- Focus on relationships
- Skill-based tools
- Collaborative planning
About Kristina
Kristina MacDonald is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York who helps people feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally worn out. She focuses on everyday problems like stress, relationship strain, low self-esteem, and life changes so people can get back to functioning better and feeling more like themselves.
Her style is straightforward and practical. Sessions focus on learning skills to manage anxiety and mood, improving communication, and making concrete changes that fit daily life. She uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to help break unhelpful thinking patterns. Motivational interviewing and acceptance-based work are also part of her toolkit when people are stuck or unsure what to change.
Kristina brings eight years of experience working with adults, teens, and couples. She has worked with a wide range of concerns including depression, ADHD, trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, and codependency. She also addresses related issues like attachment and family of origin problems, blended family stress, and caregiver strain.
In sessions she aims for an open, respectful conversation. People can expect a collaborative plan that matches their goals, whether that means short-term problem solving or longer-term work on relationships and identity. She provides culturally responsive care and attends to differences in background and values when they affect relationships.
Practical next steps include a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling according to availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
Approaches that guide online work
Kristina often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to help people change patterns that cause pain. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and relationship conflict. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy uses values and mindful acceptance to help people move toward a meaningful life even when strong feelings remain.She treats the choice of approach as a collaborative process. Together the therapist and client review goals, try a few techniques, and adjust based on what feels useful. That shared decision making helps match methods to the person's needs and preferences rather than imposing a single model.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online care can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules require it. It can also let the therapist observe how patterns show up in everyday routines and work on communication skills that transfer to real life. Licensed professionals aim to help clients use these practical advantages to make steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can be addressed in sessions?
Kristina works with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, self-esteem, career concerns, depression, addictions, grief, trauma and more. She also addresses codependency, attachment, blended family issues, and caregiver stress.
What is her therapeutic approach and style?
Her style is practical and collaborative, mixing cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and acceptance-based tools. Sessions aim to teach concrete skills and build a plan that fits daily life.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has eight years of experience working with adults, teens, and couples across a range of mood, relationship, and life-transition concerns.
Where is she licensed and located?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) licensed in New York and is based in New York for her practice.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are arranged through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to start working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.