Encinitas, Vista, or Online
Reid Kessler, PsyD
Licensed Psychologist | Therapy for Adults, Couples & Executives | he/him
I work with adults, couples, teens, and executives who want to stop managing their lives and start actually living them. My style is relational, compassionate, and honest. I help people feel better and make sense of what’s really going on.
A short introduction
About Dr. Kessler
Reid Kessler, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist (PSY29855) and the founder of Coastal Therapy Group, which he started in 2018 and where he serves as Training Director, overseeing the practice’s postdoctoral fellowship program. He sees clients at the group’s Encinitas and Vista offices and online throughout California. He works with adults, and his practice centers on therapy for men, husbands, and fathers, couples therapy and infidelity recovery, and therapy for executives, leaders, and professionals. He holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Biola University and a master’s in Community Counseling from Denver Seminary, completed a fellowship at the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center, and has served on the board of the San Diego Psychological Association. He works from a relational psychoanalytic orientation and has been practicing for about ten years.
In my own words
How I think about the work
It takes real strength to sit with your own pain instead of running from it. Most people who come to see me have been managing for a long time. They’re functional. They’re getting through the day. But something isn’t working, and they know it.
As a licensed psychologist in Encinitas and Vista, I work from a relational psychoanalytic orientation. That means I pay attention to patterns: the ways your early relationships shaped how you connect with people now, the emotional templates you learned growing up that may no longer serve you, and the parts of yourself you’ve learned to hide. My job is to help you see those patterns clearly enough to make different choices.
I’ve worked in settings ranging from a neuropsychology clinic at UCLA to a treatment center for Amish communities in rural Pennsylvania. That range taught me something I carry into every session: every person’s experience is worth taking seriously, and curiosity is the most useful tool I have.
Men, husbands & fathers
Therapy for men, husbands, and fathers
A lot of the men I work with didn’t come to therapy because they wanted to. Their wife asked. Their doctor suggested it. Something blew up at work or at home and they couldn’t ignore it anymore. That’s fine. How you get here matters less than what happens once you’re in the room.
What I find is that most men stay in therapy once they realize what it actually is. It’s not about being told what’s wrong with you. It’s about understanding why you respond the way you do, where those patterns come from, and what it would look like to have more choice in how you show up as a husband, a father, a friend, a leader.
Men are often taught that vulnerability is weakness. In my experience, the opposite is true. The men I work with who are willing to feel their feelings, rather than manage or avoid them, end up with more freedom, deeper relationships, and a clearer sense of who they actually are. That process involves grief and discomfort. It also involves relief and, honestly, a kind of joy most of them didn’t expect.
If you’ve been looking for a male therapist in Encinitas, Vista, or North County San Diego, I’d welcome the chance to talk.
Couples & marriage
Couples therapy in Encinitas and Vista
Most couples who come to see me aren’t on the verge of divorce. They’re stuck. The same argument keeps happening. One person feels unheard, the other feels criticized, and both feel alone in the relationship. Sometimes there’s been an affair. Sometimes there’s just a slow erosion of closeness that neither person can name.
I work with couples to slow down enough to see what’s actually happening between them. That means getting underneath the content of the fights and into the emotional patterns driving them. I’m direct in couples work. I’ll name what I see. But the goal isn’t to assign blame. It’s to help both of you understand what you’re each bringing into the room and what you actually need from each other.
If you’re looking for a couples therapist in Encinitas or Vista who will help you get underneath the same recurring fight and actually understand it, I’d be glad to talk.
Executives & professionals
Therapy for executives, leaders, and professionals
Leading other people is isolating in ways that are hard to explain to someone who hasn’t done it. You carry decisions that affect people’s lives, you perform under pressure that doesn’t let up, and you may not have a single person in your life who you feel you can be fully honest with about what it’s costing you.
I work with executives, business owners, and professionals who are high-functioning but privately struggling. That might look like anxiety that won’t quiet down, a marriage that’s suffering because of how much you’re carrying at work, or the realization that the version of yourself you’ve built for your career isn’t the version of yourself you want to be.
Therapy for professionals isn’t about fixing a weakness. It’s about making sure the way you’re living actually matches what matters to you.
Ways to work together
Ways to work with me
Weekly therapy is the heart of the work. Alongside it, there are lower-commitment ways to start if you want to get a feel for fit first.
45-minute sessions, in person at the Encinitas or Vista office or online throughout California.
For communication breakdowns, emotional distance, or affair recovery. Available in Encinitas and Vista.
About couples therapy →A structured psychological consultation for clarity and direction without committing to ongoing therapy.
About Insight Sessions →A no-pressure phone call to talk through what you are navigating and whether we are a good fit.
Book a consultation →Credentials as a Psychologist
- Former Board Member, San Diego Psychological Association (SDPA)
- Licensed Psychologist, California (PSY29855)
- Fellowship, San Diego Psychoanalytic Center
- Pre-doctoral Internship, Philhaven Hospital (APA Accredited)
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Biola University (APA Accredited)
- Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MA), Biola University (APA Accredited)
- Masters of Arts in Community Counseling (MA), Denver Seminary (CACREP Accredited)
Areas of Specialized Experience
Before you reach out
Common questions for Dr. Kessler
Do you specialize in therapy for men?
Yes. A large part of my caseload is men: husbands, fathers, and leaders who are working through relational patterns, emotional disconnection, or the question of how to show up differently in their lives. I also work with women, couples, teens, and executives.
Do you only work with men?
No. A large part of my practice is men, and it is work I care deeply about, but I see people of all genders in individual therapy, couples work, and executive work. If the focus on men here has you wondering whether you are in the right place, you are.
Do you do couples therapy?
Yes. I work with couples navigating communication breakdowns, emotional distance, infidelity, and the patterns that keep them stuck. Couples therapy is available at both our Encinitas and Vista offices.
What kind of therapy do you practice?
I work from a relational psychoanalytic orientation. In plain terms, that means we pay attention to patterns: the way your early relationships shaped how you connect now, the emotional templates you learned growing up, and the parts of yourself you have learned to hide. The goal is to see those patterns clearly enough to make different choices, not just to manage symptoms.
Do you offer online therapy?
Yes. I see clients in person at our Encinitas and Vista offices and online for anyone located in California. Many clients do a mix of both depending on their week.
How often are sessions, and how long does therapy take?
Most clients meet weekly for 45-minute sessions, which is where the real work happens. How long therapy lasts depends on what you are working through. Some people come in for a specific issue and wrap up in a few months; others value having an ongoing space to think. We talk openly about pace and fit as we go.
Do you work with teens?
Yes. Along with men, couples, and executives, I work with teens and young adults navigating anxiety, identity, relationships, and the pressures of these years. If a different clinician on our team is a better fit for your teen, I will help point you in the right direction.
Where is your office?
I see clients at Coastal Therapy Group's Encinitas office (169 Saxony Road, Suite 211) and Vista office (1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110). I also offer online therapy for anyone in California.
Are you the owner of Coastal Therapy Group?
Yes. I founded CTG in 2018 and serve as Training Director, overseeing our postdoctoral fellowship program. Lindsey Robertson, PhD, joined as a co-owner and together we've grown the practice to three locations.
Do you take insurance?
Coastal Therapy Group is a private-pay practice. Many clients with PPO plans receive reimbursement for a significant portion of sessions. We provide the documentation you need to submit to your insurance.
Recent essays by Dr. Kessler
- Can AI Replace Therapy? Why a Digital Face Will Never Be HumanApril 19, 2026
- Ways To Support Your Partner With DepressionJuly 26, 2019
- One Step To Reduce AnxietyMay 29, 2018