Kristin Hoats
I help men and women who feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or disconnected from themselves while trying to keep up with work, family, relationships, parenting, and everyday life. Many of my clients are high-stress professionals, first responders, caregivers, parents, or people who are used to being the one everyone counts on. They may be dealing with anxiety, grief after a loss, trauma, low self-esteem, childhood experiences that still affect them, or major life changes including perimenopause and menopause. You may be the person everyone relies on, but inside you feel exhausted, irritable, stuck, or unsure of yourself. You might overthink, people-please, have trouble setting boundaries, or feel guilty when you try to put your own needs first.
Many of my clients are used to holding everything together for others: parents, caregivers, first responders, high stress professionals and often feel like there’s no space for their own emotions.
In therapy, we focus on helping you understand what is keeping you stuck and what you can actually do differently. Together, we build self-worth, strengthen emotion regulation, create healthier boundaries, improve coping skills, and work toward feeling more confident and in control of your life.
First session
The first session is a chance to slow down and talk through what’s been weighing on you. We’ll focus on what brought you in, what feels most important right now, and what you’d like to work toward. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of direction and, simple tools you can use to start feeling more supported right away. Together, we'll build practical skills to regulate emotions, improve communication, set healthy boundaries, and respond rather than react.
Strengths
I bring honesty, directness, teaching and a strong ability to recognize patterns that may be keeping you stuck. My sessions are structured and collaborative, with clear feedback, coping skills, and work to complete between sessions. I will support you while also challenging you to look at what needs to change so you can build confidence and make meaningful progress.
Ideal clients
I love working with individuals who feel overwhelmed by their emotions, constantly on edge, emotionally reactive, burned out, or stuck in unhealthy patterns they cannot seem to break on their own. Many of my clients are high functioning on the outside while internally struggling with anxiety, anger, self esteem, grief, people pleasing, or difficulty regulating emotions and relationships. I work well with parents, caregivers, first responders, teachers, and high stress professionals who are used to putting everyone else first and are ready to learn healthier coping skills, improve boundaries, gain emotional control, and feel more confident and grounded in daily life.
Treatment methods
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
We focus on practical skills such as calming yourself when emotions feel overwhelming, communicating your needs more effectively, setting boundaries, and staying present instead of reacting impulsively. DBT also helps you learn how to accept difficult emotions while still making changes that support the life and relationships you want.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
We look at patterns that may be making anxiety, depression, stress, or other concerns feel harder to manage. Together, we work on identifying unhelpful thoughts, challenging them in a realistic way, and practicing new coping skills and behaviors. The goal is to help you feel more in control of your reactions and develop practical tools you can use outside of therapy.
Grief Therapy
We work at your pace and focus on what you need most. We may explore difficult emotions, changes in relationships or routines, ways to cope with reminders and anniversaries, and how to continue moving forward while still honoring the person or experience you lost. The goal is not to “get over” your grief, but to help you learn how to carry it in a way that feels more manageable over time.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT, to help you focus on what you want to be different in your life and what steps can help you get there. Instead of spending most of our time analyzing the problem, we also look at your strengths, what has helped you cope in the past, and times when the problem felt a little more manageable. I may ask questions about what improvement would look like, what you are already doing that is helpful, and what small change could move you closer to your goal.
Trauma Informed Care
I use a trauma-informed approach that centers safety and empowerment. We gently explore how past experiences affect you today while helping you feel supported and in control as you heal.
Location
Virtual sessions