Kirsten Christensen, ph.d.
clinical psychologist, professor, & researcher.
I'm a clinical psychologist, researcher, educator, and writer interested in one central question: How do the contexts And Systems we inhabit shape who we become?
Across my work, I explore the relationship between individuals and the larger systems they move through—from families and communities to schools, workplaces, and institutions. While psychology often focuses on what's happening within an individual, I'm drawn to what’s happening around them. My work is grounded in the belief that understanding the human experience and working toward liberation requires widening the frame to consider how environments, relationships, cultures, and social structures influence how people think, feel, and live.
Whether I'm working with clients, teaching students, conducting research, or writing, my goal is the same: to bridge critical thinking with thoughtful reflection on systems and contexts to help people and communities grow and move toward a better future. I believe psychology has the potential not only to help us understand ourselves, but also to help us ask better questions about the systems we create, the values we reinforce, and the kinds of communities we hope to build.
Current Work
In addition to my individual therapy and assessment work, I’m the Founder and Clinical Director of Upstream Mental Health, a group psychology practice that approaches mental health through both an individual and contextual lens. We provide evidence-based psychotherapy and psychological assessment for college students, graduate students, and professionals while recognizing that psychological well-being is deeply influenced by the relationships, institutions, and communities people navigate every day. My practice is grounded in multicultural-feminist, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive approaches to care.
I also serve as an Associate Professor of Psychology at San Diego City College, where I teach undergraduate courses in research methods, lifespan development, and community psychology. Teaching is one of the most rewarding parts of my work because it offers an opportunity to help students think critically - not only about psychological science, but also about the broader contexts that shape human development, communities, and well-being.
Beyond my clinical and teaching roles, I serve as an Associate Editor for SN Social Sciences and regularly review manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals spanning psychology, developmental science, and community health. My research has examined intervention effectiveness, mentoring relationships/youth-adult partnerships, youth development, community psychology, and evidence synthesis through systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Across these areas, I'm consistently drawn to questions about how environments, relationships, institutions, and systems influence individual outcomes.
Education & Training
I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, where my research focused on intervention science, community psychology, and evidence-based mental health practices. During graduate school, I was honored to receive the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, one of the nation's most competitive fellowships supporting outstanding graduate researchers.
My clinical training included a predoctoral internship at the University of San Diego Counseling Center and advanced training at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, where I provided psychological assessment and therapy in child and adolescent inpatient settings. Earlier in my graduate training, I completed a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship through Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, receiving interdisciplinary training in clinical care, research, leadership, advocacy, and disability policy.
My experiences across clinical psychology, higher education, and research have shaped an enduring interest in the intersection of people and systems. Whether conducting research, teaching, practicing clinically, or writing for broader audiences, I strive to integrate thoughtful inquiry into the social, cultural, and institutional contexts that shape the human experience. My work bridges academic, clinical, and activist spaces, with the shared goal of helping individuals and communities move toward greater clarity, agency, and wellbeing.
Writing & Media
Through essays, public writing, interviews, and educational resources, I find joy in exploring the bigger questions that shape our lives: how institutions influence our well-being, why so many people experience burnout despite outward success, how culture and context shape mental health and wellness, and what it means to live a life guided by curiosity, connection, and purpose.