We recently had the chance to connect with Reid Kessler PsyD and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Reid, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
“People think group therapy is intimidating — but it’s actually where the real connection happens.”
When most people hear the phrase group therapy, they imagine sitting in a circle of strangers, feeling exposed or pressured to share. It can sound intimidating — even uncomfortable. But that’s one of the biggest misunderstandings about what group therapy really is, and what it can offer.
At Coastal Therapy Group, we’re preparing to launch Real Talk: An Adults Process Group, a weekly space for adults (18+) who want to connect more deeply with themselves and with others. The group will be led by two of our postdoctoral therapists, Dr. Bethany Ling and Dr. Sean Noe, who are both drawn to the kind of honest, reflective conversations that help people grow.
Unlike structured groups or psychoeducation classes, Real Talk will follow a Yalom-style process — which means there’s no fixed curriculum or checklist. Instead, the heart of the work comes from what unfolds naturally between members. As Yalom describes, the group becomes a “social microcosm,” a living laboratory where people can explore the patterns, emotions, and ways of relating that shape their lives outside the room.
The goal isn’t to give advice or to fix anyone. It’s to slow down, to listen, and to discover what happens when you show up as your full self and allow others to do the same. Over time, something profound begins to happen — members start to feel seen and understood in ways they may never have before. That sense of belonging and authenticity is what makes group therapy so powerful.
We know that joining a group can feel daunting at first. But our hope with Real Talk is to create a space that feels warm, genuine, and human — where real conversations lead to real change.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Dr. Reid Kessler, a clinical psychologist and co-owner of Coastal Therapy Group, a team of psychologists and postdoctoral therapists based in North County San Diego with offices in Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Vista. We started Coastal with a simple but deeply felt vision — to create a place where both clients and clinicians could grow through authentic connection, reflection, and community.
What makes us unique is that we’ve built a true community of therapists, not just a collection of individual practitioners. Our therapists meet every week for consultation, teaching, and reflection — talking about real cases, sharing ideas, and supporting one another in staying curious and grounded. That shared commitment to ongoing growth means that every client who walks through our doors benefits not only from the skill of one therapist but from the collective wisdom of the group.
Our work is grounded in psychodynamic and relational approaches, which means we care deeply about understanding the “why” beneath the “what” — not just helping people manage symptoms, but exploring the patterns, emotions, and relationships that shape their lives. We believe real healing happens in relationships, and that belief has led us to expand beyond individual therapy into more group-based offerings that reflect how people actually grow: together.
This winter, we’re especially excited to launch Real Talk: An Adults Process Group, led by two of our postdoctoral therapists, Dr. Bethany Ling and Dr. Sean Noe. It’s a Yalom-style group where members will have the chance to explore themselves in real time through connection with others — the kind of experience that can be both challenging and transformative.
At its core, Coastal Therapy Group is about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to be honest, curious enough to learn, and supported enough to change. We love what we do, and we feel lucky to be part of a community that values reflection, kindness, and growth.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I think the part of me that needs to be released is the one that believes everything has to be personally managed in order to go well.
When you build something from the ground up — as Lindsey and I did with Coastal Therapy Group — it’s natural to feel responsible for every detail, every decision, every outcome. In the early years, that vigilance served a real purpose. It helped us create a practice grounded in care, integrity, and thoughtfulness. But as our team has grown, I’ve had to learn that holding on too tightly can actually get in the way of what wants to emerge next.
The truth is, the best parts of Coastal have come from other people stepping in with their own ideas, energy, and vision. Letting go of the need to oversee everything has allowed the practice to evolve into something larger and more alive than I could have built alone.
So what I’m learning to release is the part of me that equates attentiveness with control — and to trust more fully in the people and processes we’ve built. It’s humbling, and it’s freeing. There’s a quiet wisdom in knowing when to let go so that something new can take shape.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell him: You don’t have to prove your worth. Just keep showing up with curiosity and care — it’s enough
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
It’s a quiet, pervasive belief — even among therapists — that group therapy is too hard to organize, that people only want individual therapy, or that a group won’t fill. But that’s a misunderstanding of both human nature and what makes therapy powerful.
The truth is, people crave connection. They want to be seen, understood, and accepted — not just by a therapist, but by others who share the same human struggles. When a group is thoughtfully designed and well-facilitated, it becomes a place where real transformation happens. Groups are powerful and underrated, and my hope is that they become popular in San Diego county.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When have you had to bet the company?
The moment that felt most like betting the company was when we decided to expand from our two established offices in Encinitas and Carlsbad into a third location in Vista.
At the time, Coastal Therapy Group was thriving in our coastal offices, and we could have easily stayed within that familiar comfort zone. But we were growing — both as a team and as a community — and we needed space to keep that growth intentional. The Vista office represented more than just square footage; it symbolized a shift from being a coastal practice to being a truly regional one, rooted across North County San Diego.
It was a big decision. The buildout, the logistics, the uncertainty of whether clients would be willing to travel a little farther inland — it all felt like a real risk. But something about it felt right. We could sense that Vista had its own quiet rhythm and community that would welcome us, and that expanding there would make therapy more accessible to people who might not otherwise walk through our doors.
Looking back, that decision changed the shape of our practice. The Vista office has become our largest space and the heart of much of our collaboration — it’s where we gather for community events, meals, and trainings. It reminded us that every meaningful leap in this work starts with trust: in your vision, in your people, and in the community you serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coastaltherapygroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coastaltherapygroup
Image Credits
Photos by Stacia Hiramine
