About Us

It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support and empower you.

I hope this email finds you well. I am honored that you decided to transition with me to my private practice. Here at Kristel Klear Counseling, my goal is to assist you in your next stage of therapy journey. We’ve done a lot of work together already, so I’m excited to see where we can go. Before we move forward, here are the logistics:

  • We can meet weekly or biweekly by phone or video.
  • The Platform that will be used is through Google Meet or Doxy.
  • I will try to keep you a set time each week and I will schedule you through the google calendar which will send you reminders and updates. The link will be in the description. If you have to cancel or reschedule, please try to let me know 24 hours in advance.
  • My rates are 50$-100$. We will chat about pricing before our initial session. My cash app is: $KristelAvilus
  • I have attached the documents, which are just the intake paperwork for the practice. https://forms.gle/iqwZhacRb6DDNRSb9
  • You can reach me by email or by phone. I check my email every morning but please give me 48 hours to respond.
  • If you have any questions please let me know. I am excited that you are here and I am thankful to go on this journey with you.

About My Clients

I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, OCD and ADHD. I also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse

My Background and Approach

My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and I don't believe in stigmatizing labels. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, client-focused rational-emotive counseling. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support and empower you.

TECHNIQUES I USE

Specialties

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a classic talk therapy technique that helps increase awareness of negative thinking in order to better handle challenging situations. In addition to helping those with mental health disorders (such as anxiety or depression), CBT is also helpful for anyone who is looking to learn how to manage stressful situations. Therapists that use CBT often have a structured program, which involves a set number of sessions. CBT is frequently paired with other treatments, such as medication, when necessary. Think this approach may be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s CBT experts today.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy is a therapeutic approach that seeks to help people identify their values and the skills and knowledge they have to live these values, so they can effectively confront whatever problems they face. The narrative therapy approach views problems as separate from people and assumes people have many skills, abilities, values, commitments, beliefs and competencies that will assist them in changing their relationship with the problems influencing their lives. A therapist who specializes in narrative therapy will help their client co-author a new narrative about themselves by investigating the history of those qualities. Narrative therapy is a respectful, non-judgmental, social justice approach that ultimately helps individuals to externalize their issues rather than internalize them. Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s narrative therapy experts today.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a present and future-focused, goal-directed therapeutic approach that focuses, as the name suggests, on solutions. Instead of leading with the problems that brought clients to therapy in the first place, SFBT focuses on what clients want to achieve without exploring the history of the issue. SFBT is founded on the belief that clients know what they need to do to improve their lives and the approach provides coaching and questioning to help clients find the best solutions. Solution Focused Brief Therapy is used in the treatment of a variety of issues, including addiction, relationship problems, behavioral problems, abuse and depression. Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s Solution Focused Brief Therapy experts today.

OTHER TECHNIQUES
Mindfulness-based Therapy

Mindfulness-based approaches to therapy lead with mindfulness, promoting the practice as an important part of good mental health. Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training. Simply put, mindfulness encourages and teaches us to fully live in the present moment. Through the practice of mindfulness we can learn to be present with our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and problems – and the more present we are, the more workable they become. It’s not about “positive thinking,” – it’s about not taking negative thoughts so seriously. Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s mindfulness-based therapy experts today.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a goal-focused, client-centered counseling approach developed, in part, by clinical psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick. The goal of MI is to help people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities and find the motivation they need to change their behavior. Although motivational interviewing was first used for problem drinking and others with substance abuse issues, it has been proven effective for many people struggling with making healthier choices. This therapeutic technique works especially well with those who start off resistive, unmotivated or unprepared for change (and less well on those who are already prepared and motivated to change). Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s motivational interviewing specialists today.

ISSUES I TREAT

Specialties

Anxiety

Feeling a certain level of anxiety over big stressors or certain life events is totally normal. However, if you find that your fear or worry does not go away and, in fact, gets worse over time, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling and often passes quickly, while severe anxiety can seriously affect your day-to-day life. If you are finding your anxiety unmanageable, can’t identify the cause of your anxious feelings or if you are suffering from physical symptoms (such as heart palpations, fatigue, sweaty hands, upset stomach, or insomnia), it may be time to get help. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s anxiety specialists today.

LGBTQ Issues

Just like any other group, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community faces mental health issues and unique challenges. However, LGBTQ individuals are almost 3 times more likely than others to experience a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety. Additionally, more than half of individuals who identify as transgender experience depression or anxiety. The LGBTQ community is also at a higher risk for suicide. Young people are even more at risk, as they may experience a lack of support at home and fear, hatred or prejudice in school. If you are a member of the LGBTQ community and are facing mental health challenges, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s LGBTQ experts and get help today.

OTHER ISSUES
Abuse

Abuse can take many forms – it could be verbal, emotional or physical. Even after the abuse has ended, survivors are often left with intense negative feelings. But the good news is, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse of any kind, contact one of our specialists today to get help.

Anger Issues

Blowing up or losing your cool once in a while doesn’t necessarily mean you have an anger issue. But if you find yourself experiencing long-term feelings of anger or rage, which may also include aggressive, violent or self-destructive behaviors, you may be facing an anger management issue. Those experiencing anger issues may also have physical symptoms including high blood pressure, headaches, or fatigue. Whether your anger issue is caused by stress, genetics, hormones or your current environment, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Contact one of our specialists today.

Body Image Issues

Body image is how you see yourself when you picture yourself in your mind or when look in the mirror. Most people worry about how we look occasionally or see at least one aspect of our physical appearance we don’t like. But for some, these occasional thoughts can become frequent and disruptive. People with negative body image issues may avoid social situations and experience problems in relationships, depression, anger, anxiety, isolation, self-loathing and/or an obsession with weight loss. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (or BDD) is one example of a body-image disorder, characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance. The good news is that body image can be changed and BDD can be treated. Contact one of TherapyDen’s body image issues experts for help today!

Depression

Depression is a mental health disorder that affects mood, including how you feel, think, and behave. Everyone feels sad sometimes, but when it starts to affect your ability to perform daily tasks and your ability to enjoy things that typically bring you happiness, you may be suffering from depression. The symptoms of depression vary from person to person, but often include feeling miserable without a clear reason why, anxiety, agitation, insomnia or sleeping too much, hopelessness, changes in eating, and/or foggy thinking. Depression may also cause recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (or even a wish that it would all 'stop' in an abstract sense). If you think you might be suffering from depression, a qualified mental health therapist can help. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s depression experts today!

Teen Issues

Today’s teens and adolescents face a variety of unique issues. Adolescents are still figuring out who they are and what their place is in the world. They may be struggling with questions of identity, sexuality, and relationships. Adolescence is also when a number of mental health problems (such as anxiety or depression) may first develop or become noticeable. A mental health professional who specializes in adolescent issues can be a great asset in helping a young person navigate this distinctive time in their lives. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s experts today!