Kristen Udell, LMHC

Kristen Udell is a licensed mental health counselor with eight years of experience based in Iowa. She uses clear, practical strategies to help people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, and life changes. Kristen writes and responds to messages promptly and aims to make the first steps into therapy straightforward and manageable.

Kristen draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to keep sessions focused on each person's values and goals, and Solution-Focused Therapy to map small, achievable steps forward. Sessions are collaborative and paced to the person’s needs.

In meetings she listens with respect and sensitivity. Conversations are tailored to the issue at hand, whether that is dealing with past trauma, building confidence, or managing daily anxiety. She treats people as partners in deciding what comes next.

Kristen emphasizes practical skills you can use between sessions. That might include strategies for calming intense feelings, exercises to challenge negative thinking, or short goal-setting tasks to track progress. The aim is steady, manageable change rather than quick fixes.

Her approach is straightforward and adaptable. She will work with each person to build a plan that fits their life and priorities. Messages are usually answered within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours over weekends.

How CBT and Client-Centered Work Online

Kristen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people recognize and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors; that often looks like identifying specific thoughts, testing them, and trying out alternative actions to see what helps. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person's experience, giving space for someone to set the pace and goals of therapy. Solution-Focused Therapy adds brief, goal-oriented check-ins that build small steps toward what a person wants to see happen.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. Kristen will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and adapt methods over time. The process is collaborative - you and the therapist choose what to try, review what helps, and adjust plans as needed.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make fitting therapy into a busy life easier. Video lets you use visual cues and longer conversations. Phone sessions can work well when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging suit quick reflections, brief updates, or times when writing out thoughts feels most comfortable. These options let people keep therapy flexible and accessible around work, family, and daily routines.