About Kristen
Dr. Kristen Pavela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Wisconsin with a decade of clinical experience and a doctorate in social work.
Background and approach
She has supported people facing a broad range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, substance use and addictions, trauma and abuse, anger issues, intimacy and relationship struggles, grief, sleep and eating problems, ADHD, and career or life transition challenges.
Her background also includes work with domestic violence, caregiver stress, attachment and abandonment struggles, communication and commitment difficulties, and other relational or behavioral concerns. Her therapeutic presence is described as warm and interactive, grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion without relying on stigmatizing labels.
She draws on client-centered practice alongside cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas, shaping sessions and treatment plans to meet each person’s specific needs. Dr.
Pavela emphasizes collaboration and practical skill-building while attending to deeper patterns that affect feelings and relationships. She invites those ready to pursue change to begin the process of growth and empowerment.
Integrating Approaches in Online Therapy
Dr. Pavela combines client-centered work and cognitive behavioral therapy to guide online sessions. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and a collaborative relationship so clients feel heard and supported while exploring their concerns. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering practical tools for anxiety, depression, substance use, and relationship patterns.Deciding on an approach is collaborative; she works with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, needs, and personal preferences. That process may blend supportive listening with skills training or more exploratory psychodynamic insights depending on what arises in sessions and what the client wants to prioritize.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into busy schedules and to continue work from different locations within Wisconsin. These formats support continuity of care, allow for varied communication styles, and let clients choose the way of working that feels most comfortable and effective for them.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- Wisconsin, Illinois
- Languages
- English