Questions people ask before reaching out.

Wondering what to even say? You don't need to arrive with a tidy summary of your life. That's our job to help sort out together. Less like an interview and more like a conversation, we spend the first session getting a real picture of what's going on and what you're hoping will feel different, at whatever pace feels comfortable for you. Sessions run 50, 75, or 90 minutes depending on what you book, in person in Laguna Beach or by secure video.

Not sure who on the team would be the right fit? You don't have to figure that out alone. That's exactly what the free Get to Know Us call is for. Tell us what's going on, and we'll help match you with the right therapist, whether that's me directly or one of the associates I supervise. Most clients find the fit becomes obvious pretty quickly once they're actually talking to someone.

Yes to all three. Several therapists offer evening and weekend availability, and we provide secure online therapy to anyone located anywhere in California. Exact openings vary by therapist. Learn how [telehealth across California](/telehealth) works.

Usually within 24 hours. We hold time for people who are ready to start rather than keeping a long waitlist. Start with a free 20-minute call, or call (949) 357-3587. Ready when you are. [Book your free call](/get-started). *End of FAQ knowledge base. 28 page blocks plus a master /faq, \~100 questions. Every answer is in the approved brand voice (warm, direct, real), free of banned words, and leads with a direct answer for AI answer-engine citation. Rate specifics live only on /fees. Mark up each page's FAQ block with FAQPage schema matching the visible text exactly. Resolve the three gold-flagged items (Christian-counseling claim, Beach Therapy scope, addiction-recovery clinician) before those pages publish.*

Start with a free 15 to 20 minute Get to Know Us call. It is a no-pressure conversation to see whether we are the right fit, and from there we match you with a therapist and schedule your first session. No paperwork required just to talk. Book the [free call online](/get-started), or call (949) 357-3587.

It is a short, free phone call, about 15 to 20 minutes, where you tell us a little about what is going on and we help you figure out the right next step. No commitment, no cost, no pressure to book anything. Think of it as a chance to hear a voice and get a feel for us before you decide anything. Most people find it takes the edge off the whole process of starting therapy.

Usually within 24 hours. We hold time for people who are ready to start, and in most cases we can get you a first conversation quickly rather than putting you on a long waitlist. See [fees and insurance](/fees) so costs are clear before your call. #

We are out-of-network and do not bill insurance directly. If you have a PPO plan, we give you a Superbill at every session that you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. We do not accept HMO or EPO plans. We accept payment at the time of service. Whether your plan reimburses you, and how much, is between you and your insurance company, so it is worth calling them before you start.

Sessions with our associate therapists range from about $160 to $315, and sessions with founder Kay Wenger range from about $190 to $220.00, depending on session length and whether it is individual, couples, or family work. The full rate card is on this page. Our 50-minute sessions are the most popular. Longer 75- and 90-minute sessions are available for more complex situations, or for anyone who feels the extra time would help. Kay also offers [couples intensives](/couples-intensive), single days of focused work priced separately.

Because it lets us do better work. Staying out-of-network means we can offer full-length sessions, protect your privacy, and make clinical decisions based on what you need rather than what an insurance reviewer will approve. Three real reasons sit behind it. Session length: insurance often pushes therapists toward 45-minute sessions, and we would rather give you the full 50, 75, or 90 minutes. Confidentiality: billing insurance requires putting a diagnosis on your permanent record, and out-of-network work means you can do personal or relationship work without a label following you. Autonomy: we design your care with you, not around a utilization reviewer.

A Superbill is an itemized receipt with everything your PPO insurer needs to consider reimbursing you: you pay at the time of service, we provide the Superbill, and you submit it. Our cancellation policy asks for at least 24 hours' notice, or the full session fee is charged. Good questions to ask your insurer before starting: * Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits? * What is my deductible, and has it been met? * How many sessions per year does my plan cover, and at what reimbursement rate? * Is a referral from my primary care physician required? Payment methods: cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, and all major credit cards. A reduced fee may be available on request, so ask before you schedule. [Book a free call](/get-started). #

For most people and most concerns, yes. Research and our own experience both show online therapy can be just as effective as in-person work. What matters most is the relationship with your therapist, and that comes through the screen more than people expect.

Yes. We work with clients across California by secure video, and in person in Laguna Beach, an easy drive from Newport Beach, Irvine, or Dana Point. For anxiety, telehealth is often a gentle way in: no traffic, no waiting room, and you're somewhere you already feel safe.

