Kristen Schwar, LAMFT (she/her)

Licensed Associate Marriage & Family Therapist LAMFT#

ASD & ADHD

Play Therapy & Family Therapy

Trauma & Transitions

Client Focus: Children, Tweens, Teens, and Families Navigating Autism, ADHD, Trauma, Emotional Regulation, Family Transitions, and Relationship Challenges

Specialties: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, executive functioning, emotional regulation, trauma, divorce and separation, family transitions, family connection and communication, relationship difficulties, neurodivergent support, confidence and self-understanding

Treatment Methods: Play Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Strengths-Based approach, Child-Centered and play-based therapy, Trauma-Informed Care

Kirsten Schwar is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who works with children, tweens, teens, and families navigating Autism, ADHD, trauma, emotional regulation challenges, family transitions, and relationship difficulties.

Families often describe her as calm, warm, and easy to talk to. She believes therapy starts with genuine connection, because before children can work through difficult challenges, they need to feel safe, understood, and accepted for who they are. She is especially passionate about helping neurodivergent youth build confidence, strengthen executive functioning, manage big emotions, and develop meaningful connections with the people around them.

Her approach is collaborative and tailored to each child's unique needs. Therapy may include play, creative activities, conversations, and hands-on experiences that help children express themselves in ways that feel natural and engaging. Kirsten takes time to learn each child's interests, strengths, and personality, so therapy feels approachable rather than intimidating. She works closely with parents and caregivers throughout the process, because meaningful change happens when everyone feels supported and is working toward the same goals.

Kirsten works with children through teens and the families around them, supporting young people through big emotions, attention and focus challenges, trauma, divorce and separation, and the difficulty of feeling misunderstood. She especially enjoys working with athletes, artists, musicians, readers, outdoor-minded youth, and kids who are part of fandom communities. Whatever a child is into, she meets them where they are and builds on what they are already good at.

One of Kirsten's favorite parts of the work is witnessing the moments when something finally clicks: a child discovering a new strength, gaining confidence, or a family beginning to reconnect in meaningful ways. Her hope is that every child leaves therapy knowing they are more than the challenges they face, able to recognize their strengths and advocate for their needs, and that every family leaves feeling supported, hopeful, and reassured they do not have to navigate these seasons alone.

  • Kirsten's strengths-based, child-centered approach builds confidence from the inside out, meeting each child as an individual rather than fitting them to a template.

  • Her specialized focus on neurodivergent youth, including children with Autism and ADHD, lets her tailor support to how each child thinks, learns, and experiences the world.

  • Kirsten's family-inclusive model keeps parents and caregivers as active partners, because lasting change grows when everyone is working toward the same goals.

"Growth is possible, even during the most difficult seasons. I want every child to leave knowing they are more than the challenges they face, and every family to feel they never have to navigate those seasons alone."

– Kirsten Schwar, LAMFT