Kristal McCoy, AMFT

Hello my name is Kristal McCoy and I’m a therapist with the Los Gatos Therapy Center-Eating Disorder: Intensive Outpatient Program.

While obtaining my undergraduate degree from California State University, Hayward; I worked for a non profit where I trained foster youth and those who identify as LGBTQ to identify their concerns with support services to California legislatures and policy makers, it was here that I began advocating for services, psycho education and support for persons living with eating disorders and disordered eating from high risk/at risk populations.

During my graduate studies I interned at a number of community mental health programs.  It was during this time that I first began to work with eating disorders and disordered eating and I became aware of another obstacle for patients dealing with eating disorders: a lack of cultural representation in therapist providing services. A significant number of my Black and people of color patients began self disclosing eating orders they previously had omitted because of a lack of cultural identity with providers. Becoming aware of this disparity created a desire to increase cultural representation in providers providing eating disorder and disordered eating treatment and I began treating eating disorders in addition to anxiety disorders and depression. Challenging cultural myths, societal norms and generational trends related to eating, body image and mental health are among my passions; and the desire to help people create healthy relationships between food, themselves and mental health is a constant motivator.

I use a variety of therapeutic models in my practice including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative and Relational Therapy. Currently, I am training in Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT).

In my 10 years of being a therapist, I’ve learned time and time again that generally people have the innate ability to take care of their mental wellness if they are taught how to access the skills to do so; I remain honored to be a conduit for which people access those skills.