Dr. Joanna Kristeva, LCSW, LISW

Licensed in New York · 12 years in practice

Dr. Joanna Kristeva uses cognitive and psychodynamic approaches to help people manage emotional pain and life changes.

License and registration

LCSW, New York: 084403 · expires August 2027
LISW, Ohio: I.2102717 · expires March 2027
NPI: 1790033439 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 12
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Joanna

Dr. Joanna Kristeva uses cognitive and psychodynamic approaches to help people manage emotional pain and life changes. She draws on twelve years of clinical experience and a background in philosophy to keep sessions thoughtful and practical.

Her practice is based in New York and she works in English. She often starts by helping people name what feels hardest right now. That may be grief, depression, low self-esteem, or distress after abuse or other trauma.

Background and approach

She listens for patterns tied to attachment, abandonment, dissociation, or chronic loneliness and points out how those patterns affect daily life. Therapy blends tools with conversation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps break unhelpful thoughts and habits.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills for intense feelings. Psychodynamic and Jungian ideas help uncover recurring themes from past relationships and meaning that shape current choices. Dr.

Kristeva trained in complicated grief counseling and trauma-focused methods at Columbia University. She also holds a postgraduate degree from New York University and a doctorate in philosophy. Her written work appears in peer-reviewed journals and books, reflecting ongoing engagement with clinical research.

Sessions may include short skills practice, reflective talk, and planning for real-world changes. She aims to help people build more stable self-esteem, find clearer life purpose, and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. The tone is direct, respectful, and focused on practical steps.

If someone is ready to begin, they complete a brief matching questionnaire and schedule sessions that fit their life.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Joanna lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Approaches Joanna names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Dr. Kristeva commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused Therapy alongside psychodynamic ideas. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and is useful for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Trauma-Focused Therapy targets healing from past trauma by working through trauma memories and building coping skills to reduce their hold on daily life. Psychodynamic and Jungian perspectives look at recurring patterns, inner meaning, and past relationships to uncover why certain feelings and behaviors keep returning.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, try an approach, and adjust based on what feels most helpful. That collaborative process helps match tools and conversation to the client's needs and preferences rather than using a one-size-fits-all plan.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction for deeper emotional work. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or screen time is limited. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief check-ins, practicing skills between sessions, or fitting therapy into a busy day. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while fitting around work, childcare, or travel.

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Questions people ask

What types of concerns does she help with?

She works with trauma and abuse, grief, low self esteem, depression, and coping with life changes, plus related issues like abandonment, attachment problems, dissociation, and loneliness.

What is her therapeutic style like?

She blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and psychodynamic perspectives to balance practical skills with deeper exploration of patterns and meaning.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings twelve years of direct clinical experience working in mental health settings and outpatient care.

What credentials and location are associated with her practice?

She holds LCSW and LISW credentials and practices from New York, with training history that includes Columbia University and New York University.

Can sessions be held in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different schedules and preferences.

How are costs handled for therapy?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start a therapy relationship with her?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

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