- CBT strategies
- Mindfulness practice
- Collaborative goals
About Kristen
Kristen Buongiorno is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New Jersey with 14 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, and issues around self-esteem. Kristen also helps people struggling with addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, grief, career stress, and life transitions.
She uses straightforward conversation and practical skills in sessions. Kristen emphasizes the link between thoughts and behavior and brings Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into work on coping and mood. She also integrates mindfulness practices to help people ground themselves and notice patterns that drive frustration or impulsive reactions.
Kristen approaches therapy as a collaborative process. Clients and clinician set goals together and track progress in concrete ways. She is direct when needed and does not avoid difficult topics, while also helping people build safety plans when that is appropriate.
Her background includes work with people affected by illness and cancer, survivors of sexual assault, and Veterans concerns. That experience informs how she talks about stress, trauma, and anger without minimizing the difficulty of those issues.
Sessions focus on practical tools - thought monitoring, behavior experiments, mindfulness exercises, and problem-solving steps. Kristen helps people turn moments of intense irritation into opportunities to practice new responses and reduce repeated patterns that cause regret.
How CBT and Mindfulness translate to online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and working from the client's concerns. It means the therapist follows what matters to the person and helps set practical goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts influence feelings and actions and uses exercises to test new ways of reacting. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) mixes skills for managing strong emotions with steps to change behavior and can help when anger escalates quickly.Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Kristen will discuss which methods fit a client's situation and try out techniques together. The aim is to pick strategies that match goals, preferences, and the kinds of problems a person brings to sessions.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm the current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people use mindfulness or breathing exercises in real time. Therapists generally adapt CBT worksheets and DBT skill practice to work over distance, which helps people practice new responses to anger between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to anger?
She works with anger alongside stress, anxiety, trauma and relationship issues. The focus is on patterns that lead to losing temper and building resentment.
What is her style in sessions?
Kristen is direct and practical and uses conversation plus skill practice. Sessions combine thought work, behavior exercises, and mindfulness.
How long has she been practicing clinically?
She has 14 years of clinical experience working in diverse settings. That includes work with people affected by illness, survivors of assault, and Veterans concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in New Jersey. Her practice and professional credential are based in New Jersey.
Which languages can sessions be held in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.