LCSW
Dr. Kristen Pavela, LCSW
- Experience10 years
- LocationWisconsin
- Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Addictions
- Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Check the available next steps for working with Kristen online.
About Kristen
Dr. Kristen Pavela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a doctorate in social work and a decade of clinical experience in Wisconsin.
Background and approach
She has provided counseling and substance abuse support across a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, anger, relationship and family difficulties, grief, intimacy and sexual issues, sleep and eating problems, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. Her background also includes work with domestic violence, parenting challenges, and impulse-related difficulties.
Her style is warm, interactive, and respectful, emphasizing sensitivity and a nonjudgmental stance. Dr.
Pavela blends client-centered principles with cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas to create individualized treatment conversations and plans. She focuses on practical coping skills and deeper patterns that affect a person’s life, tailoring the pace and methods to each client’s needs.
Clients can expect support aimed at empowerment and gradual change, with attention to both immediate concerns and long-term growth. Those ready to pursue new goals and healthier patterns will find a collaborative clinician who prioritizes dignity, strengths, and clear steps toward improvement.
How Dr. Pavela Brings Evidence-Based Care Online
Dr. Pavela uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; this approach is practical for problems like anxiety, depression, ADHD-related challenges, and coping with life changes. She also draws on client-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathy, active listening, and collaborating with the client to set goals and build on personal strengths; this style supports emotional processing and relationship or identity concerns.Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Dr. Pavela treats this as a collaborative process. She will discuss options, try different techniques as needed, and adjust the plan based on what aligns with a client's goals, preferences, and response to treatment.
Online therapy with this clinician is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, maintain continuity during transitions, and use brief check-ins or ongoing conversations in addition to longer sessions. The combination of evidence-based methods and flexible delivery aims to make care both practical and personally relevant.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Licensed
Wisconsin, Illinois
Languages
English
What Kristen can help with
Dr. Kristen Pavela works with clients on stress and anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, anger management, and depression.
Kristen works with clients with depression, anxiety, other Mental Health concerns, and relationship issues.
How Kristen approaches therapy
Kristen's clinical approaches include Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Psychodynamic Therapy.
Experience and training
Kristen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Wisconsin.