based on the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) model and therapies that grew from this theory (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy). My skill in using these treatments continued to grow during my postdoctoral residency, which specialized in treating individuals with serious mental illnesses such as psychosis, Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, severe depression and anxiety, and substance abuse.
When working with clients, I select tailored treatments that have been found to work well in effecting change for the particular concern my client is struggling with when they come to therapy.  I believe my commitment to using the most relevant strategy for each individual, helps clients gain a sense of wellness and power over their concerns.

An aspect I find to be critical in delivering treatment is considering the diverse backgrounds and individual differences of each client. No two clients are exactly the same and that means that no two plans for treatment can be the same. Because of this belief, I worked to obtain specialized training culminating in a unique area of expertise—individualizing CBT in a way that the therapy remains effective without sticking to a “one size fits all” model of delivery. More specifically, I use my training with evidence-based treatments as a framework to tailor therapy to each person with whom I work. I take a whole-person approach to treatment and go further than focusing on symptoms and problems. This allows the space needed to consider the context of each client in regard to their background, life experiences, goals, and personal values.

In 2017, I established Wellness Therapy of San Diego to be able to provide treatment to clients with my core values in mind. It is my belief that all people should be able to receive high-quality,