Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Depression
How Kristen works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Wisconsin, Illinois
- Years in practice
- 10
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Kristen
Dr. Kristen Pavela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a doctorate in social work and ten years of clinical experience. She practices in Wisconsin and helps people navigate stress, anxiety, anger, addictions, grief, and other life challenges.
Dr. Pavela takes a respectful, nonjudgmental approach and aims to support people who want change. Her work is direct and conversational.
Sessions are interactive and focused on practical steps for daily life.
Background and approach
She listens for what matters most and adapts conversations to each person's situation. Dr. Pavela blends several ways of working to match a client's needs.
She uses cognitive behavioral ideas to spot unhelpful thought patterns and try small behavior experiments. Motivational interviewing helps people find their own reasons to change, especially around substance use or habit shifts. She also brings client-centered listening and psychodynamic perspectives to understand patterns that repeat over time.
That mix lets her address immediate coping skills while looking at deeper relationship and attachment issues when helpful. People who choose her often want a therapist who speaks plainly and offers concrete tools. She can help with parenting stress, relationship struggles, sleep and eating concerns, attention issues, and recovery from trauma or abuse.
Her aim is to empower people to make workable changes at a pace that fits their life.
What Kristen works with
Everything Kristen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Kristen's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Depression
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Kristen lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy centers the person in the conversation by listening closely and following what the client brings up. This approach helps people feel heard and guides decisions about what to focus on next.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and testing small, doable changes. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, sleep or eating issues, and anger management by giving concrete strategies to try between sessions.
Motivational Interviewing supports people who are wrestling with change, especially around substance use or other habits. It uses respectful questions to draw out a person’s own reasons for change and to boost motivation.
Finding the right mix is collaborative. The therapist will talk with each client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they decide which approaches to use and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let the therapist and client work in real time with visual cues. Phone sessions are a good option when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging allow brief updates, coaching between sessions, or a way to stay connected without scheduled video. These formats help fit therapy into busy days and different lifestyles.
Questions people ask about Kristen
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, anger, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleep and eating problems, ADHD, and career or life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and interactive, focused on respectful listening and practical steps. She tailors conversations and plans to the client rather than using a single formula.
What background does she bring to therapy sessions?
She holds a doctorate in social work and has ten years of experience as a clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor, supporting people through a range of mental health and addiction concerns.
Where is this therapist licensed and located?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with credentials in Illinois and Wisconsin and practices in Wisconsin.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with this therapist?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available for online work?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and communication preferences.
How do fees and starting therapy work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.