Meet Kimberlin Sanchez

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberlin Sanchez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kimberlin, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about building my confidence and self-esteem is competence builds confidence. In grade school, I experienced a little bullying which led to me struggling with body image and self-esteem. Around that same season of life, my mom put me into a dance class. It changed my entire life. With a little time, I had finally found the thing that I was good at (I really loved it) and I started to feel confident doing it. I noticed that the better my skills developed as an athlete, the less people’s negative comments seemed to impact me. Eventually, the negative comments just stopped, or at least I didn’t seem to notice them as much.

I have used that same mentality throughout different seasons of life. In college, I really struggled with imposter syndrome and always felt like, regardless of my grades, I was going to be kicked out at any time. I was the first one in my family to attend a university, and I had no idea what I was doing. I studied, asked questions, and tried to build the academic muscle in a similar fashion to the way I got better at dance. The more I practice and study something, the easier it gets. I have always felt confident in my ability to be able to figure things out.

Parenting and building a business stir up many of those similar feelings from growing up and not feeling good enough. I try to always remember my template, the more I work at something, the better I’ll get at and that builds my confidence higher. I think there is a misconception that successful people are confident; I think they just have learned the recipe that works best for them. My recipe is really built around the competence builds confidence mantra.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist in San Diego.

I help people who look like they have it all together, but feel exhausted inside, find balance and self-trust through compassionate, skills-based therapy so they can finally rest without guilt and enjoy their success again through both virtual and in person services.

Many of clients work in business, tech, law, fashion, or finance and struggle with the demands of high stress job and how to find the balance between being a “go getter” while also having boundaries and a life outside of work. In our work together we navigate how to find the best of both worlds while not compromising being a high achiever.

My work is really exciting because I get to notice very obvious shifts in people when learn new skills through communication, resilience, and stress management. So often they just need an unbiased person to learn their story, feel heard, and maybe start recognizing which patterns in their life aren’t serving them anymore. People pleasing, over working, procrastinating, all can be really helpful tools for people in their work but I notice that these traits often frequently lead to burn out. I feel grateful to help clients either recover from burn out or prevent it all together so they can be the best versions of themselves not just at work but with their families as well.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, empathy, and curiosity.

Resilience has been my guiding force, constantly reminding me that if I keep trying, learning, and practicing, things will almost always get better. Growing up, I experienced my fair share of challenges through divorced parents, financial struggles, and medical setbacks. Through it all, I learned the value of getting back up when things felt hard. This mindset has helped me build confidence and develop a cognitive template that things typically work out.
In sessions with clients, I often refer to this as “running the stats.” I might ask, “What are the odds that you’ll be okay or succeed, based on your past experiences?” This question helps ground clients rather than self-doubt and reinforces the foundation of resilience.

Like resilience, empathy has been deeply influential, both personally and professionally. Being emotionally attuned to those around me allows me to build relationships where people feel heard and not judged. Empathy fosters stronger communication and supports conflict resolution. I believe that when we approach situations through an empathetic lens, we can find a clearer, more intuitive path forward.

Empathy is also central to therapy. When clients feel seen, heard, and understood, the therapeutic relationship strengthens (The therapeutic relationship is one of the most powerful predictors of success in therapy).

In addition to resilience and empathy, curiosity has profoundly shaped my work as a therapist. It keeps me open-minded, engaged, and eager to learn. I love diving into academic articles, podcasts, and books. Continuing to learn helps me feel grounded and confident in my skills. Staying informed about the latest research on anxiety, stress, and burnout ensures that I’m providing the most effective, evidence-based care possible.

My curiosity often mirrors that of my clients. Many of them are lifelong learners who value insight and growth, and I love sharing resources or book recommendations that resonate. Curiosity also helps me stay culturally attuned and connected. When a client’s background or beliefs differ from mine, curiosity bridges the gap, it reduces shame and fosters genuine understanding. I hope to model that same openness for my clients, showing that we don’t have to be perfect or know everything to be worthy.

Together, these qualities have shaped not only how I work, but who I am as a clinician. I believe that healing and growth happen at the intersection of understanding and self-compassion. For those seeking change, I encourage approaching challenges with curiosity first. Try beginning a thought with, “I wonder what would happen if…” or “I wonder how they were feeling when…”

Both my experience as a therapist and my own therapy have strengthened these core values. I truly believe therapy can be an incredible tool for anyone who wants to cultivate their strengths and put them into action.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I would love to collaborate with more local businesses and HR directors on helping connect employees with mental health services. I hear so often that people are interested in starting therapy but are not sure about how to go about the therapy process or how to find a therapist. I am noticing more and more companies financially support their employees’ mental health, and this support leads to increased productivity, better retention, and higher morale at work. If smaller, more local businesses feel like working with a big EAP company isn’t a good fit for them, partnering with a local therapist could be a better option. A more local therapist will be more attuned to the challenges locally; they likely have heard of or have some knowledge about the company and could relate more to the clients they are seeing.

A mental health expert, such as a therapist, could be an asset for startups or small businesses. Owners may seek consultation on supporting staff through unique situations like grief or divorce or offer preventative strategies through lunch and learn sessions focused on burnout prevention, stress management, and healthy work-life balance.

If you are a local small business interested in having an expert in work stress, burnout, and anxiety available to support your staff, please feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule a consultation by contacting Kimberlin at [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Website: https://therapybykimberlin.com
• Instagram: @therapybykimberlin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlin-sanchez-3b534b176/
• Other: Email – therapybykimberlin.com
  Phone – 619-800-2506

Image Credits

Beach photos by Annette Fin