(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello, I’m Dr. Crystal Bender-Hester, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with experience supporting adolescents, adults, couples, and families through life’s challenges. I specialize in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, self-esteem issues, and major life transitions while creating a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space for healing and growth. My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and practical. I use evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), DBT-informed strategies, and solution-focused techniques to help clients better understand themselves, strengthen coping skills, improve communication, and create healthier patterns in their daily lives and relationships. I believe therapy should feel empowering, culturally sensitive, and tailored to each individual’s unique needs and goals. For clients who desire it, I can also incorporate a spiritual or faith-based perspective into the therapeutic process as part of a holistic approach to healing and emotional wellness. My goal is to help clients feel heard, supported, and equipped with tools that promote long-term emotional wellness and personal growth.
During our first session, clients can expect a supportive, welcoming, and nonjudgmental environment where they can begin sharing their concerns at their own pace. The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another, discuss what brought you to therapy, explore your goals, and identify the areas of your life you would like support with. I understand that starting therapy can feel uncomfortable or overwhelming for some people, so I strive to create a space where clients feel heard, respected, and emotionally safe. Together, we will begin building a therapeutic relationship and discussing practical steps, coping tools, and treatment goals that align with your needs and personal growth.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to create a warm, supportive, and culturally sensitive environment where clients feel safe being open and honest without fear of judgment. I understand that reaching out for therapy can be difficult, and I strive to help clients feel heard, respected, and empowered throughout the therapeutic process. My professional background in healthcare, community mental health, and family systems work has given me experience supporting individuals, couples, and families through anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, grief, and major life transitions. I take a collaborative and practical approach to therapy by combining evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and DBT-informed strategies with real-life coping tools clients can apply outside of sessions. Clients often appreciate that I balance compassion with accountability while helping them identify patterns, strengthen communication, improve emotional regulation, and build healthier relationships with themselves and others. For clients who desire it, I can also incorporate spiritual or faith-based perspectives into treatment as part of a holistic approach to healing and personal growth.
I am best positioned to support adolescents, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, stress, relationship challenges, life transitions, self-esteem concerns, and emotional overwhelm. Many of the clients I work with are balancing demanding responsibilities while trying to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being. I work well with clients who are open to growth, want to better understand themselves, and are looking for practical tools to improve communication, manage emotions, strengthen relationships, and create healthier patterns in their daily lives. My approach is supportive, collaborative, culturally sensitive, and focused on helping clients feel empowered, heard, and understood.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we identify unhealthy thought patterns, self-defeating beliefs, and coping habits that may be contributing to anxiety, depression, stress, relationship difficulties, or low self-esteem. My approach to CBT is supportive, collaborative, and practical. I help clients develop healthier ways of thinking, improve emotional regulation, strengthen communication skills, and build coping tools they can use in everyday life. I often incorporate mindfulness, boundary setting, stress management techniques, and solution-focused strategies to help clients feel more empowered and confident in navigating life’s challenges.
Christian Counseling
For clients who desire it, I incorporate Christian counseling into therapy by integrating faith-based principles, prayer, scripture, and spiritual reflection alongside evidence-based therapeutic approaches. I provide a safe and nonjudgmental space for clients to explore how their faith, values, and relationship with God may support healing, growth, forgiveness, and emotional wellness. My approach is compassionate and balanced, helping clients navigate challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues, life transitions, and stress while strengthening both emotional and spiritual resilience. I respect each client’s personal beliefs and tailor the integration of faith into treatment based on their comfort level and goals for therapy.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques to help clients improve emotional regulation, manage distress, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and develop healthier coping skills. DBT can be especially helpful for individuals experiencing intense emotions, anxiety, stress, relationship conflict, mood instability, or difficulty managing overwhelming situations. In my practice, I use DBT-informed strategies such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness to help clients respond to challenges in healthier and more balanced ways. My approach is supportive and practical, helping clients build self-awareness, increase resilience, and feel more confident in navigating daily life and relationships.
Narrative
I use Narrative Therapy to help clients explore the stories they tell themselves about their lives, relationships, struggles, and identity. Often, people become stuck in negative beliefs shaped by past experiences, trauma, family dynamics, or difficult life events. Narrative therapy helps clients separate themselves from the problem and recognize their strengths, resilience, and ability to create meaningful change. In my practice, I provide a supportive and empowering space where clients can process their experiences, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop healthier perspectives about themselves and their future. I often use this approach with individuals navigating trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem challenges, and major life transitions.