Yes. We offer secure, HIPAA-compliant online therapy to anyone located anywhere in California. It is the same therapists and the same quality of care as in-person, just from wherever you are in the state. Because we are licensed in California, we can only work with clients who are physically in the state during the session. [Book a free consultation](/get-started).

A private space, a stable internet connection, and a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera. We send a secure link, and you join from wherever you feel comfortable. No special software to buy, nothing complicated to set up. See our full [team](/about/our-team), all available by telehealth across California. **SECTION 5** **Practical & conversion pages** #

It's a chance for you and your partner to work through what's actually going on with someone trained to help you see the pattern, not just referee the argument. What does that actually look like? I'm pro-commitment, but I'm not attached to a particular outcome, and the work goes best when both of you are willing to look at the relationship as a system you're both part of, not a courtroom where one person is on trial. We also offer Discernment Counseling if you're not yet sure whether to work on the relationship or part ways.

Yes, many do. It is hard, and it takes honesty and time from both people, but affairs do not automatically mean the end of a relationship. With the right support, a lot of couples rebuild trust, and some describe their relationship afterward as more honest than it was before. This work is part of our [couples therapy](/therapy/couples), and for couples who want to move faster, a [couples intensive with Kay](/couples-intensive) can help.

No. A lot of couples come in not knowing yet, and that is allowed. The early work is about stabilizing things and understanding how you got here, not forcing a verdict. Some couples rebuild, some decide to part with more clarity and less bitterness. Either way, you don't have to have the answer before you walk in.

Sooner than most couples think. You do not have to be in crisis. If you are having the same argument over and over, feeling more like roommates than partners, or sensing a distance you cannot explain, that is a good time to come in. If trust has been broken, see [infidelity and affair recovery](/specialties/infidelity). If you are unsure whether to stay together at all, [discernment counseling](/discernment-counseling) may be the right first step.

Yes, and it is some of our favorite work, because it helps couples build strong habits before the hard seasons arrive rather than after. It covers communication, expectations, money, family, and the conversations that are easy to skip while planning a wedding. Premarital work is part of our [couples therapy](/therapy/couples). Start with a [free consultation](/get-started).

Most couples sessions are held with both of you together, which is where the real work happens. That said, there is room for each of you to meet with the therapist individually when it helps, so both partners feel heard. Sessions run 50 to 90 minutes, in person or [online anywhere in California](/telehealth).

Neither. We are pro-commitment but not attached to a particular outcome. The job is not to push you toward staying or leaving, it is to help you both get clear, talk honestly, and make a decision you can actually live with. When a couple is genuinely on the fence, [discernment counseling](/discernment-counseling) is a short, structured way to find clarity first. #

When you are both willing to be in the room, yes, sooner tends to help. Early support can keep the first raw weeks from doing more damage and give you a structured, steadier place to have the hardest conversations. If one of you is unsure the relationship should continue, that is worth naming too. If one partner is genuinely undecided, [discernment counseling](/discernment-counseling) is designed for exactly that.

No. We do not assign a villain and a victim. Both people are hurting, in different ways, and both need to be understood for the relationship to have a real chance. We stay curious about what happened rather than putting anyone on trial. Start with a [free consultation](/get-started). #

Usually, yes, because the repeating fight is rarely about what it looks like on the surface. Therapy helps you see the pattern underneath the argument, the one you cannot spot while you are in it, and change how the two of you get stuck. This is core to our [couples therapy in Laguna Beach](/therapy/couples). [Book a free fit call](/get-started).

It is rarely too late. Long-standing patterns are more worn-in, not permanent. Couples who have been stuck for years regularly find that once they can finally see the cycle clearly, it starts to loosen. The length of the pattern matters less than the willingness to look at it.

That happens often, and it is workable. It helps enormously if both partners come, but change can start even when one person is more hopeful than the other. What matters most is a willingness to show up and stay curious about the relationship as a whole. Start with a [free call](/get-started) and we will talk it through. #

A couples intensive is a single focused day of therapy with Kay, running 4 to 8 hours with breaks, instead of spreading the work across many weekly sessions. It is designed for couples who want to make real progress faster, including couples working through infidelity. Intensives are priced separately from regular sessions. [Contact us about an intensive](/contact). Related: [couples therapy](/therapy/couples) and [infidelity recovery](/specialties/infidelity).

