Hello, I’m Monica Kieffer, DO, LMFT(Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). I have been in practice in my hometown of Encinitas since 1988. I love being part of my patient’s lives as they grow and change and am honored to provide care to patients from infant to elderly.
Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) has been a force of integration and growth for me and I have seen the benefits for my patients. I trained at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, CA and graduated in 1987. Completing my internship at Heights General Hospital in Albuquerque, NM, I opened my practice on 2nd St. in Encinitas in November, 1988. In 2011 we moved to our lovely office on Saxony Rd. I have attended and taught many courses in OMM throughout my career. I have been awarded a Proficiency Certificate in Cranial Osteopathy by the Osteopathic Cranial Academy. Through study and testing I was Board Certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/OMM in 2007, and re certified in 2017. I continue to study in this field with 150 CME units every three years.
Over the years of hands on work I felt how the body is affected by biochemistry and unexplored emotions. I have taken many courses in nutrition and at times I recommend nutritional changes or support to optimize the patient’s health.
Further study led me to the University of Phoenix and a Master’s degree in Counseling in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2009. I received an additional license in Marriage and Family Therapy in the summer of 2015. Utilizing this knowledge the patient and I can explore the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of health and disease. I believe that our mental-emotional state is reflected in our body’s state of wellness and contributes to illness and imbalances in the body. With this knowledge I will continue to offer support and understanding to my osteopathic patients. In addition to osteopathy, I am available for individual, family, marriage, and child counseling appointments. When appropriate, I will recommend additional appointments for psychotherapy with the option of seeing myself or another therapist.
I am associated professionally with the American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Osteopathy, the Osteopathic Cranial Academy, and California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.
In my free time I enjoy exploring my own personal growth, spending time with my friends and family, walking on the beach, and gardening.