Works with
How Cristy works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Illinois
- Years in practice
- 7
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Cristy
Cristy Bixler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Illinois who helps people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, anger, and trauma. She also supports concerns around self-esteem, sleep and eating problems, parenting strains, relationship and intimacy issues, and career or life transitions. Her tone is practical and direct, aimed at people who need clear steps forward.
She uses a person-centered approach that focuses on each person's strengths.
Background and approach
Sessions center on active listening and building motivation to change. Cristy draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also incorporates dialectical behavior ideas to teach emotion regulation and coping skills.
Her background includes seven years of clinical experience and practice in Illinois as an LCSW. That experience includes work with people facing trauma, substance use challenges, grief, and recurring self-defeating behaviors. She has also supported adults and children with intellectual disabilities alongside their families.
In sessions Cristy aims to tailor conversations and plans to each individual's needs. She sets practical goals and teaches skills people can use between sessions. The work tends to be straightforward and action-oriented, with time spent practicing new strategies and reviewing what helps.
People who choose Cristy can expect a respectful, compassionate atmosphere where their voice guides the pace. She frames therapy as a collaborative effort to build momentum, reduce distress, and strengthen daily coping.
What Cristy works with
Everything Cristy lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Cristy's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
Approaches Cristy lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Cristy’s Approaches Work Online
Client-Centered Therapy puts the person’s experience first. In practice this means conversations focus on what matters most to the individual, with the therapist listening closely and following the client’s lead. This approach helps when someone needs support to clarify goals and build confidence.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Online CBT sessions typically involve identifying unhelpful thoughts, trying small experiments, and practicing new behaviors between meetings to reduce anxiety, depression, and anger.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Cristy will collaborate with each person to choose or combine methods based on their goals, challenges, and preferences. Together they set clear, achievable steps and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online formats offer flexibility for different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when more connection is helpful. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to use video. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or when a shorter, written exchange fits into a busy day. These options make it easier to keep momentum and practice skills between sessions.
Questions people ask about Cristy
What kinds of issues does Cristy address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, anger, self-esteem, sleep and eating problems, relationship and family concerns, parenting strain, career changes, bipolar symptoms, ADHD, and related issues.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is person-centered and strengths-based, using active listening and motivational techniques to help people set and reach practical goals.
What clinical approaches does she use?
Cristy uses Client-Centered Therapy alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing to teach coping skills and change patterns of thinking.
What credentials and region does she practice in?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, practicing in Illinois.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.