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Specializations

Kristen has experience working with children, teens, and adults experiencing a variety of challenges, including:

  • Psychological trauma
  • History of child physical abuse and/or child sexual abuse
  • Physical assault and/or sexual assault
  • Exposure to violence
  • Stress
  • Life transitions
  • Grief and loss
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Problematic substance use
  • Divorce
  • Low self-esteem
  • Cutting and other self-harm behaviors
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Children

Kristen help children in a variety of ways, including:

  • Improving self-esteem
  • Enhancing healthy coping
  • Promoting healthy communication with peers and families
  • Adjusting to life changes such as divorce, new babies, blended families, and new schools

I help parents better understand their child’s behavior, as well as develop positive parenting strategies to support their child’s specific needs effectively.

I also provide an evidence-based treatment called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)  for children exposed to traumatic events, such as traumatic loss, child physical/sexual abuse, and exposure to violence. TF-CBT is a relatively short-term treatment that treats symptoms related to:

  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Behavior Problems

Teens

The teenage years can be very challenging for parents, families, and adolescents. School and peer relationships can be stressful. Adolescence is naturally a time of exploration and individuation, which can be difficult for parents to navigate.

Common challenges families with teens encounter include:

  • Rule testing or breaking
  • Substance use/abuse
  • Risk-taking behaviors
  • Risky sexual behaviors
  • Ineffective communication and stressful interactions

Kristen works with teens and parents to:

  • Improve positive family communication
  • Establish and maintain clear and realistic expectations
  • Develop healthy coping strategies
  • Promote healthy decision-making

Facts about the developing adolescent brain:

  • The adolescent brain is still developing and is not fully developed until the early 20s.
  • The part of the brain (prefrontal cortex) responsible for executive functions such as impulse control and planning ahead is not yet fully developed in teens.
  • Brain studies have demonstrated that teens tend to respond more strongly to emotionally loaded situations and images than do younger children or adults.
  • During the teen years, vast changes in the production of reproductive and stress hormones affect the brain and behavior.
  • Adolescent brain changes contribute to staying up late at night. This sleep deprivation can contribute to fatigue, attention problems, increased irritability, impulsive behavior, and depression.
  • Alcohol affects the brain of a teen in different ways than the brain of an adult.
  • Drug and alcohol use in adolescence may increase the risk of addiction for an individual.

In a certain sense, teens are “wired” to seek new and “exciting” situations; however, this can have a wide range of consequences. Novelty-seeking can be positive: joining a new club, learning a new sport, or meeting a new friend. However, novelty seeking can also have negative consequences, from substance use, accidents, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, or other physical or emotional injury. In fact, statistics show that rates of death by injury are 6X higher  for teens ages 15-19 than younger pre-teens (ages 10-14), likely related to the increase in risk-taking behaviors frequently seen during this time.

Read more about adolescent brain development at the National Institute of Mental Health website:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml

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Adults

Maintenance of our emotional well-being frequently takes a backseat to other life demands. It can be incredibly difficult to balance the responsibilities of a household, work, family, relationships, etc. Stress can take a very real psychological and physical toll on our bodies. Psychological stress impacts our sleep, our eating habits, and our mood. It can contribute to diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, inflammatory reactions, and decreased immune function.

For more information on stress and health, visit The National Institutes of Health website:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2568977/pdf/nihms70622.pdf.

Stressful life events such as changes in marital status, changes in or loss of employment, major medical diagnoses such as cancer, and grief and loss have been correlated with the onset of depression and anxiety. Stress can make us feel lethargic and can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle. Some people use alcohol, cigarettes, or other substances to cope with stress, which can have negative longer-term consequences. Kristen offers cognitive-behavioral and supportive therapies to help men and women set and achieve goals for improved emotional, behavioral, and physical well-being.