Kristen Udell , LMHC

Kristen Udell is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in Iowa with eight years of clinical experience. She focuses on practical, straightforward conversations that help people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, and low self-esteem. Kristen emphasizes respect and compassion in each interaction to help people take the next step forward.

Her work blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. That mix means sessions can include identifying unhelpful thoughts, shaping small goals, and centering the person's own concerns and priorities. She adapts conversations and plans to match what each person needs right now.

Kristen often helps people cope with life changes, relationship struggles, family issues, and questions around purpose and self-love. She also supports people working through communication problems and forgiveness. Women's issues are a stated area of focus within her practice.

Her style is collaborative - she views therapy as a team effort to find solutions and to heal from past or present trauma. Messages are usually answered within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours over a weekend. Kristen encourages a paced approach so goals feel achievable rather than overwhelming.

Signing up for therapy can feel hard, and she recognizes that first step takes courage. She aims to make sessions clear, practical, and tuned to each person's day-to-day life.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Kristen uses Client-Centered Therapy to keep the conversation focused on each person's values and goals, helping people feel heard and steering sessions by what matters most to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is applied to identify thought patterns and try small behavioral experiments that reduce anxiety and improve mood. Solution-Focused Therapy helps break concerns into manageable steps and sets clear, short-term goals that can lead to measurable progress.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Kristen will discuss options and adjust methods based on a person's needs, goals, and what feels most useful. She treats therapy as a collaborative process where techniques are matched to preferences and real-life demands.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care more flexible. Video is useful for deeper conversation and visual cues, phone sessions are handy when bandwidth is low, and chat or text can fit quick check-ins or moments between other commitments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule while keeping the focus on progress and practical steps.