Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Jake Camp
Queer and nonbinary clinical psychologist (he/they). Optimises DBT and CBT approaches for LGBTQ+ people. Leads research that centres lived experience to inform clinical care for queer folk.
The science behind Kalda
Built by clinicians who get it. Grounded in evidence.
Kalda's self-guided therapy is designed by LGBTQIA+ clinical psychologists and therapists. Every course draws on cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness and the lived experience of the people the work is for.
Who builds it
Real clinicians. Real queer expertise.
Every course is written, reviewed and pressure-tested by therapists who hold UK accreditation and lived queer experience. A few of the people behind the work.
Assistant Psychologist
Natalie Kashirsky
Assistant psychologist (she/her) working with complex mental health, trauma, psychosis and personality disorders. Active advocate for anti-discriminatory work in race and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Therapist
Zaziah Wood
Therapist (she/her) and former counselling services manager at Metro Charity. Person-centred counselling background, with focus on LGBTQ+ youth and adults, substance use and short-term wellbeing interventions.
The Kalda model
Short, therapist-led video courses. Quietly powerful.
Each Kalda course is built from bite-sized video sessions (typically 10 to 20 minutes), paired with reflective exercises you can do in-app or in your own notebook. Self-paced, lifetime access, no recurring fees. The work fits around your life, not the other way around.
Overcoming Anxiety, with Saul
Managing Healthy Relationships, with Ethea
Exploring Gender Identity, with Caspian
What makes it work
Four therapeutic pillars, every course.
Self-aware
Reflective prompts and exercises help you notice anxious patterns, avoidance, or shutdown sooner. The earlier you see it, the more choice you have.
Skilled
Practical CBT, ACT and DBT tools you can use the same day. Reframing thoughts, grounding the body, building action plans. Specific, not abstract.
Affirmed
Every prompt, example, and clinician assumes queer reality, not heteronormative defaults. Built by LGBTQIA+ therapists, for the people they treat.
Supported
We host community sessions throughout the year to celebrate our community. Open to all members.
The evidence base
Peer-reviewed research. Linked, so you can check.
A representative slice of the research that informs Kalda's clinical design.
Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy
CBT is the most rigorously studied form of therapy in existence. It is the evidence backbone of every Kalda course.
Read on PubMed →Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for gender minority adolescents: real-world implementation of SPARX in New Zealand
Real-world evidence that self-guided digital CBT can deliver outcomes specifically for trans and gender-minority young people. Co-authored by Kalda advisor Mathijs Lucassen.
Read on PubMed →Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies
A definitive review showing mindfulness practice reliably reduces anxiety, depression and rumination across populations.
Read on PubMed →Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress
Randomised controlled trial showing digital reflective journaling reduces mental distress in patients with elevated anxiety.
Read on PubMed →The future of mental health care: peer-to-peer support and social media
Establishes peer support and online community as legitimate, complementary components of mental health care, not just a nice-to-have.
Read on PubMed →Trauma-informed practice
The things you should ask before using any mental-health product.
If your question isn't here, email us. Our clinical team reads every one.
Is Kalda safe to use during a mental health crisis?
No. Kalda is a self-paced educational resource, not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, please contact Samaritans (116 123), Shout (text "Shout" to 85258) or NHS 111. Our safeguarding page lists every route.
What does 'trauma-informed' actually mean?
Trauma-informed practice is a clinical framework that assumes any user might have a trauma history, even if they have not disclosed it. In practice, that means making everything invitational rather than required, giving you control over pace and exits, being explicit about what an exercise will ask of you before it starts, and never assuming distress is something to push through. Every Kalda course is built to this standard.
What if I have a history of trauma?
You are welcome here. The courses are designed with the assumption that many users will be working with trauma, including queer-specific trauma like family rejection, conversion practices or systemic discrimination. Nothing in any course is required, and you can pause or skip any exercise that does not feel right today. If something surfaces that needs more than self-guided support, our safeguarding page lists routes to specialist care.
What if a course brings up something painful?
Every course is designed to be taken slowly. You can pause, return, or skip any exercise. The clinical framing throughout is invitational, never forced. If something surfaces that needs more than self-guided support, our safeguarding page has the right routes.
Can I use Kalda alongside therapy I am already having?
Yes, and many people do. Kalda is designed to complement clinical work, not replace it. The reflective exercises can give you material to bring to sessions, and the bite-sized format can help you stay engaged between appointments. If you are in active therapy, mention you are using Kalda so your therapist can flag anything they would rather you wait on.
Are Kalda's clinicians registered with UK accreditation bodies?
Yes. Every Kalda therapist and clinical reviewer holds registration with an independent UK accreditation body relevant to their practice (HCPC for clinical psychologists, BACP or UKCP for psychotherapists and counsellors, BABCP for CBT therapists). Our about page lists each clinician with their role and background.
How is my data and privacy protected?
Your reflections and progress are private to you. We do not share personal data with third parties for marketing. We follow UK GDPR, and the full detail is in our privacy policy.
Is Kalda only for LGBTQIA+ people?
Kalda is built by and for queer people, and the content assumes a queer reader. Anyone is welcome to take a course; the framing, examples and clinical context are written through a queer lens throughout.
Start with the science
Ready to do the work?
Explore the full Kalda library. Anxiety, depression, gender, sexuality, relationships, neurodiversity. Every course is built on the model you just read about.