- Experienced counselor
- Strengths focused
- Practical coping skills
About Kristen
Kristen Smith is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with 27 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are dealing with addiction, relationship and intimacy struggles, trauma, depression, anxiety, and questions about life purpose. Kristen emphasizes practical steps and steady support as people work toward clearer goals and daily routines.
She believes each person knows their story best and brings strengths into therapy that can be built on. Sessions are collaborative and paced to match what the client needs that week. Kristen encourages small changes that add up over time instead of quick fixes.
Her background includes long-term work with people facing grief, parenting stress, burnout, and challenges around identity, including LGBT concerns. She also addresses issues often connected to adoption and foster care as part of broader emotional and attachment concerns. Her approach balances listening with straightforward tools clients can use between sessions.
Kristen draws from client-centered methods to keep the conversation focused on the client’s priorities. She uses elements of cognitive behavioral therapy to help shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are applied when emotion regulation and coping strategies are needed.
People who prefer clear guidance mixed with warm, steady support tend to fit well with her style. Kristen aims to make progress feel manageable and relevant to daily life. To begin, clients follow the site’s matching process and schedule according to availability.
How client-centered, CBT, and DBT ideas translate to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, reflecting, and following the client’s priorities. In practice this means the therapist asks about what matters most, mirrors concerns, and helps you set clear, achievable goals for sessions and daily life.Cognitive behavioral therapy helps identify patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going. It usually involves trying small experiments, noting unhelpful thoughts, and practicing different responses to reduce symptoms like anxiety or depression.
Dialectical behavior therapy offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving coping. That can include short exercises in breathing, grounding, or step-by-step ways to handle conflict or overwhelming feelings.
Choosing the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with the client to decide which methods match their needs and goals. That collaborative planning makes it easier to try techniques and adjust them as progress is made.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins during a workday break. Some formats also let sessions be shorter or rely less on video when bandwidth is limited. Ask about available options to find what fits your routine and comfort level.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
27+ years
Credentials
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Kristen help with?
She works with a wide range of issues including addictions, trauma, relationship and intimacy problems, depression, anxiety, grief, and work-life stress. Additional areas include ADHD, parenting strain, and body image concerns.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and strengths-focused. Kristen listens first, then offers practical tools and small steps clients can try between sessions.
What is her professional background?
Kristen brings 27 years of professional experience supporting people with emotional, behavioral, and life-transition challenges. She has worked extensively with grief, caregiving stress, and identity concerns.
What credentials and region apply to this clinician?
She holds the LMHC credential and practices in Florida.
Which languages are supported and can international clients participate?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking so you know whether video, phone, or other formats are offered.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Kristen?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.