- CBT techniques
- DBT skills
- Motivational Interviewing
About Cristy
Cristy Bixler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Illinois with seven years of experience. She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, and anger. She also helps with self-esteem, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting strains, sleep and eating issues, ADHD, and career or life changes.
Cristy uses a person-centered approach that focuses on individual strengths. She listens actively and uses Motivational Interviewing to help people find their own reasons to change. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques to teach practical skills for managing strong emotions and challenging thoughts.
Sessions focus on clear goals and short-term skills alongside deeper issues when needed. Cristy talks through patterns that keep someone stuck, and then practices new ways to respond to stress and conflict. She offers straightforward tools for handling anger, reducing reactivity, and improving communication.
Cristy has worked with people affected by trauma, addiction, complicated grief, and self-harming behavior. She has also supported adults and children with intellectual disabilities and the family members who care for them. Her background includes helping people manage caregiver stress and complicated family dynamics.
In sessions she aims to balance support with practical steps. People can expect direct listening, skill practice, and collaborative planning. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule an initial session.
How her approaches are used in online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building on a person's strengths to set practical goals. It helps people clarify what matters to them and decide what to work on first. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches skills to change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. These approaches are useful for anger, anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to pick methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. That may mean starting with listening and goal-setting, then adding CBT or DBT skills practice if those fit the client's situation.
Confirm the specific session options before booking, since the biography did not list formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday or a caregiving schedule. They can also allow for shorter check-ins, reduce travel time, and let people focus on practicing skills from home. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises, worksheets, and skills training to an online setting to help people manage anger and stress while balancing everyday responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of anger issues does she help with?
She works with people who lose their temper with loved ones, feel building resentment, or struggle with workplace frustration. Anger is listed among her areas of focus alongside stress and relationship concerns.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses a person-centered, strengths-based approach and practices active listening. Techniques include Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and DBT skills to build emotion regulation and coping strategies.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years of professional experience working in clinical settings. That work has included supporting people with trauma, addiction, mood disorders, and caregiver stress.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Illinois. Her practice location is listed as Illinois.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English. She also accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Confirm the current session options before booking, as specific formats were not listed in the biography. The site matching flow will clarify available formats.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing is provided during sign-up.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the platform.