Kristen Whalen, MA (She/Her)
Kristen has her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree from William James College and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Florida Gulf Coast University. She has experience helping individuals with anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders/disordered eating, mood disorders, and trauma. Utilizing expressive therapies, mindfulness, and a trauma-informed approach, she guides people toward their inner knowing and fullest potential.
Kristen’s decade-long practices of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga have inspired her to incorporate these elements into her career. Committing to a yoga practice in high school laid a foundation for seeking similar practices in her undergraduate studies where curiosity landed her in a course called ‘Contemplative Living’. This course taught her how to utilize more meditation and mindfulness in daily life. Her spiritual exploration flourished as she began practicing these techniques which further revealed the deep connection shared among all living things. Drawn to the magic of the universe, she values an existential approach and contemplating the meaning of life.
Through her work, Kristen has discovered the power of sound, breath, and movement as tools to navigate emotional turbulence. She helps clients to understand that emotions live in the body, not in the mind. Emotions are meant to be felt in the body, not contemplated in the mind. With that, we need to create space for emotions to be felt so that they can be expressed and released instead of getting stuck in the body and causing disease. In addition to mindfulness and existentialism, Kristen also incorporates a client-centered and mind/body/soul approach. Finding joy in working with people of all ages and backgrounds, she believes that each individual person is the expert of their own life and strives to help her clients feel the same way. We know the answers to our own problems deep within ourselves, sometimes it just takes a little guidance to get there. Compassionately driven, she aims to guide individuals toward cultivating a strong sense of self-compassion, exceeding limits, and fostering a deeper connection to life.