Kristi Whitford, LCSW

Kristi Whitford is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 20 years of experience helping people through crises. She takes a warm, straightforward approach and aims to make difficult conversations easier to begin.

She focuses on stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, self-esteem, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, and parenting. Kristi also works with people facing adoption and foster care issues, cancer, caregiver strain, chronic illness or pain, and related life stressors.

Her style is client-centered. She listens without judgment and tailors sessions to each person’s needs. Kristi uses practical methods that help people notice what matters to them and take steps toward those values.

Across two decades she has supported people in acute mental health situations and with longer-term adjustment challenges. That experience informs how she responds when someone is overwhelmed or feels stuck.

Appointments with Kristi aim to be collaborative. She helps people set short-term goals first, then builds on small gains. The focus is on clear, manageable steps rather than jargon-filled plans.

If you want straightforward support for a specific problem or help navigating a tough life change, she works to make sessions feel possible and focused on what you want to change next.

Approaches that guide online work

Kristi uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify what matters to them and take manageable actions toward those values. ACT can be helpful for anxiety, depression, and feeling stuck when difficult thoughts and emotions get in the way.

She also practices Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening closely and shaping care around each person's needs. This approach is useful when someone needs a calm, steady space to sort through stress, grief, or relationship concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Kristi will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match goals and preferences. That may mean combining ACT strategies with motivational interviewing or solution-focused steps to build momentum.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy week and reducing travel time. Online work can make it easier to schedule regular check-ins and to use brief sessions for specific goals. Confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are available and can choose what fits your routine.