James Kelly, Ph.D. is devoted to working with children, adolescents, couples and families who are experiencing a variety of life stress events or adjustment difficulties. These events or adjustment difficulties cover relationship challenges, educational struggles, vocational demands and changes including grief and loss. The emphasis in his work is on helping patients regain or maintain their equilibrium by focusing on the emotional, physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual self.

Dr. Kelly believes that we find our greatest strengths and talents as we work through the challenges that life brings us. Therapy is about understanding how to put these challenges in a context that allows us to be empowered to work through and even change the situations in which we find ourselves. 

Helping individuals and families more objectively understand their situation and make choices to change their lives that are centered on core values is critical to the restorative process. Through therapy, individuals learn to value their emotions and to put them in a context where logic and reason guide the solutions to issues. Individuals are helped to understand the value of forgiveness of themselves and others. Learning to trust and balance boundaries are also emphasized. This helps them not only deal with their current situation, but helps to manage future difficulties well beyond what initially brought them into the therapy process. Adaptability and sustainability are greatly emphasized throughout the seasons of one’s life and relationships.

Dr. Kelly received his BA in Social Psychology from Xavier University in 1979 and his Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University in Clinical Psychology in 1987. His training included settings that provided developing expertise in strategic marital/family therapy, psychological and educational testing, and employee.