Dr. Joanna Kristeva
Compassionate CBT-informed psychotherapist
LCSW, LISW New York
- Experience
- 12 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Trauma and abuse, Grief, Self esteem
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Languages
- English
About Joanna
Dr. Joanna Kristeva blends cognitive behavioral methods with depth-oriented perspectives to help people navigate trauma, grief, self-esteem challenges, depression, and major life transitions.
Background and approach
She brings twelve years of direct clinical experience and frames care around each client's strengths and cultural background, aiming to translate insight into practical coping strategies. Her doctoral study in philosophy informs a reflective, curiosity-driven stance, while clinical training at Columbia University focused on treating psychological trauma and complicated grief.
Licensed to practice in New York and Ohio, Dr. Kristeva combines evidence-informed techniques such as CBT and trauma-focused interventions with psychodynamic and Jungian ideas when helpful.
She emphasizes person-centered work that supports clients in exploring attachment patterns, abandonment concerns, dissociation, and questions of life purpose. Her published articles and books reflect ongoing engagement with clinical scholarship and a commitment to thoughtful, individualized treatment planning.
Integrating evidence-based and depth approaches in online therapy
Dr. Kristeva commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused Therapy in her practice. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors through practical exercises and skill building, which can be useful for depression, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Trauma-Focused Therapy centers on processing traumatic memories and developing stabilizing strategies to reduce trauma-related symptoms and improve daily functioning.She also draws on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy principles when emotion regulation and distress tolerance are priorities, teaching concrete skills for managing intense feelings and interpersonal stress. Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process; the therapist works with each person to match goals, needs, and preferences to methods that feel most helpful rather than imposing a single model.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for scheduling and allow work to continue across life changes and busy routines. These options make it easier to attend regular sessions, practice skills between meetings, and maintain connection with a licensed professional from different locations within the practice area.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Licensed
New York, Ohio
Languages
English