Cristina Crego
Online Therapy
Clinical Psychologist
Virginia
License 0810008132
www.innerstrengthpsychotherapy.netAbout Cristina
Is managing stress, anxiety, or trauma overwhelming and impacting your quality of life? Do you feel physically and emotionally drained and unable to manage daily tasks? You deserve to feel happy, capable, and whole again! I can help you identify your inner strengths to overcome any emotional and mental health challenges you are experiencing. I have over 12 years of experience providing services to clients with various mental health challenges.
I have found that my style and approach are a good fit for a range of individuals. This includes those in late adolescence and adulthood who may be dealing with anxiety, mood, and trauma-related disorders/symptoms as well as individuals facing life stressors and transitions. I work to help my clients navigate these difficulties, identify unique needs, and build skills to unlock their inner and inherent capacity for healing and growth.
My approach to therapy varies based on the individual needs of each client I work with. I believe in utilizing a client-centered approach and research-backed treatments that are most effective for your struggles. This approach helps me and the client build a shared understanding of their reality and allows us to work together to chart a path forward.
$200 per session
Sliding Scale
Out of Pocket
Aetna
Optum
Oscar
UnitedHealthcare (UHC / UBH)
How do you work with clients with anxiety?
I have over a decade of experience working with individuals struggling with anxiety symptoms/disorders in both in and outpatient settings. I have direct experience and training with clients who have generalized anxiety, social anxiety, phobias, panic, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. I use a research-backed manualized approach when it works best for the client and provide a safe space to work through your reservations, stress, fears, and worries.
Why did you become a therapist, and what motivates you to continue?
My journey to where I am now has been an unexpected but pleasant surprise! I originally had my mind set on a long-term career as a professor at a university conducting research on diagnosis and assessment and seeing clients part-time. During my time as a faculty member, I found myself drawn to the helping side of being a teacher and advisor rather than the administrative and research side of my responsibilities. The universities strong focus on administrative duties and publishing research articles became mundane and unfulfilling. I quickly learned that it was not working in an academic setting that I loved, but it was what all my positions had in common: working directly with clients and individuals to foster hope, see positive growth and change, and feel happy, capable, and whole again. That’s when I discovered that being a full-time therapist was my true passion.
For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?
For many people, managing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and times of transition can be overwhelming and impact your quality of life. You might feel physically and emotionally drained and unable to manage daily tasks. I know it can be scary to ask for help but please know that prioritizing your mental health is as important as prioritizing your physical health. You go to the doctor when you are sick or not feeling well. Your mental health should be treated the same. However, you deserve to feel happy, capable, and whole again!
What should people thinking about working with you, know about you?
I believe that all people are unique and deserve an individualized approach to help you heal, thrive, and achieve your mental health goals. Together, we will identify the best way to unlock your inner strengths and inherent capacity for healing and growth. I place a strong emphasis on collaboration and treatments that have substantial research support because these are the most effective methods to helping you. Clients describe me as genuine, warm, safe, relatable, stable, non-judgmental, compassionate, and easy to open up to. Together, we will improve your ability to cope with stressors in ways that will enhance your daily life and increase self-awareness by identifying and understanding how past experiences have shaped who you are and how you interact with others.
What does a typical session with you tend to look like?
My clients describe me as genuine, warm, safe, relatable, stable, non-judgmental, compassionate, and easy to open up to. In session, we will with together to identify your unique needs, develop a treatment plan to get you feeling better, and support you to help you work through current concerns and symptoms.
How can you provide care remotely?
I provide all care via video telehealth using a HIPAA-compliant Zoom platform.
Interested in talking?
(434) 278-0526