Couples who want momentum: partners recovering from an affair, couples stuck in the same loop for years, or people whose schedules make weekly sessions hard to sustain. A concentrated day can move things that weekly hours sometimes cannot.

A full day of focused work with Kay, structured around your specific situation, with breaks built in so it stays humane rather than exhausting. You leave with real clarity and a plan, not just a longer conversation. Reach out to [ask about scheduling an intensive](/contact). #

Discernment counseling is short-term help for couples on the brink, especially when one person is leaning out of the relationship and the other is leaning in. It is not about fixing the marriage in the room. It is about gaining enough clarity to choose a direction with confidence, usually in one to five sessions. It is pro-commitment, never pro-pressure. The goal is a clear-eyed decision you can live with, whichever way it goes. If you both decide to work on the relationship, that is when couples therapy begins.

No. It is a step toward clarity, and clarity sometimes leads to recommitting to the relationship with new energy. The point is to help you decide on purpose rather than by drift or exhaustion, whatever that decision turns out to be. If you choose to work on the relationship, our [couples therapy](/therapy/couples) is the next step.

That is exactly who discernment counseling is for. It is built for the situation where one of you is leaning out and the other is leaning in. Each of you gets heard, and the structure helps you reach a decision together instead of staying stuck. Start with a [free consultation](/get-started). #

A family session gives everyone a chance to say the hard thing out loud, in a room built to hold it. So what actually changes? Usually not who's right, but how the whole family responds to each other once the pattern gets named instead of just repeated. Families who do this work usually come out of it with more patience for each other, not less.

Not necessarily. Family therapy is flexible. Sometimes everyone meets together, sometimes the therapist works with a pair or an individual for a session, depending on what will help most. Your therapist will shape it around your family.

No. Hunting for the guilty party is one of the few things almost certain not to help. When a family is stuck, it's usually a pattern doing the damage, a loop everyone is caught in, not one villain who needs catching. So we name the pattern instead of the person, which tends to loosen things for everyone, parents included. You came in as a family, and that's how we'll work: as a team, not a trial.

Absolutely. Plenty of parents come in on their own to think out loud with someone who won't hand them a pamphlet or a verdict. How do you hold a firm limit and stay warm at the same time? How do you parent the kid you actually have? We work on exactly those questions, whether or not the rest of the family ever comes to a session. Sometimes the fastest way to help a child is to support the grown-ups around them.

Not word for word, and that is what makes the therapy work. Teens need to trust that they can speak freely. Your therapist keeps you involved in the big picture and will always tell you about genuine safety concerns, while protecting the day-to-day confidentiality your teen needs.

You're not alone, this is one of the most common calls we get, because most teens don't sign themselves up. Sometimes the first step is a conversation with you, the parent, before your teen ever comes in. And some young people will walk into a group before they'll ever book a one-on-one session, which is part of why we run a lower-threshold Men's Support Group. The free call is a good place to figure out the least forced way in for your particular kid.

Usually your teen gets a room of their own, because a private space they don't have to share is often the whole point. That said, some of what a teenager is carrying is really a family pattern, so there are times we'll bring parents or the family in for part of the work. We stay flexible and go with what actually helps, rather than a one-size rule.

For children, therapy often looks like play, art, and activity rather than sitting and talking, because that is how kids naturally express what they feel. The therapist builds trust first, then helps the child work through what is going on in a way that fits their age. We help children with anxiety, big feelings, family changes, grief, and school stress, and we keep parents involved throughout. [Book a free consultation](/get-started).

Yes, and honestly, that's most kids. A young child's first language isn't conversation, it's behavior and play. The meltdown over the wrong-colored cup, the tummy ache with no cause, the clinginess at drop-off, these are often a child saying something important in the only way they've got. Our job is to listen in their language rather than demand they learn ours first. Sitting and talking comes later, if at all.

Both, and the parent part matters more than people expect. A child's therapy works best when the grown-ups around them are part of it, so alongside your child's sessions we help you understand what's underneath the behavior and how to respond in a way that helps. You are not being graded, and you are not the problem to be fixed. You know your child better than anyone; we just add some tools.

Family therapy helps when the tension is between people rather than inside one person: parent and teen conflict, communication that keeps breaking down, big transitions, or the long work of rebuilding trust. We help the family work as a system rather than looking for someone to blame. If the concern centers on a teenager or younger child, you may also want [teen therapy](/therapy/teens) or [child therapy](/therapy/children).

