About Me…
Kayla Cardenas, MSW, LISW, (she/her/hers)
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board License #: I.2002116
Hey! I’m Kayla, the owner of Glimmer Mental Health.
I received a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio State University in Music, and then received an Associate of Arts and Sciences from Columbus State Community College in American Sign Language Interpreting and Education. After that, I ran away to work at Disney World for a little while before becoming a high school science teacher in Nashville, TN through the Teach for America program. After moving back to Columbus, I worked at various non-profit agencies serving the d/Deaf/HH and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as those affected by domestic/sexual violence and hate crimes. Throughout these experiences, I developed a unique and diverse lens through which I meet and assist others, and chose to return to Ohio State to obtain my Master’s in Social Work in order to take all of this knowledge and experience and use it to help others.
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Currently, I live in Clintonville (Columbus) with my partner, our dog and our cat. I enjoy spending time with friends, attending festivals and concerts whenever possible, and going to see musical theater. I have an immense love for Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland and will miss every sports and video game reference made.
As someone who may be looking for a therapist, here’s some information that may potentially be of note to you…
I am a mixed race, lesbian/queer, cisgender, thin woman. I am the child of an immigrant and live with chronic physical health issues.
I enjoy serving adults in the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. Clinically, I specialize in working with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, women’s/LGBTQ+ issues, and PTSD - specifically with those who have experienced domestic/sexual violence and/or childhood trauma. I utilize a very integrative approach to therapy, with emphasis in the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Non-Violent Communication, and mindfulness. I understand that therapy can be hard, and often awkward, and I know that humor can go a long way in releasing some of this tension in building the collaborative relationship needed between client and therapist to enable deep, meaningful change and contentment with oneself.
Looking for a therapist is HARD, and finding someone that fits is even harder. I hope to be that person for you, and my goal is to make you feel comfortable and confident enough to tell me if I’m not. I hope to meet you soon.