Kristen Buongiorno , LCSW

Kristen Buongiorno is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 14 years of clinical experience supporting people through a range of challenges. She has worked with individuals facing depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, major life transitions, serious illness including cancer, sexual assault, and Veterans issues including combat-related trauma and military sexual trauma. Her background spans diverse clinical settings and populations, with a focus on practical strategies that improve day-to-day functioning.

Her therapeutic style balances compassion with directness, creating a space where difficult conversations can happen alongside steady support. Kristen places a strong emphasis on safety - working with clients who need it to develop and maintain concrete safety plans - and she centers self-care and grounding practices as part of recovery. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and invites clients to take an active role in shaping treatment goals and priorities.

Clinically, Kristen grounds her work in the link between thoughts and behavior while integrating mindfulness techniques to help clients regulate emotions and stay present. She encourages motivated clients to pursue meaningful change and offers structured, evidence-informed tools alongside empathetic guidance. Kristen approaches each person as the expert on their life and works together with them to build realistic, sustainable steps forward.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Kristen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and the behaviors that follow - a practical approach useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many everyday problems. Mindfulness Therapy is incorporated to teach simple grounding and awareness practices that support emotion regulation and reduce reactivity in moments of distress. Client-Centered Therapy informs her manner of working by prioritizing the client's perspective and fostering a collaborative, nonjudgmental relationship where the client guides the pace and goals of treatment.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Kristen works together with each person to find the best fit based on their needs, values, and goals. She blends structured techniques with flexible, person-focused care so treatment feels relevant and achievable.

Online therapy with Kristen is delivered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care during life transitions, busy periods, or when in-person visits are not practical, while allowing licensed professionals and therapists to deliver consistent, skill-based support.