About Paul
Paul Knight is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with more than two decades of clinical experience. He works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, mood disorders, and hard life transitions.
Background and approach
He aims to create a respectful, sensitive space where someone can talk through what feels overwhelming right now. He uses clear, practical methods to help people manage symptoms and regain a sense of control.
That can mean learning new coping skills, practicing ways to shift unhelpful thinking, or working through emotions that get in the way of daily life. Sessions are tailored to each person’s situation and goals.
Paul draws on a mix of approaches such as cognitive behavioral work to change thinking patterns and dialectical behavior ideas to manage intense feelings. He also brings psychodynamic perspectives when understanding past patterns helps explain current struggles.
Solution-focused tools are used to identify small, achievable steps toward meaningful change. Over 26 years he has supported people facing depression, bipolar concerns, addiction, grief, trauma, anger, and challenges with self-esteem.
He also addresses issues related to aging, autism spectrum conditions, HIV/AIDS, hoarding, personality differences, and self-harm when relevant to the individual. Conversations are straightforward and goal-oriented, while still allowing space for emotion and reflection.
Paul works with each person to shape a plan that fits their life and moves toward relief and clearer direction.
How therapeutic approaches fit into online care
Paul commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and behaving to reduce symptoms like anxiety or depression. He also uses dialectical behavior therapy skills for managing intense emotions, improving distress tolerance, and building better emotion regulation.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Together the client and therapist review needs, goals, and preferences, and then try methods that match those priorities. Adjustments are made over time so the work stays practical and relevant to what the person wants to change.
Online therapy offers flexibility in how sessions happen: video calls for face-to-face conversation, phone sessions when connections or bandwidth are limited, live chat for shorter check-ins, and text-based messaging for ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit care around work, caregiving, or mobility constraints while still using the therapist’s chosen clinical approaches in a straightforward, goal-focused way.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Paul commonly address?
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
Also works with
- Addictions
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Coping with life changes
- Grief
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Personality disorders
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Trauma and abuse
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 26 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English