Often, yes. A skilled therapist gives a reluctant teen room to trust the process at their own pace, and helps the rest of the family communicate in a way that invites the teen in rather than pushing them further out. Learn more about [therapy for teens](/therapy/teens), or [book a free call](/get-started). #

Watch for changes that last more than a couple of weeks: pulling away from friends or family, slipping grades, sleeping or eating very differently, ongoing irritability or sadness, or losing interest in things they used to love. When those stick around, therapy can help. We work with teens on anxiety, depression, anger, and self-esteem, and this is also home to [mother-and-daughter counseling](/therapy/teens).

Yes. The stretch from the late teens into the twenties has its own challenges, from identity and independence to career pressure and relationships. We help young adults navigate that season with support that fits where they actually are. This overlaps with our [individual therapy](/therapy/individuals). Start with a [free consultation](/get-started). #

Trust your instincts, and watch for changes that last: new fears or clinginess, trouble sleeping, big shifts in mood or behavior, withdrawal, or struggles at school. If something feels off for more than a few weeks, a conversation with a therapist can help.

Yes. With younger children especially, parents are part of the work. Your therapist keeps you informed, gives you practical ways to support your child at home, and partners with you rather than working around you. Learn more about [child therapy in Laguna Beach](/therapy/children). #

This work is for adult mothers and adult daughters, whether the daughter is 25 or 55. If your daughter is still a teenager, the mother-and-daughter work sits inside our teen therapy instead, because school, separation, and a still-forming sense of self change what the room needs to do. Not sure which side of the line you're on? Ask on the free call and we'll point you to the right one.

That's a completely normal place to start, and it's more common than both people arriving ready on the same day. Plenty of this work begins with one person sorting out what she actually wants to say before anyone says it. Sometimes the other joins later, sometimes she doesn't, and useful things happen either way. You don't need her agreement to book a free call.

No. The relationship is the client here, not the mother and not the daughter, which means nobody is on trial and nobody is the one who needs correcting. Both of you get to be right about how it has felt from where you were sitting. The work is about the pattern between you, not about deciding who started it.

There is no timeline for grief, and anyone who gives you one is wrong. Grief is not a problem to solve, it is something to carry, and it changes shape over time. Getting help makes sense whenever the weight of it is more than you can hold alone. We support people through every kind of loss. Grief work connects closely with our [senior counseling](/therapy/seniors). Reach out for a [free call](/get-started) when you are ready.

Yes. There's no threshold you have to clear to deserve support. A death, a divorce, a diagnosis, a home, a future you were counting on: if a loss has knocked the wind out of you, that is reason enough to bring it somewhere. You don't have to be falling apart, and you don't have to measure your loss against anyone else's. Grief counseling is a steady, honest place to set it down for an hour, with someone who won't rush you.

Of course. If technology isn't your thing, come see us in person at our Laguna Beach office, no screens required. Telehealth is there if you'd rather not travel, but it's an option, never a requirement. We'll meet you whichever way feels easiest, and we won't make you feel silly about it either way.

Yes, and it's a loving thing to do. A lot of our first calls about senior counseling come from an adult son or daughter, not the older person themselves. You're welcome to book the free call yourself to talk through what you're seeing and how to bring it up gently, before anyone commits to anything. Raising it is often the hardest part, and you don't have to figure that out alone.

Absolutely. There is no age at which it stops being worth understanding yourself better or feeling less alone. Many older adults tell us they wish they had come in sooner. Later life brings real transitions, and support through them makes a genuine difference.

Yes. We offer sessions in our Laguna Beach office, secure video sessions from home anywhere in California, and for some clients the option of a gentle walk-and-talk session by the coast. We will find the format that feels most comfortable. If you’re closer to Irvine, we can meet at our sister office as well. Learn about [telehealth across California](/telehealth) and [Beach Therapy](/beach-therapy). **SECTION 3** **What people struggle with · /specialties** #

Completely normal. Grief does not run on a schedule, and it can resurface around anniversaries, holidays, or out of nowhere. That does not mean something is wrong with you. It means the loss mattered. Therapy can help you carry it. *If you are ever in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room. Therapy is important, but it is not emergency care.*

Yes. Grief follows many kinds of loss: a divorce, a diagnosis, a move, a job, a friendship, the life you thought you would have. All of it is real, and all of it is worth support. You do not have to justify your grief to work on it. This overlaps with our [life transitions counseling](/specialties/life-transitions). #

It gets better. Not by force, and not overnight, but the racing thoughts quiet, the body settles, and the world opens back up. Most people are surprised how much lighter an ordinary day can feel once the alarm stops running the show.

