Specialties
Somatic Experiencing, Expressive Arts/Sand Tray Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Parts Work/Inner Communities
Consultations
Kim offers free consultations, please contact her to see if you all are a good fit.
Currently, all appointment times are full. Contact Kim if you'd like to join her waitlist.
About Kim
Kim (she/her) is a Senior Clinician at IPNB Psychotherapy of Austin. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, who graduated from St. Edward University's Master of Arts in Counseling program with a 4.0 GPA in 2016.
Kim is well versed in Interpersonal Neurobiology and utilizes techniques gained from extensive training in Somatic Experiencing, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Emotional Transformation Therapy, Non-Violent Communication, and Integrative Restoration (mindfulness).
Additionally, Kim has studied Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, Gottman's Sound Relationship House, and Terry Real's Relational Life Therapy. Kim is a relational therapist who has the ability to join her people where they are, while utilizing her growing knowledge of the brain, body, and nervous system to support the path to healing. Her clinical focus includes relationship stress & couple counseling, life transitions, grief & loss, depression, anxiety, and trauma recovery.
Kim is aware of her privilege as a white woman in a white-centered society. She is an inclusive therapist who actively works against the damaging effects of white supremacy and binary thinking. Nuance and complexity are constant companions in all of her work.
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In 2006, Kim completed the 200 hour yoga teacher training program at YogaYoga in Austin, Texas. Since then, she has completed over 1000 hours of advanced yoga training, including earning certificates as an Anusara Inspired™ teacher and and a Level 2 iRest™ Yoga Nidra meditation teacher. Kim is also an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level (E-RYT 500) and an approved Continuing Education Provider (YACEP) with Yoga Alliance. She was the lead teacher for Austin Yoga Tree's 200 hour Teacher Training in 2017.
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Kim is also a graduate of the Nevada School of Massage Therapy’s 815.5 hour Professional Massage Therapy Program and actively practiced body work from 2001-2019. Kim holds advanced training in Craniosacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute. The skills and knowledge learned in these courses continues to inform her Somatic Experiencing Touch work. Prior to her massage and yoga schooling, Kim graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Music.
Q&A with
Kim Schaefer
How does talking to someone help?
Through deep connection we can feel heard, seen, and understood. When we feel connected and not alone we gather enough strength to change. Through acceptance in this deep connection we can realize we were never broken in the first place and all is okay, just as it is. I want to help myself know this more deeply and I want to help others know this more deeply. In therapy, we learn together and create more of these deep spaces of safety together. Our shared creation supports the freedom to forge a new and beautiful path.
What is your first question for a client, and why?
“What brings you joy?” I ask this question because I know that you’ve embarked on the therapeutic journey to work out the hard stuff. I want to get a feel for the “something differents” in your experience. We all contain multitudes, and I look forward to getting to know all your parts and helping you to see and accept them as they are.
How would you describe therapy with you?
While in therapy with me, you will feel heard, seen, and honored for the unique path you have walked thus far. I endeavor to look for the good in each person I meet, and it is my greatest honor to help you navigate the murky waters of life. In the therapy room there is permission to heed your body’s cues. Wanna take a walk, and talk? I’m all for it! Perhaps an organic posture or song or drawing better expresses what you are experiencing. Bring it on! We are certainly not isolated to the couch or just to talking.
Of course, effective therapy requires collaboration. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m pretty good at helping you tap into your innate wisdom to discover what you’ve been longing for. I bring to therapy an accumulation of training and experience in trauma recovery, grief support, and the healing arts. If you are seeking couple therapy, I will help you and your partner learn to communicate better, understand and accept each other, and deepen your relationship. Transitions can be challenging as well: bringing a baby into the family, changing careers, going through a breakup or divorce. From my own experience, I know therapy can be intense at times, but it can also be incredibly helpful. My intention is to hold the space for your inner journey. I’m here to support you in your challenges as well as celebrate those beautiful ‘aha’ moments that inevitably arise with organic self-discovery.
What is the best thing you have learned from one of your people?
I learn something from each person I work with. I’ve been lucky to meet some of the most brave, resilient humans out there. I’m inspired by their perseverance and drive to thrive, even after experiencing the struggles of life. There’s a quote I used to recite before teaching yoga classes: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” I appreciate the human condition..the pain of it...the joy of it...the fact that we can’t feel any of it unless we accept feeling all of it. My clients have shown me that sometimes the hardest battle we fight is within ourselves. They’ve taught me that through grace and connections these battles can transform into a guesthouse where all are welcome.