Kristen Gaughan , LPC

Kristen Gaughan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania with 23 years of clinical experience in the behavioral health field. She has worked across a variety of treatment settings and with a broad range of clients, offering care for common mental health concerns as well as for substance use and process addictions such as gambling, eating, sex, and spending. Kristen's dedication to counseling began early in life and has guided a career focused on helping people move toward greater well-being and resilience.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree from York College of Pennsylvania with a double major in Psychology and Sociology and double minors in Criminal Justice Corrections and German, and she holds a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Kristen approaches her work as a vocation, bringing both extensive training and personal commitment to each client's goals. She aims to support clients in finding peace, joy, and contentment by addressing issues like stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting, career challenges, and many other areas listed in her specialties.

Please note that she is unable to write letters on a client's behalf due to limitations of the counseling platform she uses.

Therapeutic Approaches and Virtual Care

Kristen draws from client-centered therapy to create a respectful, collaborative environment where the client’s own perspective guides the pace and focus of work. This approach helps when someone wants support in building self-understanding, improving self-esteem, or navigating life changes by emphasizing empathy and lived experience.

She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) to help individuals and couples identify and work through emotional patterns that affect relationships. EFT can be especially helpful for attachment concerns, intimacy-related issues, and resolving cycles of conflict by focusing on underlying emotions and connection needs.

Motivational interviewing is another tool she employs to support change when a client feels ambivalent, such as with substance use or other habit-related challenges. This approach encourages personal motivation and strengthens commitment to goals without judgment.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Kristen works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best align with their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for those with busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or geographic constraints. These modalities make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to access licensed professionals from different locations while tailoring the format to what feels most comfortable for the client.