Licensed to practice in California and accepts 64 insurances. Specializes in Coping Skills, LGBTQ, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
Mike Kessler
(They/He)
My name is mike kessler (they/he), and I'm a genderqueer, transmasculine, pansexual therapist with over 30 years of experience. I specialize in serving LGBTQIA+ people around exploring gender & attractions, depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, dating & sex, coming out, family & relationship issues, body image and neurodivergence, among other things. I believe you are the expert on you, not me! I take a collaborative, client-centered & humanistic approach to therapy. I use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you identify & change unhelpful thought patterns, develop skills to manage your emotions & somatic work to foster a mind-body approach and help you get comfortable in your body. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started!
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Our first session will be an opportunity for us to get to know each other. We’ll discuss your background & what brings you to therapy. Therapy is a process & we’ll continue to build our work together over time. It’s completely normal to feel nervous about your first appointment. We’ll take it one step at a time & I’ll guide you each step of the way.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have a warm, friendly demeanor, and I am gentle, direct, open and transparent so there's never any surprises in therapy. My goal is to put you at ease over time, starting with our first meeting. I don't expect you to trust me on day one, but I hope to earn your trust over time.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work best with anyone willing to show up to therapy and do the hard work of honestly looking at themselves and dealing with whatever might be holding them back from reaching their full potential. I don't have all the answers and I unfortunately don't have a magic wand to fix all of the man-made ailments of the world that affect you, but I will listen and support you while helping you navigate those barriers--you don't have to do this alone! That includes talking openly and honestly about isms and phobias and the constructs that permeate our culture and affect your day to day life, how to cope with the added, ongoing stress of them and figuring out ways to increase joy despite them.
Specialties
Top specialties
Coping Skills
LGBTQ
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
ADHD
Addiction
Anxiety
Autism
Child or Adolescent
Crisis Intervention
Depression
Family Therapy
Self Esteem
Self-Harming
I identify as
Buddhist
LGBTQ
Transgender
White
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Children (6 to 12)
Elders (65 and above)
Teenagers (13 to 17)
Licensed in
California
Accepts
Aetna
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Anthem
Blue Cross
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Shield
Blue Shield of California - Medicare
Independence Personal Choice 65 PPO
Independence Keystone 65 HMO
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
L.A. Care PASC-SEIU
L.A. Care Covered
L.A. Care Covered Direct
Sutter Health Plan
IHSS Healthy Workers
Cash - $120 per session
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
GTEB
Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Gold Coast Health Plan Total Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)
Golden Rule
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Health Plan of San Joaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan – Medi-Cal
Humana - Medicare
Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
L.A. Care Medicare Plus (HMO D-SNP)
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal)
SFHP Care Plus (HMO D-SNP)
San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Scripps Health Plan
Sharp Health Plan
Surest (formerly Bind)
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare
UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Gender-affirming therapy
I've worked with children, adolescents and adults who are transgender, non-binary, gender expansive or questioning to help them explore their identity, support family & partners, and access gender affirming care to decrease their dysphoria & thereby decrease depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and non- suicidal self-injurious behavior.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I believe that you are the expert, not me. I am here to listen, to ask questions, to walk beside you on your journey and to empower you to embrace those parts of you hidden or hated. I draw on a variety of different therapeutic modalities to help you reach your full potential, find healing, and achieve your treatment goals.