Human focused therapy for the whole you.
Our team
Kristin Quihuis, LMFT, Clinical Director, Founder
Kristin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #110779, adjunct professor for the MFT program at Pepperdine University, clinical supervisor, and founder of KLQ. Kristin takes pride in helping others work through difficult seasons; including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, acculturation, coping with effects of emotionally immature parents, relationship challenges and life transitions. Kristin is dedicated to personalizing her services and therapeutic approach to each individual’s unique needs. One of her strengths is naturally creating a warm environment for her clients to learn about themselves. Kristin utilizes a Human Centered approach to connect to her clients and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help her clients evolve and grow. With ACT at the forefront of her approach, Kristin works with clients on taking ownership over their choices, realigning them with their core values, creating psychological flexibility, and changing the unhelpful language clients use with themselves. Kristin helps her clients foster deep self-reflection and awareness through compassion and direct feedback. Kristin whole-heartedly believes that it is through mindful action that we can create a meaningful life.
Kristin received her Bachelor’s in Psychology at California State University, Fullerton where she discovered the power of how we tell our individual unique stories. She achieved her Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. While pursuing her MFT license, Kristin worked with underserved communities and minority populations throughout the city of Los Angeles. Kristin is certified trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy where she supported many children and adolescents in healing from their trauma while reclaiming their power. Kristin also has extensive experience working with individuals within the film and music industry; including high-profile clients and their families. Kristin has a particular interest in working with adult children of emotionally immature parents. Kristin supports her clients in letting go of the control an emotionally immature parent has over their self-worth and true nature. She provides practical skills to heal from the pain and confusion caused by their childhood while guiding them in working with their emotions rather than against them.
As a lover of nature, Kristin enjoys being outdoors and planning camping trips every chance she gets. One of her passions is traveling the world and she has had the privilege of visiting over 30 countries. Kristin enjoys learning about different cultures and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. As a food lover, Kristin enjoys cooking and gathering with others around the dinner table. After a long day of work, you can often find her unwinding in the kitchen. She seeks to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle and strives to help her clients do the same—believing we all have the power to transform our lives, the responsibility to heal from our past, the opportunity to live thriving lives in the present, and be optimistic in thinking about the future.
Celeste Toloza, AMFT
Celeste is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #135071, who is supervised by Kristin Quihuis, LMFT #110779 located in Los Angeles County. Celeste completed her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Services, with a double track in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention at California State University, Fullerton. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Celeste worked as a youth development professional, academic tutor and substitute teacher. Through her experience working with youth she then decided to pursue her Master of Science in Counseling from California State University, Los Angeles. Celeste studied both, School Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy and has a certificate in Child Welfare and Attendance. Celeste has extensive experience working with youth, adolescents, and their families.
During her graduate studies, Celeste provided family therapy at Cal State LA’s on site clinic where she developed skills in helping families navigate intergenerational trauma to better manage and cope in their day to day lives. Celeste began working under Kristin’s supervision as a trainee during the 2021-2022 school year where she provided socio-emotional support and therapy to middle and high school students, and their families. Being a product of immigrant parents, Celeste is able to understand the challenges faced by first generation students acclimating to their school environments, the role mental health plays in their daily lives and the impact it has on their academic performance.
Celeste is a genuine, empathetic and often brings humor into the therapy room. She strives to understand the viewpoint of her clients as she utilizes a human focused approach to therapy. She is a dedicated, hardworking, and family oriented. Celeste is dog-mom to two pups, enjoys a good gym session and various outdoor activities as her form of self-care.
Kara Park, AMFT
Kara is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #136250 who is passionate about meeting all her clients with compassion and curiosity. Over the past 7 years, Kara has worked in a variety of settings including residential mental health treatment centers, hospitals, schools, crisis hotlines, nonprofit organizations, and churches with people of all ages and backgrounds. It was during those years that Kara discovered her heart for those working through challenges including anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, negative body image, perfectionism, intergenerational family conflicts, and various life transitions. She is also highly motivated to raise more awareness of mental health care in Asian American communities. Kara has learned that the act of sharing one’s story is both brave and powerful, and she feels privileged to journey with those who choose to entrust their stories into her care.
Kara attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior with a minor in Biological Sciences. As a pre-med student turned psychology nerd, she was fascinated by the intricate connections between the human mind and body. She then went on to complete her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller School of Psychology with a certification in Medical Family Therapy. As a graduate student, Kara enjoyed exploring ways the mind and body could then connect with one’s soul and spirituality. She began working at an eating disorder residential part-time, where she gained experience working with young adults and the LGBTQ+ community. Kara also began working under Kristin’s supervision at that time, where she began implementing the human-focused approach to best meet, support, and empower middle and high school students as they faced their various challenges.
Outside of the therapy room, Kara enjoys a good latte, going on adventures with her little Maltese Cherry, and watching her plant babies grow. She also likes to find new ways to creatively express herself and to intentionally connect with her community. And overall, she strives to live her life as authentically as she can, just as another imperfect human being on her own life journey.
Melissa Watte, AMFT
Melissa is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #, who is supervised by Kristin Quihuis, LMFT #110779 located in Los Angeles County. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Bible & Christian Ministries from Point Loma Nazarene University and her first Master’s degree in Intercultural Studies from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Melissa has a passion for community that led her to serving in nonprofit for more than 12+ years both internationally and domestically in areas of mentoring, direct client care, and administration. She has used equine assisted learning, dance, faith, painting and other creative means as tools to help individuals grow and discover new relational dynamics. Because of her love of other cultures, she served in a number of other countries, most recently for 3 years in South Africa; serving youth, adolescents and their families. Drawing from these diverse experiences, Melissa is sensitive to clients’ individual stories and the unique needs that often create obstacles to healing. Upon her return to the USA and fueled by a passion to offer deeper healing to others, she attended Fuller Theological Seminary to complete her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Melissa has provided individual and family therapy at San Gabriel Unified School District particularly to adolescents and their families. Melissa is a very warm, welcoming, and loving person who centers her therapy work around self-compassion and hope. She takes a somatic approach to trauma work and stress relief that utilizes the body mind connection for a gentle healing process. She is well versed in working with relationship dynamics which often influence much of client’s mental health, as well as helping clients to develop healthy boundaries. Melissa loves to dance in her free time and finds it to be an important way for her to maintain self-care. She also enjoys many of the creative tools mentioned above as her hobbies usually fueled by a lot of coffee!