Online in California
(Online Only)
Are you having difficulty recognizing yourself lately? Do you lie awake even when you're exhausted, dread dates on the calendar no one else notices, or rehearse how to seem okay before you walk into a room? Are you trying to be everything for everyone while always putting yourself last? You don't have to keep faking it or struggling through it alone. These experiences that deserve real care. I specialize in reproductive mental health to support adults through infertility and the ache of trying to conceive, pregnancy loss, the upheaval of pregnancy and postpartum, PMDD, perimenopause, OCD and intrusive thoughts, and life with chronic pain or illness. The version of you that feels at home in your own life isn't gone. Let's go find it together.
Client Focus
Session Format: Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: Asian, Black / African American, Buddhist, Christian, Hispanic / Latino, Jewish, LGBTQ+, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Women clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Multicultural Therapy Acknowledges the role of culture, race, and identity in mental health. It values diversity and adapts treatment to each person’s background.
- Narrative Therapy Encourages people to view problems as separate from themselves and reframe their life story. It helps build resilience and self-identity.
- Psychoeducational Therapy Provides education and coping tools about mental health conditions. It empowers clients with knowledge and practical skills.
Approach Description: My approach starts with your story. Using Narrative Therapy as a foundation. We'll look at the narratives you've been handed such as what your body should do, what a parent should feel, what strength should look like, and reclaim the ones that are actually yours. We will find those sparkling moments of strength and resilience that tell the true story of who you are. Alongside that, I bring practical, research-backed tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), tailored to your situation and taught so you can use them long after therapy ends. Clients tell me our work feels both deeply understanding and genuinely useful because you'll leave sessions with things to do, not just things to think about.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee $180
- Accepts Insurance
- NorCal Kaiser, Cigna, Aetna
Education & Credentials
Gail Kirk Poust LMFT
- Female
- License # 128899
- Licensed in California
- Practicing Since 2014
Education: Gail has a Master in Science in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from San Francisco State University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology from the University of Illinois. She has additional training in perinatal mental health and women's mental health.
Gail Kirk Poust Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available Online for residents of California
- Online Therapy Details: My Best Practice portal
I meet with adults across California by secure video offering culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care for women, men, and LGBTQIA+ folx anywhere in the state. I'm in-network with NorCal Kaiser, Cigna, Aetna, Meritain, and Nippon, with superbills available for other plans. Start with a free 15-minute consultation: a short, pressure-free conversation to see whether we're the right fit.