Kristen Shepherd, LMSW

Kristen Shepherd is a licensed master social worker who brings 15 years of experience to her practice. She trained at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and spent a decade working in high-needs school settings before moving into individual and couples work. Kristen emphasizes practical change and steady support in sessions.

Kristen tailors counseling to each person she sees. She treats stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and addictions alongside relationship and intimacy concerns. She also helps with grief, eating and sleeping issues, parenting strain, and challenges tied to aging, caregiving, chronic illness, and body image.

Her approach centers on building a trusting therapeutic relationship first. Kristen uses attachment-focused ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns. She also draws on client-centered methods to follow what matters most to each person, and cognitive behavioral tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Kristen offers focused work around trauma and abandonment wounds. She helps people identify traumatic psychological patterns and then practice new ways of coping and relating. For people in committed partnerships, she guides conversations that aim to improve communication, closeness, and day-to-day enjoyment of the relationship.

Sessions are collaborative and goal oriented. Kristen checks in about what’s working and adapts techniques as clients change. She welcomes people at different life stages and different backgrounds, and supports those navigating midlife transitions and the questions they bring.

How Kristen’s approaches translate to online therapy

Kristen frequently uses attachment-based ideas that examine how early bonds affect current relationships. This approach helps people understand patterns in communication and closeness and can be useful for intimacy issues, abandonment concerns, and repairing relationship wounds.

She also practices client-centered therapy, which focuses on listening closely and following what matters most to the person in front of her. That method supports people who need a space to sort priorities, process grief, or make life changes without feeling pushed into a specific agenda.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. Kristen will collaborate with clients to choose methods that fit their goals and preferences, and she adjusts strategies over time as needs change.

For practical matters, please confirm the current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It can also let people use audio-only sessions when bandwidth or camera use is challenging. These conveniences aim to help therapy integrate into everyday life without reshaping the therapeutic work itself.