Kendra Knudsen, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over fifteen years of experience in the field of mental health. My work helps individuals, couples, and families understand and shift long-standing patterns that shape mood and relationships, while also supporting people through major family transitions such as infertility, early parenting, and adoption. I also work with individuals navigating burnout, perfectionism, and the pressures that often accompany high-performing professional roles.

You can read more about my therapeutic process and the evidence-based treatments I draw on in the Approach to Therapy section.

Values that guide my work

My work is guided by curiosity, respect, and a commitment to understanding how relationships shape emotional life. Therapy is collaborative and grounded in psychological science while remaining responsive to each person’s unique experiences.

  • Therapy draws on psychological research and several established treatment approaches while remaining flexible to each person’s needs. You can read more about my approach to therapy here → Approach to Therapy.

    I regularly pursue advanced clinical training and consultation so that therapy remains thoughtful, responsive, and grounded in current evidence. When helpful, I also collaborate with other professionals — such as psychiatrists, pediatricians, or medical providers — to support coordinated care.

  • My practice affirms LGBTQIA+ identities and diverse relationship and family structures, including non-monogamous relationships, adoptive and resource families, and blended families.

  • I value different ways of thinking and experiencing the world and support people in building lives that align with their own goals and strengths.

  • When working with children, caregivers are actively involved because they play a central role in supporting lasting progress outside of sessions.

Training & background

In addition to my private practice, I am currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship in infant and early childhood mental health at UCLA TIES for Families, where I provide therapy and developmental assessment for infants, children, and families navigating foster care, adoption, trauma, and early developmental challenges. I also supervise psychology trainees providing psychotherapy and assessment at UCLA TIES for Families.

I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). My clinical internship included training across outpatient, inpatient, and partial hospitalization settings at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (General Child Track), where I provided psychotherapy to families and their children experiencing mood disorders, trauma, anxiety, neurodevelopmental conditions, and complex relational difficulties.

For twelve years, I founded and directed the Creative Minds Project through the Arts and Healing Initiative, where I developed relational and trauma-informed social-emotional arts groups that integrated expressive arts with mental health care. The program provided services for individuals experiencing serious mental illness and homelessness and trained hundreds of clinicians and trainees in trauma-informed expressive arts approaches.

During graduate training, I conducted research in the UCLA Child FIRST Lab, focusing on early childhood mental health, family interventions, and improving clinical decision-making in the use of evidence-based treatments. Prior to graduate school and early in my career, I researched everyday and exceptional creativity at the Bilder Lab in the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

I received my BA in Psychobiology from UCLA, with a minor in Disability Studies.

A little more about me

Outside of clinical work, I enjoy hiking around Los Angeles, exploring the coastline, and spending time with my husky, Billie. I also enjoy art-making and designing visual resources that sometimes find their way into therapy.

Billie occasionally joins me at the office and typically spends sessions quietly sleeping nearby. Many clients find her calm presence grounding, though a dog-free space is always available for those who prefer it.

Ready to begin?

If you're considering therapy, I invite you to schedule a brief introductory call to see whether working together might be a good fit.

Begin with a brief call