Kristin James, LMFT

Kristin James, LMFT (she/her)

Kristin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. The founder of Bend Family Therapy, Kristin’s clinical passion is in treating couple relationships, family struggles, trauma, and eating disorders. She takes a non-judgmental, caring, and collaborative approach to facilitating therapy. Kristin believes that all of us have the innate ability to heal and grow…and that within each of us is a wellspring of untapped resources that we can use to heal our wounds and help us better navigate the challenges that we face in our lives. Often these resources are buried deep within us and we are unaware of how to access them or even that they exist.

Kristin views her role as a guide in helping people connect with and access these innate resources. She recognizes the importance of the mind body connection and teaches tools in sessions to help clients learn to connect with themselves, regulate their emotions and their bodies, and heal past wounds. Kristin utilizes an integration of EMDR, attachment therapy, somatic processing and internal family systems to support her clients in their individual and family therapy growth. She is honored to be a witness with her clients through their transformations.

Kristin holds the belief that our relationship with our partner should be the most important and fulfilling relationship that we have. However, she knows that it can also be incredibly challenging and can take hard work. Sometimes our deepest relationships can experience unintended wounding and suffering. Many relationships break down over time, loose their spark, and have recurring issues that feel stuck and unresolvable. Kristin sees couples wanting to improve their communication, deepen their connection, and strengthen their intimacy. In her work with couples she provides a deep level of attunement in order to locate tender spots and underlying issues and designs reparative experiences in sessions. She guides partners towards understanding each others’ histories that were the blueprint for their way of being in relationship, and she teaches them how to better tend to their partner’s triggers and body ques. She assist them with finding effective ways to connect and communicate, improving problem solving and conflict management skills, and building intimacy. In her work with couples Kristin primarily integrates IFIO (Intimacy From the Inside Out) and PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy). She also draws on her extensive training in Attachment therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Gottman’s Couples Therapy, and Emotion Focused Couples Therapy.

Kristin is a graduate of the University of Oregon's Couple and Family Therapy Program. Prior to starting Bend Family Therapy, Kristin was a therapist for Deschutes County Behavioral Health, Seneca Center and Looking Glass Adolescent Recovery Program. In addition, she is registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists, on their supervisor registry, to provider supervision to therapists working towards licensure.

In her free time Kristin enjoys spending time with her partner and their two daughters. She loves engaging with the outdoors and recognizes the importance of nature to support mental and physical health. Kristin consistently spends time engaging in her own self growth work, including running on the beautiful trails in Bend, practicing mindfulness and meditation outdoors, reading, and engaging in her own therapy work.