Kristen Lewis, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Welcome! I specialize in working with trauma, anxiety, and overwhelming feelings. Trauma comes in many forms and can cause one to feel anxious or overwhelmed. I am here to support you in learning how to feel better and manage overwhelming feelings and thoughts. I will give you tools and help you learn how to cope with your anxiety or overwhelming emotions from whatever challenges you’ve experienced. You also may be struggling with difficulties within a relationship, struggling with coming out to your family, or experiencing the loss of a loved one. I value providing a space for your feelings and worries to grow from the struggles you're experiencing. PARENTS: Are you a new parent and have found it more challenging than you thought it would be? Or are you a parent with a kid who has strong emotions or anxiety and are unsure how to help your child? I work with children and teens who have overwhelming emotions, feel different than others, or feel anxious and down without knowing why. I will help your child learn how to cope with difficult emotions or social situations and give them tools needed for their own unique and specific challenges. I am also here to support you as a parent. We will discuss how to manage specific behavioral problems and how your child can thrive socially and emotionally. I will also collaborate with teachers and schools to make sure your child has the appropriate care and support that is needed. COUPLES THERAPY: I also work with couples (married, dating, gay, straight) who struggle with communicating or feel disconnected with their partner. My goal is for you and your partner to feel fulfilled, loved, and safe within your relationship. Please visit my website for additional information or give me a call for a free consultation! I am excited to speak with you and work with you. *I offer secure, HIPAA compliant video or phone sessions if needed* *I do not accept Medicaid*

One of my specializations is working with trauma. Trauma comes in many forms, including experiencing the deep fear, not knowing what will happen in the future, or having a loved one die. At times, you may have felt like you are shutting down or freeze in certain situations, or are overwhelmed by emotions that seem to just come out of nowhere. All of these responses are normal reactions from trauma. It can feel like such a lonely and isolating experience, especially if we feel like others don't understand what we're experiencing. Feeling misunderstood can make us feel even worse. We will work together to uncover what is blocking you from accessing the parts of you that are whole and safe to not just survive, but thrive.

If you are on the fence about going to therapy, it doesn't hurt to give it a try to see if it works for you and to find out if it is helpful. It is important to find a therapist who is the right fit as well; it makes all the difference to talk with someone you feel comfortable with and with whom you have a trusting relationship; it is then that healing is more likely to happen. I would love to speak with you to see if we are a good fit. It can be scary to think about going to therapy at first, and the stigma associated with going to therapy in this culture (and in many cultures) does not help. I believe it is a strength to reach out for help and to say what we need. In addition to the emotional support, therapists can help with seeing patterns and family dynamics that one who isn't trained may not see. Thus, therapy is all about gaining understanding about why we may be having certain struggles. There are many things we are not aware of and the more we can uncover the roles we play in certain dynamics and why we are in so much emotional pain, the less stuck we are and the more freedom and choices we may have in our lives to build the life that we want and deserve.

A problem is anything that may be bothering you, big or small. Even if something seems small, there may be bigger aspects to it that we may not realize. I believe that everything is connected. Even if you talk about something that seems small, this smaller issue may point us to some deeper pain that needs to be heard. My experience is that the problem or overwhelming emotions will start getting better and feel less overwhelming the more it is talked about, heard, and understood.