Kyle Otto

Trainee
Supervised by Jessica Bracha, LMFT 131476

M.A., Clinical Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy, Azusa Pacific (in progress)
Master of Divinity, University of Northwestern, St. Paul
M.A., Theological Studies, University of Northwestern, St. Paul
B.A. Communication, Cal State San Marcos
Clinical Pastoral Education Level I
U.S. Army Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course

kotto@journeyscounseling.com

Kyle is a Marriage and Family Therapist trainee with Journeys Counseling Ministry. He would like to welcome you and commend you for taking this step to explore therapy. Kyle knows it takes courage to confront difficult circumstances and questions and trust another human being to help. You may be struggling with marital or family conflict, or personal challenges or trauma from your past, or something else entirely. He wants to assure you that help is available. You are not alone.

It would be Kyle’s honor to provide a safe space to listen where you can feel liberty to express what you need to without fear of judgment or shame. His goal is to seek first to understand with compassion and encouragement. As someone who has journeyed through dark valleys in life, Kyle wants to assure you that his desire is to walk beside you and to offer a source of hope and faith in finding a way forward together.

Approach

As a follower of Jesus Christ, Kyle believes all human beings are created equal in the image of God with immeasurable worth and eternal purpose, and relationships are meant to reflect love and respect for each individual involved. Whatever your background and values, he will always treat you with dignity and compassion. Beginning with the end in mind, Kyle’s aim is to help guide and support you from a Biblical perspective to discover new strengths, patterns, and wisdom towards becoming the person God designed you to be. Together you will create a path to healing and wholeness in your relationships that reflect that dignified purpose and identity. He earnestly wants to help you live in the joy and peace that is possible by God’s grace.

Kyle works with individuals, couples, and families, specializing in grief counseling and working with military personnel and veterans and their families, and young adults and seniors.

Education and Training

Kyle is an ordained Christian minister who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University San Marcos as well as a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and Master of Divinity from University of Northwestern St. Paul. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) at Azusa Pacific University. Kyle  has completed Clinical Pastoral Education Level I training and the U.S. Army Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course.

He spent 9 years in ministry as a pastor for senior adults and a chaplain to hospice patients and their families, and as a military chaplain, serving in the U.S. Army for over 11 years. Kyle has provided pastoral counseling to Soldiers in crisis, grieving families, and struggling couples, and he has mentored teens and young adults for several years in volunteer roles with churches.

Areas of Focus

Kyle’s areas of focus and strength include: relationship conflict & resolution; solution-focused crisis counseling & resiliency training; grief and loss; spiritual formation and Biblical counseling; family systems, identity, and communication; and creating emotional safety, security and connection.

His style is warm, gracious and compassionate, communicating with openness, gentleness and respect. Kyle provides collaborative guidance with a deeply encouraging, supportive presence to help clients find courage to address problems, emotional pain, and relational discord and to grow in discovering grounded identity and emotional wholeness and confidence.

Personal Life

Outside of counseling, Kyle is an adoring husband to his wonderful wife and a lay teacher at his local church. He enjoys having long conversations and investing in relationships, reading the Bible and praying, teaching, hiking, listening to classical and blues music, singing, and playing board games.