SPECIALITIES
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #99688
- Board-Certified Sex Therapist
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapist
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy
My career path has been varied. I started as a publicist — then worked as a freelance journalist for over a decade. Both these careers were about my love of people. I had a burning desire to understand what made people expand and retract, struggle, or thrive. I’ve interviewed hundreds of fascinating people throughout my professional life.
I earned a PhD in Clinical Sexology and work as a Sexologist. Prior to this, I also earned a Masters in Clinical Psychology and trained with both Community Counseling and Education Center (CCEC) and Pacific Pride Foundation (PPF) in Santa Barbara. Additionally, I use Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Terry Real’s concepts in my work. I am trained to work with trauma via Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and I’m certified in Sex Addiction Therapy (CSAT). I am also a board-certified Sex Therapist.
I have considerable experience working with LGBT individuals and couples. From 2017-2022, I taught human sexuality and couples as adjunct faculty in the Masters program at Antioch University Santa Barbara, and I’m the past president of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (SB-CAMFT). In addition to one-on-one, couples therapy, and intensives, I also created a robust course focused on sexual health for women called The Pleasure Circle. For the past 3 years, I’ve hosted a podcast on the topic of sex and couples. You can find this, along with my my guest speaking, writing and more at The Pleasure Project. My fee is $350.
FAQs
Riviera Therapy is an out-of-network practice and does not bill insurance directly. However, many insurance plans offer out-of-network benefits, and we are happy to provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to learn more about your out-of-network mental health benefits.
Yes. We offer both in-person therapy at our Santa Barbara office and secure online therapy for clients throughout California. Whether you prefer meeting face-to-face or from the comfort of your home, you’ll receive the same personalized, evidence-based care from our experienced therapists. We will work in whatever format you prefer.
It depends on many factors – like readiness for change, frequency of sessions and the work you do in between session. Typically clients come anywhere from 3 months to one year.
You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected, or struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or major life changes, therapy can help. It can also be a valuable space for personal growth, improving communication, building healthier relationships, and developing tools to navigate life’s challenges with greater confidence.
AI can provide information, ideas, and general support, but it can’t replace the insight, empathy, and personalized care of a licensed therapist. In therapy, your therapist understands your unique history, emotions, relationships, and goals, helping you uncover patterns, process difficult experiences, and create meaningful, lasting change. Think of AI as a helpful tool for education and reflection, while therapy offers a safe, confidential relationship with a trained professional who can guide you through life’s challenges with clinical expertise and genuine human connection.
Couples therapy provides a supportive space for partners to improve communication, strengthen emotional connection, and work through relationship challenges. During sessions, your therapist helps you identify unhelpful patterns, understand each other’s perspectives, and develop practical tools for resolving conflict and rebuilding trust. Whether you’re navigating recurring arguments, intimacy concerns, life transitions, or recovering from betrayal, couples therapy focuses on helping you create a healthier, more connected relationship.
Yes. While recovering from an affair can be painful, many couples are able to rebuild trust and strengthen their relationship with the right support. Therapy provides a safe space to process the betrayal, improve communication, understand what contributed to the rupture, and determine the best path forward, whether that means healing together or making thoughtful decisions about the future of the relationship. Reach out to Dr. Jenn for a referral.
We offer therapy for teens, young adults, couples and families working on issues including ADHD, intimacy, relationships, parenting and addiction. We have several clinicians who are fully trained in EMDR therapy.
Yes. We offer therapy groups throughout the year focused on a variety of topics, including relationships, personal growth, life transitions, and emotional well-being. Group therapy provides a supportive environment where you can connect with others, gain new perspectives, and develop practical skills alongside people facing similar challenges. We have offered groups on various topics, including partner loss, transitions, betrayal, ADHD, desire, men’s sexuality. See our full list here.
Our last weekday appointments are 6 pm. Currently we do not have weekend openings.
Sex therapy is a specialized form of talk therapy that helps individuals and couples improve their sexual well-being, intimacy, and relationships. Sessions focus on education, communication, and evidence-based strategies to address concerns such as low desire, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, orgasm difficulties, sexual anxiety, and relationship challenges. There is no physical or sexual contact during sex therapy. Instead, you’ll work with a trained therapist in a safe, confidential, and judgment-free environment to better understand your concerns and build a more satisfying intimate life.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a protocol used in treating trauma of all sorts. It is incredibly effective and efficient and helping clients overcome negative beliefs that block joy, desire, and adaptive living. Several of our staff (Jenn, Kristi, Annie, Matthew, Shannon, Valarie) are trained to offer this therapy.
The Pleasure Project is Dr. Jenn Kennedy’s educational platform dedicated to helping people build healthier relationships, deepen intimacy, and create more fulfilling sex lives. Through a podcast, online courses, speaking engagements, and educational resources, the Pleasure Project makes evidence-based information about sex and relationships accessible, practical, and free of shame. You can sign up for the Pleasure Project newsletter here.
Yes we have patient parking, which is accessible off of Chapala St.