(she/her)
Are you feeling tired, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin? Maybe you’ve been carrying too much for too long—showing up for others while putting your own needs aside. You might find yourself saying yes when you want to say no, or feeling pulled in different directions, unsure how to move forward. Perhaps you’re navigating difficult relationships, caregiving responsibilities, or a season of life that feels heavier than expected. You don’t have to go through it alone. I offer a gentle, supportive space where you can slow down, breathe, and be yourself. Together, we’ll explore what’s weighing on you and reconnect with your strengths. With over 25 years of experience, I’ve worked with children, adolescents, and adults facing trauma, emotional dysregulation, chronic stress, self-harm, and adoption-related concerns. Today, I focus on helping adults build resilience, develop healthier coping strategies, and experience meaningful growth. I hold a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from Case Western Reserve University and am a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory designation in Ohio. I also teach full-time at Case Western Reserve University, staying closely connected to current research and evidence-based practices. I provide individual therapy and enjoy working with adults who are ready to understand themselves more deeply, shift old patterns, and move toward greater balance. If this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out—I would be honored to support you.
The first session is a gentle beginning—a chance for us to meet and create a space that feels safe, supportive, and truly yours. It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous. You don’t need to have everything figured out—you can simply come as you are. Before we meet, you’ll complete a few intake forms and brief measures. These help me prepare thoughtfully and meet insurance requirements, and I appreciate you taking the time to complete them ahead of our session. When we meet, we’ll focus on getting to know you—what’s been weighing on you and what brings you here now. I may ask about your history and relationships, but there’s no pressure to share more than you’re ready to. We’ll move at a pace that feels comfortable and respectful for you. We’ll also talk about what support might look like moving forward and how I work, so you have a clear sense of what therapy with me can feel like. Since sessions are online, I encourage you to find a quiet, private space. And if technology glitches happen, that’s okay—we’ll work through them together. Most importantly, this is a space where you can slow down, breathe, and feel supported without judgment—leaving our time together feeling heard, understood, and a little more grounded.
What makes my approach unique is a blend of experience, compassion, and a genuine commitment to walking alongside you—especially during seasons that feel heavy or uncertain. Many people I work with feel overwhelmed by stress, life transitions, or grief that’s hard to put into words. My hope is to offer a space where you don’t have to carry it all alone. Over the years, I’ve worked with adults, children, and families, and spent more than 15 years in academia as a teacher and scholar. These experiences shape how I show up—with steadiness, warmth, and deep respect for your story. At the heart of my work is the belief that healing begins with being truly seen and accepted. I offer care, dignity, and unconditional positive regard—no matter where you’re starting from. There is no pressure to have the “right” words or to move faster than you’re ready. We go at your pace. I understand that some clients come in feeling worn down by life, where hope feels distant. Therapy can be a place to gently begin rebuilding that hope. Together, we can uncover strengths and begin creating new pathways forward. I see therapy as a collaborative, deeply human process. I’m not here to fix you or rush you, but to meet you where you are—helping you slow down, breathe, and make sense of what you’re carrying. My goal is to create a safe, compassionate space where healing can unfold naturally—with care, patience, and hope.
I work best with people who feel a quiet itch for change, even if they cannot yet name exactly what needs to shift. Often, it is not one dramatic event, but a growing sense that something feels heavy, uncertain, or no longer sustainable. You may be managing life on the outside while inwardly feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or tired of carrying so much alone. Many of the clients I connect with most are moving through transitions—loss, endings, new beginnings, or chapters that feel unfamiliar. You may be grieving what was, adjusting to what is, or making peace with what did not unfold as hoped. Grief can take many forms: the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a dream, or a life that looks different than expected. Stress, emotional fatigue, and relational challenges often deepen these seasons, making even daily demands feel harder to hold. At the same time, part of you may sense there is more—more clarity, more steadiness, more of yourself waiting to re-emerge. Perhaps you have spent years caring for others, holding everything together, and are now beginning to ask what you need. Therapy offers a space to slow down, reflect, and gently untangle what feels overwhelming. My ideal client is someone open to growth and self-understanding, even when the path forward is not yet clear. Together, we can work toward healing, renewed perspective, and meaningful change rooted in resilience and hope.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a practical evidence-based approach that helps you identify and change unhelpful thoughts that may be contributing to emotional distress or difficulties in your life. Together we will explore the patterns that may be keeping you stuck and develop healthier ways of thinking and coping. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, chronic stress or other challenges, CBT offers tools that can empower you to take meaningful steps toward feeling better and living more fully.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Solution Focused Brief Treatment (SFBT) is a collaborative and goal-oriented approach that focuses on your strengths, resources and what is already working in your life. Rather than spending a lot of time analyzing problems, we will work together to imagine your preferred future and identify small, meaningful steps to help you get there. This approach invites creativity and playfulness in how we explore solutions, often through questions that spark new perspectives and possibilities. SFBT is designed to help you build momentum and create positive change, often in a short period of time.
Narrative
Narrative Therapy (NT) is a collaborative and highly empowering approach that views you as the expert in your own life. Together we will explore the stories that you tell about yourself and your experiences, especially the ones that may feel limiting and painful. This therapy invites you to reframe and re-author these stories in ways that highlight your strengths, values and hopes for the future. By creating space for new perspectives, NT helps you separate yourself from the problems you are facing and opens up new possibilities for change and growth.
7 ratings with written reviews
March 7, 2026
It can take me time to open up with a therapist and feel comfortable, but I felt that way right away with Cristina. She is very focused on helping with your problems, listening, and offering real solutions.
November 15, 2025
She’s a good listener, took notes, and offered feedback.
November 5, 2025
Cristina is very committed in providing as many resources as possible to help you in your process. I'm grateful for her guidance.