Kristina Ellen, LCMHC

Kristina Ellen holds the credential LCMHC, which stands for Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and she commonly goes by Nicole while using Kristina as the name on her license and professional listings. She is a holistic counselor who attends to both body and mind to help clients restore balance and overall well-being. Kristina has worked in the counseling field for 19 years and has held a professional license for the past nine years, bringing experience from Telehealth, inpatient treatment centers, Assertive Community Treatment teams, Community Health settings, Primary Care medical offices, and her current private practice.

That variety of roles contributed to a whole-person approach in which each practice setting added perspective and skills now applied to her clinical work. Over the years Kristina has been recognized regionally, including nominations for North Carolina Counselor of the Year in 2016 and 2017, and selection as one of Brunswick County’s Top 10 Young Professionals in 2016. She adapts therapeutic methods to each person’s needs and strives to maintain a comfortable, relaxed environment for sessions.

Kristina does not impose fixed time limits on therapy, viewing the process as an individualized journey rather than a set timeframe. She aims to collaborate with clients to meet their goals while honoring the pace and scope each person requires.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support and Growth

Kristina frequently draws on Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) when working with clients online. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and supporting the person’s own goals - it helps with self-esteem, relationship concerns, and building insight. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress and to improve coping skills.

She also integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques when needed, offering practical skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness - useful for intense emotions, relationship challenges, and patterns that interfere with daily functioning. Kristina approaches selection of methods collaboratively, working with each person to discover which combination of strategies best fits their needs, goals, and preferences rather than imposing a single model.

Online therapy with licensed professionals and therapists like Kristina makes it easier to access care through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or ongoing text-based messaging. Those options provide flexibility to schedule sessions around work, family, and daily life, support continuity of care when travel or mobility are factors, and allow people to engage in therapy in ways that suit their comfort and routine.