Kayla Scott, MA, LMFT

What I do

I work with individuals navigating transitions throughout early, emerging, and mid-adulthood. My clients are often facing challenges with perfectionism, stress, avoidance, depressed mood, feelings of guilt, worry, shame, anxiety, grief/loss, and navigating the world as a highly sensitive person (HSP).

I have specialized training and experience (7 years!) working within the realm of maternal mental health. This includes the decision and transition to parenthood including challenges along the way such as, infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, birth trauma, and perinatal/postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

Why I do it

Going through life as a highly sensitive person (especially without realizing it) can be difficult at times. The world generally isn’t set up for those of us who sometimes navigate every day life tasks in sensory overload (those moments where you wish you could step out of your body for just a moment). There are gifts that come with high sensitivity and times where these gifts will feel like obstacles to overcome. Often times feeling like you’re “too sensitive,” “too much,” or “not enough.” For these reasons, I’m motivated to work with those who have felt misunderstood about their deeply feeling, sensitive self.

This passion coincides with my work in maternal mental health and grief. Both of these realms are often stigmatized. There are expectations and assumptions about motherhood and grieving where a lot of mothers and grievers (and mothers who are grieving) feel misunderstood and as if they are doing this part of life wrong. Mothering and grieving are hard when you don’t have adequate support. You’re exhausted and doing the best you can and still, it rarely feels like enough. Providing a space where these untold experiences can exist and be heard and validated is meaningful to me and healing for my clients.

How I do it

I meet clients where they are with a curious and compassionate heart. We can’t process what we aren’t aware of and we can’t build our awareness if we don’t slow down and take an intentional look. Therapy offers a dedicated space to take a peak at ourselves and dive deeper into self awareness and inner knowing.

I work to empower clients through the development, and practice of self-compassion and radical acceptance. I really believe we can make the world a more kind and loving place by starting with ourselves. Life can look and feel different when we know, love, and accept our selves. Exploring values, embodying empathy, learning and enforcing boundaries, building communication skills and emotional regulation, developing safety in relationships, and practicing aligned living can help us feel grounded, centered, and active in our life. Some clients have said they find relief, peace, movement, understanding, and a sense of belonging and choice through our work together.

Technical terms for the types of theory and therapy I utilize: Bowen Family Systems Theory, Attachment Theory, Existential Theory, Feminist Theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and The Gottman Method.

What makes me qualified

I earned my Masters of Arts degree (MA) in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in 2016. I’m trained in family systems and relational therapy and approach my work with individuals through this lens. Since 2015, I’ve worked with children, teens, adults, couples, and families at private practices in St. Paul and various western suburbs.

In 2019, I met the educational, experiential, and examination requirements for independent licensure in the state of Minnesota as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). I continue to learn, grow, and build my competency through consultation and continuing education.

Applicable Training and Certifications:

• AIR Network Training (in process, Sept-Dec 2022)

• Compassionate Bereavement Care Certification- Miss Foundation (2021)

• Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders Certificate Training- Postpartum Support International (2020)

• Perinatal Mental Health Advanced Psychotherapy Training- Postpartum Support International (2020)

• Maternal Mental Health Certificate- 2020Mom Project & Postpartum Support International (2016)

Outside of therapy

I like to hike, read fiction, cook new recipes, binge my favorite TV shows, grab coffee with friends, travel with my husband, and nanny the sweetest 3 kids.