For many people, yes. Therapy on its own helps a great deal with depression, and some people prefer to start there. For others, therapy works alongside medication prescribed by a physician. We help you think through what fits you, and coordinate with your doctor when that is useful.

Then you're describing something a lot of people don't realize is depression. It doesn't always look like crying. Often it looks like flatness, low fuel, a loss of interest in things that used to matter, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much. If the color has drained out of your days and pushing harder hasn't brought it back, that's worth a conversation, whatever you end up calling it. You don't need a formal diagnosis to reach out.

A useful line: worry visits, anxiety moves in. If the worry is constant, hard to switch off, and starting to affect your sleep, your body, your work, or your relationships, that is worth talking to someone about. You do not have to wait until it is unbearable. Anxiety convinces you the worst-case scenario is also the most likely one. That is not a character flaw, it is your nervous system doing its job a little too well. Understanding that is often where the work starts. We help with generalized anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and social anxiety. [Book a free call](/get-started).

Yes. Panic attacks feel dangerous but are treatable, and therapy is one of the most effective ways to reduce how often they happen and how much they frighten you. You can learn what is happening in your body and how to respond to it differently.

Yes. Social anxiety and specific phobias both respond well to therapy. The work helps you understand what is driving the fear and build real, gradual confidence in the situations that have felt off-limits, at a pace that feels manageable. This is part of our [individual therapy](/therapy/individuals) for adults, teens, and children. #

The clue is usually time and reach. A rough patch lifts. Depression tends to stay for weeks and spread into everything, draining your energy, your interest, and your hope. If getting through an ordinary day has started to feel like a lot, it is worth talking to someone. Depression is treatable, and you do not have to wait until you hit bottom. [Start with a free consultation](/get-started). *If you are ever in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room. Therapy is important, but it is not emergency care.*

Start as small as it needs to be. One free 15 to 20 minute phone call, where you do not have to explain everything or have it figured out. Depression makes starting feel enormous, so we keep that very first step as light as possible. When you are ready, [book the free call](/get-started), or call (949) 357-3587. #

That is worth talking about, not a reason to give up. When someone tells us therapy did not help before, we do not assume they were resistant. Usually it just was not the right fit. Fit is exactly what the [free Get to Know Us call](/get-started) is for.

Which one is right for you? That's a conversation to have with your prescribing physician, not something we decide for you. Here's what therapy can offer either way: it addresses the patterns and the story underneath the symptom, which medication alone doesn't touch. Some clients do both. Some do just one. Either way, we're glad to work alongside whatever your medical team recommends.

Yes. You don't have to be in crisis to deserve a steady hand through a big shift. Transition is actually one of the most useful times to come in, because you're between structures and the old ways of coping don't quite fit the new situation yet. Starting early tends to make the crossing shorter and a lot less lonely. You don't have to wait until you're underwater.

Because a transition doesn't only change your circumstances, it dismantles the scaffolding you had built your routines and your sense of self around. When that structure comes down, feeling wobbly isn't a sign something is wrong with you. It's the normal physics of standing in the gap between one chapter and the next. The work is rebuilding the scaffolding, one honest piece at a time.

Our focus is therapy and support rather than formal diagnostic testing. If a full assessment is what you need, we will help you understand that and point you toward the right resource. Many people come to us to live and cope well, with or without a formal label.

Not even close. A lot of people arrive after a late realization, carrying years of wondering why the standard advice never worked for them. It never worked because it wasn't built for your wiring. It is not too late to stop running someone else's playbook. The work is building a life that fits how you're actually put together, and that is useful at any age.

No. Most people who contact us cannot quite put it into words yet, and that is completely normal. You do not need a diagnosis or a tidy explanation to start. Figuring out what is actually going on is part of the work. The simplest first step is a [free 20-minute Get to Know Us call](/get-started). No pressure, no paperwork, just a conversation.

We work with individuals, couples, families, teens, children, and seniors across Laguna Beach and South Orange County, and with anyone in California by telehealth. Whatever you are carrying, there is very likely a good fit for it on our team. You can explore who we help by [the kind of support you want](/therapy/individuals) or by [what you are struggling with](/specialties/anxiety), or let us match you on a [free call](/get-started).

