About Joanna
Dr. Joanna Kristeva blends cognitive-behavioral and trauma-focused methods to help people manage overwhelming emotions and painful memories. She is based in New York and brings 12 years of direct clinical experience to her work as a licensed clinician.
Dr. Kristeva holds a doctorate in philosophy and postgraduate training from New York University. She also completed clinical training at Columbia University in trauma and complicated grief care.
In sessions she uses straightforward, evidence-informed techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and build practical coping skills.
How Joanna works
She also draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy to address the impact of abuse or traumatic loss. Jungian and psychodynamic ideas may be used to look at deeper patterns that affect relationships and self-image. Her focus includes trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression, and adapting to big life changes.
She also attends to issues such as abandonment, attachment problems, dissociation, forgiveness, loneliness, life purpose, personality concerns, and building self-love. Dr. Kristeva writes professionally and has authored peer-reviewed articles and books, which informs her clinical perspective.
She practices as an LCSW and LISW in New York and Ohio, combining practical skill-building with reflection on personal history. People who come for help can expect clear, goal-oriented work alongside exploration of underlying patterns. Sessions are aimed at reducing distress, improving daily functioning, and helping people reconnect with a sense of direction and worth.
Joanna lists 5 ways of working on the entry:
What Joanna works with
The areas below are the ones Joanna selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
Training and background
| Registers | LCSW, LISW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 12 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | New York |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Dr. Kristeva commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that keep problems going. CBT is practical and goal-focused, which can be useful for depression, low self-esteem, and managing reactions after trauma.She also uses Trauma-Focused Therapy to address the effects of abuse and complicated grief. That work concentrates on processing difficult memories and strengthening coping skills so daily life becomes more manageable.
Finding the best approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively to match methods to a person's goals, needs, and preferences. That may mean starting with skill-building and later exploring deeper patterns, or combining techniques as progress is made.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let people read facial cues and engage more fully, while phone calls can be simpler when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging work well for brief check-ins, mood tracking, or when a written exchange feels easier. These options make it possible to fit therapy into busy schedules and to try different formats to see what helps most.
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Common questions
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How long has she been practicing clinically?
What credentials and location does she have?
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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