Kristen Wells , LMHC

Kristen Wells holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Counseling Psychology from Anna Maria College. The MA denotes a graduate degree in counseling, while the CAGS indicates additional advanced study beyond the master level. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), a professional credential that authorizes independent practice.

With 15 years of experience in behavioral health, Kristen began her career as a social worker serving children and families and has spent the past 10 years providing therapy to adults. Her practice focuses on a broad range of concerns including substance use and addiction, anger, mood disorders, depression, anxiety, postpartum depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and co-parenting issues, co-dependency, and self-esteem. She also addresses issues related to LGBT identity, family dynamics, grief, parenting, career concerns, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and coping with life changes, among other areas.

Kristen has provided individual, couples, and family counseling and has facilitated anger management and relapse prevention group therapy. She has experience using motivational interviewing with people who struggle with alcohol or drug use and worked in a program that reported a 78% success rate using the Sinclair Method, where she served as the program therapist. Her approach emphasizes helping clients develop practical, life-changing coping skills. Kristen looks for clients who are motivated for change or willing to take an honest look at themselves to grow and create healthier patterns.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Remote Care

Kristen regularly uses motivational interviewing, a collaborative conversation style that helps people resolve ambivalence and strengthen motivation for change - particularly useful for substance use and readiness for behavioral change. She also employs relapse prevention strategies that teach practical skills to recognize triggers, manage cravings, and build routines that support long-term recovery. These approaches are evidence-based and focus on concrete steps clients can practice between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Kristen works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and then tailors techniques that fit the client's life and stage of change. That collaborative process helps ensure the plan evolves as progress is made.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit treatment into a busy life or to stay connected when in-person visits are difficult. These formats offer flexibility in scheduling and allow therapists to support clients through transitions, relapse prevention work, parenting challenges, grief, and other concerns without requiring travel to an office.