Three things: a team personally trained and supervised by founder Kay Wenger, more than 30 years of experience rooted in this specific community, and our signature Beach Therapy, private walk-and-talk sessions on the Laguna coastline that no other local practice offers. Learn more about [Kay Wenger and how the practice began](/about/kay-wenger), or about [Beach Therapy on the Laguna coastline](/beach-therapy). #

Yes. You do not need a problem to benefit from support through a transition. New job, new city, new baby, empty nest, divorce, retirement, a diagnosis. Even good changes ask a lot of us, and having someone to think it through with helps you land on your feet. This is core to our [individual therapy](/therapy/individuals). [Book a free consultation](/get-started).

Very. A promotion, a wedding, a move somewhere beautiful, a long-awaited retirement. Good changes still ask you to let go of something familiar, and that can leave you unexpectedly unmoored. That feeling is worth taking seriously, not brushing off.

It is regular therapy, focused. Instead of open-ended work, it centers on the specific change you are moving through: what you are losing, what you are stepping into, and how to steady yourself in between. Many people come for a defined stretch rather than indefinitely. #

Yes. We offer therapy that treats being neurodivergent as a different way of being wired, not a defect to be corrected. The goal is to help you work with how your brain actually functions rather than against it, and to feel understood while you do it. This support runs through our [individual therapy](/therapy/individuals) and [child therapy](/therapy/children).

Yes. We help neurodivergent kids and teens build on their strengths, understand their own wiring, and navigate school, friendships, and big feelings, while giving parents practical ways to support them at home. See [child therapy](/therapy/children) and [teen therapy](/therapy/teens), or [book a free call](/get-started). #

Your first session is mostly a conversation, not an evaluation. You will talk about what brought you in, what you have already tried, and what you are hoping feels different. Nothing is expected of you except showing up and being honest as far as you are comfortable. You do not need to prepare anything or have your thoughts organized. If you would like to see who you would work with first, meet [our team](/about/our-team), or start with a [free call](/get-started).

We are an out-of-network practice, so we do not bill insurance directly. If you have a PPO plan, we provide a Superbill at every session that you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Full details are on the [fees and insurance page](/fees). Being out-of-network lets us offer full-length sessions, protect your privacy, and avoid putting a diagnosis on your permanent record when you do not need one.

Beach Therapy is a private walk-and-talk session with your therapist on the Laguna Beach coastline, instead of sitting in an office. The setting is part of the work: walking side by side tends to make hard conversations feel a little easier. Here is [how Beach Therapy works and who it is for](/beach-therapy).

You do not have to figure that out on your own. When you reach out, we learn a little about what you are looking for and match you with the therapist who fits, rather than whoever happens to be available. See focus areas on the [meet the team page](/about/our-team), or let us match you on a [free call](/get-started).

Associate sessions range from about $160 to $315, and sessions with Kay Wenger range from about $190 to 220.00, depending on length and format. The full rate card and out-of-network details are on the [fees page](/fees).

Sand Castle Therapy™ is a nature-based play therapy model developed by Kay Wenger, LMFT, LPCC, and Laguna Beach Counseling. A child builds a sandcastle on the beach while building trust with their therapist, and along the way uses sand, imagination, storytelling, and play to grow emotional resilience, coping skills, confidence, communication, and stronger family relationships. The tagline says it plainly: building resilience, one sand castle at a time. Sessions are offered after school and on weekends, so it fits around a family's actual week.

That is not the session going wrong. It is often the most useful ten minutes of it. A wave arrives, a tower gives way, and a child gets to practice the hardest skills there are: feeling the disappointment, staying with it, and deciding to rebuild anyway. The therapist is right there while it happens, helping them name the feeling and find a next move. A castle is small enough for a child to handle and real enough to matter, which is what makes it such good practice for everything else.

It is the same kind of real work, with the sky for a ceiling. Instead of sitting still indoors, children move, build, create, imagine, and settle a stirred-up body the way bodies naturally do outside, next to the water and an open horizon. For a lot of kids, that is the difference between enduring an appointment and forgetting they are in one. The beach becomes part of the healing rather than the scenery around it. When weather or fit calls for it, indoor sessions are always available.

