Hi there! My name is Catherine Kaila, but you can just call me Kaila. I'm a Filipino American Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, born and raised in California. I work with children, adolescents, young adults, and families navigating anxiety, emotional challenges, family dynamics, identity development, and life transitions.

I especially enjoy working with children and teens who have a hard time expressing emotions, managing big feelings, building social skills, or coping with stress at home or school. As a bilingual therapist, I use play therapy and developmentally appropriate approaches to help them process emotions, build coping and emotional regulation skills, develop social skills, and grow resilience. I also collaborate with parents, caregivers, teachers, and support teams so your child feels understood in every part of their life.

I also support Asian American clients and children of immigrants with anxiety, self-esteem, cultural identity, family expectations, and intergenerational experiences.

I can help you or your child:

• Understand and manage big emotions and anxiety

• Build social skills and confidence at home and at school

• Explore cultural identity and family expectations

• Build stronger relationships and boundaries

• Strengthen self-esteem and resilience

As a daughter of immigrants myself, I deeply understand the complexities of navigating multiple cultural identities and the unique challenges that come with it. This personal experience fuels my commitment to providing culturally sensitive therapy, creating a safe and supportive environment where clients can openly discuss their struggles and triumphs. I aim to empower individuals to embrace their heritage while confidently forging their own paths, fostering resilience and well-being in their personal and communal lives.

Outside of working as a therapist, I spend my time reading, cooking, and finding new shows and movies to watch.

Therapy is a meaningful step toward feeling understood and supported. I strive to create a warm, culturally responsive space where children, teens, and adults can feel comfortable being themselves. Whether you or your child is navigating emotions, school, relationships, identity, or family dynamics, we can work together to build confidence.