My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and affirming, with attention to identity, power, and the broader systems that shape our lives. I mostly work with women-identifying, LBGTIQA+, autistics and neurogivergent folx with trauma histories. I have worked in clinical mental health for 25 years in the United States and Mexico. My professional path has been shaped by work that consistently calls for both personal and professional growth, deep self-reflection, and a commitment to ethical, relational care.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, we will begin to illuminate your path forward. This session is for sharing and inquiry, and for building a rhythm of dialogue. It is also a great time to release held-on-to emotions and thoughts, and to allow yourself to start letting go and getting comfortable with sharing. We will address any questions you have and decide together what session frequency is best going forward.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I enjoy supporting my clients and I show up grounded and confident to travel with you wherever you need to go. I see patterns, dynamics and new paths with ease and intuition, and will share highly individualized suggestions, creative dialogue and novel strategies aimed at your goals.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I love working with people who want to do deep work, and with people who are ok with exploring and being with discomfort and uncertainty. I love working with people who want to know themselves more. People who are autistic and/or have autistic loved ones and people with family of origin trauma are excellent fits. Latin American family issues; Gender and Sexuality; Women's Issues across the lifespan, and struggles with class and capitalism are all specializations as well.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT has a way of naturally finding itself in the conversation when appropriate and applicable: re-framing or cognitive restructuring, guided discovery, successive approximation (breaking down goals into do-able steps), mindfulness and relaxation/nervous system regulation, various kinds of expression (such as writing), imagery and problem solving.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I trained with Marsha Linehan (DBT creator) in Seattle for 2 years in the early 2000's. DBT's contributions to my work are seamlessly integrated as appropriate (and may be offered in a structured way, upon request by clients), and help my clients with trauma, relationships, connecting to themselves, reducing emotional distress, and DBT helps my clients gain deep insight into their emotions and minds, for example. DBT has 4 components: mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance.
Trauma Informed Care
Healing from trauma is an on-going endeavor, and has ben a part of my work, always. Trauma may be bodily, familial or ancestral, collective, in the psyche. I am, and have been deeply embedded in education and training on various ways to help clients heal from trauma, including addressing violations in sense of safety that are deeply imprinted in the body and nervous system, feeling "trapped" or stuck and creating movement and change, and the implementation of trauma-healing practices as appropriate and as applicable to each client's needs.
Attachment-based
Attachment plays a role in all of our relationships. Attachment work may include the neurobiology of attachment, working towards secure attachment, healing challenging family of origin dynamics, healing any relationship ruptures and examining emotional and behavioral patterns in relationships that aren't working for you.
Multicultural
Academic, personal and professional places I have resided in, which includes my autistic ways of knowing; West African, Mexican-Indigenous and Indigenous spiritualities and healing modalities, Vipassana meditation (oldest known meditation in India); and deep academic studies on the histories of the Southern U.S. (including the development of race, class and white supremacy). I am transparent and natural at traversing the complexities of cultural spaces, places, dialogues. We are always cultural in-the-making.
2 ratings with written reviews
August 2, 2025
Kristina has been an incredible therapist to work with. She’s the first I’ve really connected with long term, and I appreciate her holistic approach to care. She combines thoughtful talk therapy with an understanding of the mind-body connection, which has made a noticeable difference in how I manage stress and feel overall!
March 20, 2025
Excellent!