Therapist profile
Kristen Buongiorno, LCSW
New Jersey
LCSW - Anger and Trauma-focused care
Continue with KristenKey details
- CredentialsLCSW
- LicenseLCSW, New Jersey / 44SC05608900
- NPI1770981623
- Experience14 years
- LanguagesEnglish
- LocationNew Jersey
About
- CBT approaches
- Mindfulness practice
- Emotion regulation
About Kristen
Kristen Buongiorno is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in New Jersey with 14 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addiction, relationship and intimacy concerns, and related challenges such as grief and life changes. Kristen also supports people dealing with ADHD, career strain, caregiver stress, and issues connected to military service.
Her style is straightforward and collaborative. She focuses on how thoughts and behaviors interact and uses practical tools to change unhelpful patterns. Sessions include direct conversation about difficult topics and developing concrete plans when safety or crisis is a concern.
Kristen draws from cognitive behavioral work to identify thinking patterns that contribute to anger and stress. She also uses dialectical behavior strategies to teach emotion regulation and mindfulness practices to improve grounding. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused ideas help people set goals and take manageable steps toward those goals.
She has experience supporting people through trauma, sexual assault, cancer-related stress, and military-related concerns including combat and military sexual trauma. Kristen helps people talk through relationship problems, body image and sexual expression topics like kink, and life transitions such as adoption and caregiving responsibilities.
Practical skills and short-term strategies are part of the work, alongside longer-term planning when needed. Kristen asks clients to bring their goals, and then they work together to set priorities and track progress. To start, readers should follow the site process to complete a brief questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Kristen uses cognitive behavioral ideas and dialectical behavior strategies that translate well to remote conversations. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; it is useful for anger, anxiety, and depression. DBT includes emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills that help when strong feelings or impulses arise, and those skills can be practiced and reviewed in sessions.Mindfulness techniques are also part of her work and involve brief exercises to increase present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity. These practices can be taught in session and then used between meetings to manage stress and ground attention.
Finding the right mix of approaches is collaborative. Kristen will work with each person to clarify goals, try different strategies, and adjust plans based on what fits the client's needs and preferences. That process helps identify whether more skill-building, thought work, or motivational focus is needed.
Session logistics should be confirmed before booking since formats are not specified here. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people use audio-only meetings if bandwidth or camera use is a concern. Confirm the current session options during the matching step so you know how your meetings will be held.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she address related to anger?
She works with anger alongside stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, relationship problems, and career or caregiving strain.
What is her therapy style like?
She is direct and collaborative, using practical conversation and concrete plans to change thinking and behavior patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Kristen has 14 years of clinical experience working with diverse adult concerns including trauma and veteran issues.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in New Jersey and practicing in that state.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English, and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is unsafe, use the crisis numbers.