Business Details
Your Trusted Mental Health Therapist in Surprise, AZ
Counseling by Kristen is a private practice dedicated to providing individualized mental health therapy for clients navigating trauma, mood disorders, addiction, relational challenges, and LGBTQIA+ issues. Founded on principles of client-centered care, our approach integrates evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems to address underlying emotional wounds.With over a decade of experience at The Meadows, a renowned treatment facility, we combine clinical expertise with compassionate support to foster healing and personal growth. Our practice in Surprise, Arizona, offers evening and weekend appointments to accommodate diverse schedules, ensuring accessible care for those seeking transformative therapeutic experiences.
Services
Individual Therapy
Trauma Counseling
LGBTQIA+ Support
EMDR Therapy
Somatic Experiencing
Highlights and features
- 10 years of clinical experience at The Meadows treatment facility
- Specialized training in trauma resolution models like EMDR and ART
- Client-centered approach with flexible evening/weekend availability
- Focus on LGBTQIA+ affirming and trauma-informed care
- Integration of somatic and cognitive therapeutic techniques
Services
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing addresses trauma through body-oriented techniques, helping clients regulate nervous system responses. This modality enhances emotional tolerance while processing unresolved fight/flight reactions, restoring social engagement and physiological balance for improved daily functioning.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to reprocess traumatic memories, reducing emotional distress. By forming adaptive associations, this evidence-based approach promotes cognitive insights and eliminates negative memory triggers through structured eight-phase treatment protocols.
Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems therapy identifies conflicting internal 'parts' to achieve mental harmony. This trauma-focused method heals wounded sub-personalities and strengthens core self-leadership, resolving interpersonal conflicts and improving emotional regulation through compassionate integration.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
ART combines eye movements with voluntary memory replacement to reprocess traumatic imagery. This intensive therapy rapidly reduces physiological responses to distressing memories, typically achieving symptom relief in 1-5 sessions through structured bilateral stimulation protocols.
Safe and Sound Protocol
SSP uses filtered music to improve auditory processing and nervous system regulation. This auditory intervention enhances social engagement by dampening threat responses, increasing emotional resilience through vagus nerve activation and neural platform stabilization for trauma processing.
People
Kristen Burnsmith
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed in Arizona with 10 years at The Meadows treatment center. Specializes in trauma, LGBTQIA+ issues, and addiction recovery using EMDR, ART, and Somatic Experiencing modalities. Masters from Ottawa University (2014).
Questions
What therapeutic approaches do you specialize in?
I specialize in EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, and the Safe and Sound Protocol for trauma and emotional regulation.
Do you offer weekend appointments?
Yes, I provide weekend therapy sessions in addition to Monday evening availability to accommodate working professionals and caregivers.
What mental health issues do you treat?
I treat trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, relational issues, and LGBTQIA+ specific mental health concerns using evidence-based therapeutic techniques.
How long are therapy sessions?
Standard sessions last 50 minutes, with extended sessions available for intensive trauma processing when clinically indicated.
Do you accept insurance?
I operate as an out-of-network provider. Clients receive super bills for potential insurance reimbursement and flexible payment options for self-pay clients.
What is your cancellation policy?
I require 24-hour notice for appointment changes or cancellations to avoid full session fees, respecting other clients' scheduling needs.
