Outpatient Therapist
Specialties:
Complex trauma/C-PTSD
Sexual abuse, molestation, incest, assault, trafficking, survival sex
Gang membership, incarceration, homelessness
War, genocide, generational and/or familial-orchestrated trauma
Dissociative spectrum, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Trauma-induced psychosis, trauma-induced addiction
About Kristen:
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with a passion for serving survivors of trauma and crime. I am constantly in awe of my clients and feel the greatest honor in being permitted into their lives and walking alongside them in their journeys toward posttraumatic growth and resiliency.
I specialize in the treatment of complex trauma (aka C-PTSD), as well as sexual violence and trafficking, generational trauma, gang and incarceration-related adversity, and vicarious trauma. I also work with people who experience addiction, dissociation, multiplicity/parts, and vast thresholds of reality, also more commonly known as “psychosis”. Some of the modalities I practice are EMDR Therapy, Narrative Exposure Therapy, parts work (aka IFS), and somatic approaches.
My style as a therapist is based on a relational, empowerment-driven, recovery approach. I think that a significant component of overcoming relational trauma is by experiencing healing relationships that are based on the pillars of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). I am not afraid to sit with people in their emotions, whether they be pain, grief, or rage; these are elements of the healing process that deserve to have space and feel heard, instead of being told to “just get over it” or “move on”. I have a collaborative approach in supporting my clients work toward their goals, and I also honor their cultural and spiritual values as additional sources of strength they are welcome to draw from. I am committed to destigmatizing mental health and supporting survivors in finding their inner strength to prove to themselves that it is possible to shift from just surviving to thriving.
I am certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), sexual assault and domestic violence counselor-advocate, and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) provider. I have also practiced in a diverse range of settings, including community non-profits, outpatient clinics, street-based homeless services, jails, residential homes and facilities, police departments, courthouses, and hospitals. In addition to trauma work, I am a university lecturer for students in the mental health and criminal justice fields, as well as a vegan and artist.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
