I have been working in this field for over a decade in various different roles. I have started my career as working with physically disabled youth in college. I then moved on to working with developmentally disabled adults. I then moved into a role as a case manager who specialized in working with transistional aged youth (teenagers who are becoming adults). After spending a little over five years in that position, I obtained my master's degreee in social work and became a licensed clinical social worker. In August of 2020, I transistioned into
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During our first session together, you can expect it to be very lax with us. I use the first session as a chance for us to get to know each other and to help you to become more comfortable in working with me. I am very open to any questions you have for me and I will also be asking you questions to learn more about you. I will ask you about what are some important things that you think I should know about you and I will give you the chance to ask me things that you think are important to know about me.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I am a very laid back provider. I will dress more on the casual side in our sessions and I will not present myself as clinical. While being very clinical in sessions work with some clients, I know that it often does not work for others. I work to make you feel as comfortable in our working relationship as possible and help you feel confident in your decision to share information with me that you may not be comfortable with others in your life.
About Kristen Pal
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Motivational Interviewing
I use motivational interviewing to help us to better work together as a team. I will focus on what you're motivations are for change and use this to make sure we are on the same page with you treatment. I will often check in with you using motivational interviewing to see how you feel about the progress that you are making as well as to understand what you feel your already doing and what you think you could do differently to get the result you are looking for.
Positive Psychology
Even in my personal experience, it is so easy to find negative things that are happening in our lives. Using positive psychology, I will help you learn how to shift your mindset from a negative frame to a positive one in order to help you adjust your outlook on the events that are occuring in your life. Even if you're not able to change the events.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Sometimes when you come into treatment, you come in to only focus on a certain issue that is currently causing problems for you. Using this treatment method, we focus on the solution and work on getting through this tough time in order to move on.
Strength-Based
Going along with positive psychology, I work with you to identify your strengths and focus on what you are able to do in a situation instead of what you're not able to do to. By focusing on your strengths, we are able to work towards your solution based on what you're good at doing instead of what you're not good at doing.
Supportive
Sometimes what you're looking for in a therapist is someone who is just in your corner for you. Someone that you just need as a support system to help you through struggles. With this in mind, it is completely okay to be able to come into a session and wanting to just have someone to support you with your own throughts and struggles of life.
