James P. Kelleher (MA ’02) Appears on Two Seasons of “90 Day Fiancé”

A licensed therapist for more than 20 years, James P. Kelleher (MA ’02, Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness) is putting his expertise in helping people to work in person, on podcasts—and even on television.

A native of southern New Jersey, Kelleher originally wanted to become an elementary school teacher before shifting his focus to psychology as an undergraduate. He chose to attend NYU Steinhardt because of the prestigious reputation of the Master of Arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness program, as well as the excitement of being in New York City.

“I had wonderful professors who delivered an impactful education that absorbed us into the whole world of counseling,” says Kelleher. “We had plenty of hands-on experience through classes and practicums, and this real-world learning spoke to what I wanted to do, which was to help people through my practice.”

Nearing the end of his program, Kelleher was interning as a therapist for a local LGBTQ community in Chelsea and getting his private practice off the ground. He and his now-husband, who he met in New York, decided to move to Arizona, so he transferred his work out west, first in person and then online after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Kelleher works with individuals and couples on relationship issues, stress, anxiety, grief/loss, trauma, and depression. He has extensive experience with managing sexual identity issues, including gay, lesbian, and transgender clients, and employs several techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Last year, Kelleher got an email from a producer for TLC; the conversation that followed led to him being cast in Season 2 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Last Resort, which premiered in December 2024. In the show, Kelleher provided therapy and life coaching for some of the most popular couples from the franchise.

“I never thought I would end up on television, but the way this opportunity fell into my lap made me think that the universe was telling me to take this and run with it,” says Kelleher. “In addition to having a great time meeting and working with everyone on the show, this was also an excellent platform for me to talk about mental health and trauma for a much larger audience than I could ever achieve on my own.”

Kelleher has recently finished filming for a follow-up series called 90 Day Fiancé: Between the Sheets.

His celebrity has brought additional attention to his online presence, a platform that he is leveraging to put out messages of mental health awareness. On his podcast, Living Life with James, he invites seasoned therapists, life coaches, and wellness experts to have insightful therapy discussions and offer practical life coaching tips and transformative wellness strategies.

“On my show, I’m able to hear other people’s stories of struggle with loss, addiction, and just generally coping with life,” says Kelleher. “It really highlights the positive outlooks that people can have and shares their insights with others who can benefit from them.”

Kelleher also continues to see patients virtually through his private practice, and he is looking into possibly planning wellness retreats in the future. He is also open to the idea of further television opportunities to continue spreading mental health awareness while having fun in the process.

Stay up to date on James P. Kelleher by following him on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and learn more about his counseling and coaching work on his website.