The practice was founded by Kay Wenger, a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor with more than 30 years of experience. She built it to put excellent clinical care and genuine human warmth side by side. Read more [about Kay Wenger](/about/kay-wenger) and [our approach to therapy](/about/our-approach).

No, and that is on purpose. We are a small, local, independently owned practice where the quality of the work matters more than the scale of the business. You will not be treated like another appointment on a calendar. Meet [the team you would actually work with](/about/our-team).

Start with a free 15 to 20 minute Get to Know Us call. It is a no-pressure way to tell us what is going on and let us match you with the right therapist. From there we schedule your first session. Book the [free Get to Know Us call](/get-started), or call (949) 357-3587. #

Kay Wenger is the founder of Laguna Beach Counseling, a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor with more than 30 years of clinical experience. She co-founded the National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists and spent three decades training therapists at Pepperdine University. She also founded and runs the senior mental-health programs at the Susi Q community center, which anchors our [senior counseling](/therapy/seniors) work.

Kay believes relationships heal people, not techniques. Methods matter, but they only work when you actually feel understood by the person across from you. So she trains the whole team to slow down, understand your experience first, and then help you move. Read more about [our therapy approach](/about/our-approach).

Both. Kay sees her own clients, including couples, individuals and the intensive one-day sessions, and she personally supervises every associate on the team. When you work with an associate, you are getting care shaped by Kay's three decades of experience. You can request Kay specifically or ask us to match you on a [free call](/get-started). Note that Kay's session rates differ from the associates', shown on the [fees page](/fees). #

You do not have to figure that out alone. When you reach out, we learn a little about what you are looking for and match you with the therapist who fits, rather than whoever happens to be free. Fit is the single biggest predictor of whether therapy helps. Tell us what you are navigating on a [free Get to Know Us call](/get-started) and we will point you to the right person.

Every therapist on our team holds a clinical license or is a registered associate working toward full licensure under supervision. All associates are personally supervised by founder Kay Wenger, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor.

Yes. If you already know who you would like to work with, or you would prefer to see Kay specifically, just tell us. If you are not sure, we are glad to match you based on what you are looking for. Start with a [free consultation](/get-started). #

We believe relationships heal people, not techniques. Tools and methods matter, but they only work when you feel understood by the person across from you. So we slow down, get to know what is really going on, and then help you move. That means you leave sessions with two things: the sense that you were heard, and something practical to work with. [Book a free fit call](/get-started) to see how it feels.

It depends on what you are working on, and we will be honest with you about it. Some people come for a specific issue and finish in a few months. Others value ongoing support. We work toward your goals, not toward keeping you in the room.

It can, and the changes are usually pretty ordinary in the best way. Conversations that used to end in arguments get easier. Decisions get clearer. You spend less energy managing anxiety or resentment and have more left for actually living. The goal is not a perfect life. It is having the tools and resilience to handle a real one. [Start with a free call](/get-started). **SECTION 2** **Who we help · /therapy** #

Individual therapy helps with anxiety, depression, stress and burnout, self-esteem, grief, life transitions, and the quieter sense that something needs to change even when you cannot name it. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit. If a specific concern brought you here, read about [anxiety therapy](/specialties/anxiety), [depression therapy](/specialties/depression), or [counseling for life transitions](/specialties/life-transitions).

A good rule of thumb: if something has been weighing on you long enough that you are wondering whether this is just how it is going to feel, that is reason enough to talk to someone. You do not have to hit a crisis to deserve support.

That is worth talking about, not a reason to give up. When someone tells us therapy did not help before, we do not assume they were resistant. Usually it just was not the right fit, and fit is exactly what we pay attention to. The [free Get to Know Us call](/get-started) is a low-pressure way to find out whether one of our therapists is the right person this time. #

Our office is at 333 Third Street, Suite 6, in Laguna Beach, California, a short walk from the coast. We also see clients throughout California by telehealth. If in-person is not convenient, we offer [online therapy across California](/telehealth).

Our Laguna Beach office serves the surrounding South Orange County communities, including Newport Beach, Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, and Corona del Mar. Through telehealth, we serve clients anywhere in California.

The fastest way to get started is to book the free Get to Know Us call online. You are also welcome to call us at (949) 357-3587 or send a message through the contact form, and we will get back to you quickly, usually within 24 hours. Book the [free Get to Know Us call](/get-started). **SECTION 6** **Master FAQ page** #