Hello! My name is Kelly Richardson
I am a Licensed Psychotherapist as well as a Mom, hence the name “Thera-Mom”.
I live in Northern California with my husband, and our two dogs Sunshine and Fergie. I love being a therapist and offering a safe place for people to take their mask off for one hour and just be themselves. As simple as it sounds, it can be life-changing. I have the privilege every day of watching people’s lives transform as they let go of trying to be who they aren’t and start embracing all that they are. More importantly, I love being a MOM. Each of my kids is so amazingly different, it’s hard to believe they share the same gene pool.
Like most moms, I wear a lot of hats– sister, daughter, wife, friend, mother, cousin, worker. Our roles and jobs are varied and in one day we can wear five or ten different hats. As women, we represent so much within us because each hat matters and each hat allows another side of ourselves to shine.
Let’s be honest- being a Mom is a full-time job no matter how old your kids are and finding time to just do you feels impossible. It’s nice to have a place where we can do life together–unapologetically and authentically–like in my therapy office. Walk this crazy journey called life with me, as hectic and stressful as it may seem at times.
Read my blogs, comment with your thoughts, challenge my thinking, share your ideas, and help me, help you. Thank you Jerry Maguire.
Kelly
Kelly’s Latest Blog Posts
Be The Porch Light
I went to visit my oldest last weekend. I was a guest in his cozy home. Talk about a role reversal. It was one of those moments that quietly reminded me how much has changed—and how much I’m still learning about this new stage of motherhood. The stage where we step...
We All Need Mermaids
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, my 82-year-old mom goes to swim class. Of course, moving her body is good for her health. But perhaps even more important is the chance to see her friends. It’s a playdate for her. These women have been swimming together for years....
The People Who Make The Drive
My oldest son coached his first game in his new role as the offensive line coach for a college football team. It’s a big step for him. He’s worked hard for this moment. The crazy hours as a graduate assistant, the missed events, and all the unglamorous parts of...
Gratitude With Nowhere to Go
Last week, I loaded up the car and drove my daughter eight hours away to begin graduate school. She’s been my buddy this summer. My sidekick, my partner in crime, the person who is almost always up for whatever I’m doing. When I pulled into the driveway after work,...
Is Your Kid a Leo
Is your kid a Leo? Not because they were born in August, but because they may be a late bloomer. One of my favorite children’s books, and one I believe every parent should revisit, is Leo the Late Bloomer. Leo is a young tiger who has not yet learned to read, write,...
Her Gut Is Data
One of the most important things we can teach our daughters is this: Her gut is data. Not drama. Not overreacting. Not being "too sensitive". Not making a big deal out of nothing. Data. That uncomfortable feeling in her stomach when someone’s words don’t match their...
It’s Not About Being Young, It’s About Being Open
I turned 58 this weekend and the day before my birthday, I went to a music festival with my daughter. My first one. Not exactly where I pictured myself spending the final day of 57. It was loud. Crowded. Colorful. A little crazy. And wonderfully different from my...
The World Needs More Offensive Linemen
Last week my husband grabbed his whistle, found his clipboard, and started eating throat drops to save his voice. Just like that, football season was back. He coaches the offensive line. The big guys whose job is to make everyone else look good. They are the...
Know When to Be Their Person
There’s a subtle shift that happens when your child becomes a teenager. It often follows them well into adulthood. The relationship changes. The rules are no longer as clear. Parenting, which once felt more straightforward, begins to require more restraint, more...
To Have a Village, You Have to Be a Villager
To have a village, you need to be a villager. So much of life is shaped by the people we choose to surround ourselves with. I’ve always been drawn to the doers—the people who roll up their sleeves, say yes to being part of things, and get shit done. They are the...
Be A Simple Man
My son got married this weekend. It was a two-day celebration filled with fun, laughter, old friends, family, dancing, and love. So much love. Love for who they were as little ones. Love for their younger days. Love for who they are now. And love for who they are...
Delayed, Rerouted and Reminded
I had a painful day of travel last week. What was supposed to be a simple three-hour trip home from Eugene, Oregon, turned into a seventeen-hour ordeal. Four flights. Two missed connections. An overnight stay in an unexpected airport with three hours of sleep. And one...
4 Things a Parents Can Do to Help Their Child if They are Ending a Relationship
I’ve noticed something lately in my work with younger clients. Ending relationships is harder for young people than it used to be. Not just because relationships are more complicated, but because walking away no longer means truly walking away. It means seeing their...
It Was Never Just a Field
Some places don’t know what they mean to us. This week, I drove past the field where my boys played youth football. It’s on the other side of town, so I rarely make my way over there anymore. But when I do, it brings back more memories than my heart can hold. To...
Available, But Not Intrusive
Ahhhh… the job of parenting adult children. You live somewhere between financial advisor, life consultant, emergency contact, and unpaid sponsor of Uber Eats, pedicures, and late-night Taco Bell runs. One minute you’re helping them process a disappointment. The next...
