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Kirsten Probst-Santha

Therapist profile

Kirsten Probst-Santha, LCSW

North Carolina

Licensed clinical social worker - Parenting and family concerns

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About

  • Parenting challenges
  • Emotional regulation
  • CBT and DBT skills

About Kirsten

Kirsten Probst-Santha is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, practicing in North Carolina with four years of experience. She helps people facing parenting strains, stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, grief, trauma and abuse, and mood-related issues such as depression and bipolar disorder. She also addresses issues like ADHD, compassion fatigue, and career-related stress.

Kirsten uses straightforward conversation and practical skills in sessions. She focuses on helping people build emotional regulation and coping strategies that fit their daily life. Sessions aim to strengthen communication and reduce conflict around family and parenting challenges.

Her background includes work in school, residential, and community-based settings where she supported people through crises and life transitions. That hands-on experience informs how she supports clients who are managing change or instability.

She draws from a mix of approaches to meet different needs. That includes client-centered work that follows the person’s priorities, cognitive behavioral techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and patterns, and skills-based methods for emotion regulation.

Kirsten aims for clear, practical steps rather than abstract theory. She encourages small changes that can make day-to-day life more manageable for parents and adults dealing with family stress. For people who have gone through adoption or foster care, immigration-related challenges, or blended family issues, she brings those topics into the conversation when relevant.

How sessions work

How Kirsten’s approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on following the client’s priorities. The therapist listens closely and helps shape sessions around what the person says matters most. This approach works well for parenting and family topics where practical goals differ from one household to another.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses simple exercises to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with behaviors that reduce anxiety or low mood. CBT is useful for stress, anxiety, and mood concerns where concrete skill practice helps.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, brings in skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication. Those skills can be practiced between sessions and used to manage strong reactions during family interactions.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals. That discussion may change as progress is made and new challenges appear.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Therapists can use structured skill practice and homework the same way they would in person, helping people apply new tools at home.

Areas of focus

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Adoption and foster careAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsControl issuesDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Solution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

4+ years

Listed in

Illinois, North Carolina

Languages

English

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of family or parenting concerns does she address?

She works with adults on parenting challenges, blended family issues, adoption and foster care matters, and communication problems within families.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

She uses a collaborative, client-centered approach with practical skill building. Sessions often include emotion regulation and problem-solving techniques.

How much experience does she have?

She has four years of clinical experience working in school, residential, and community-based settings supporting people through crises and transitions.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is an LCSW licensed in North Carolina and Illinois, and practices from North Carolina.

Does she work with people who live outside the United States?

International clients are accepted. Sessions are offered in English.

Which session formats does she offer?

Session formats are not specified in the biography. Please confirm current session options before booking.

How does pricing work for sessions?

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

What should I do to get started?

Select 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 in danger, use the crisis numbers.

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Kirsten Probst-Santha

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