About Me
My name is Krista Cardenas, and I am a Latinx therapist based in Richmond, Virginia, offering both in-person and virtual sessions. My experience working in the juvenile justice system has prepared me for working with challenging adolescents and their families. Additionally my work with veterans has exposed me to work with with a variety of mental health challenges including trauma and substance abuse. I am skilled in working with men and women who are exploring traumatic experiences, interpersonal relationship struggles as well as work stressors. These experiences have shaped my compassionate, trauma-informed approach and my understanding that every person's story is unique.
What is your approach to therapy?I believe that everyone deserves a space where they feel heard, understood, and accepted without judgment. Adolescence can be a particularly challenging time, filled with changes in identity, relationships, emotions, and expectations. I enjoy working with teens as they navigate these experiences, develop a stronger understanding of themselves, build healthy coping skills, and find their voice. My goal is to create a space where adolescents feel comfortable being themselves, expressing difficult emotions, and working through challenges at their own pace. My experience with veterans has allowed be to practice my skills with getting men to open up about their most vulnerable parts and learn the skill of self-reflection to motivate change. My approach is trauma-informed and collaborative, drawing from general psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
What can clients expect from their first session with you?Our first session will be getting to know one another and making sure we are a good fit. You will tell me your needs and we can explore together how to make them happen.