Kristen Gaughan , LPC

Kristen Gaughan is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania with over 20 years of clinical experience in the behavioral health field. She has worked across a variety of treatment settings and with a broad spectrum of clients, developing deep experience addressing mental health concerns as well as substance use and process addictions such as gambling, disordered eating, sexual behaviors, and compulsive spending. Kristen brings a long-standing commitment to the work of counseling, a commitment that began in adolescence when she decided at age 13 to pursue this vocation.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from York College of Pennsylvania with a double major in Psychology and Sociology and double minors in Criminal Justice Corrections and German, and she earned a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. As an LPC - a Licensed Professional Counselor - Kristen focuses on helping clients pursue greater peace, joy, and contentment by addressing issues like stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting challenges, and career and life transitions. She describes counseling as a true vocation and is devoted to supporting each client in reaching their healthiest life. Please note that due to the nature of the Betterhelp.com platform, she is unable to write letters on a client’s behalf.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Kristen Gaughan draws on client-centered therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the client’s perspective guides the goals and pace of work. This approach is helpful for people seeking greater self-understanding, coping skills, and emotional validation.

She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) to explore patterns in close relationships and to help partners or individuals understand and shift emotional responses that drive conflict or distance. EFT is especially useful for relationship repair, attachment concerns, and improving emotional connection.

Motivational Interviewing is another tool Kristen employs when change feels difficult or motivation is unclear. This collaborative, goal-oriented method helps clients resolve ambivalence and strengthen their own reasons for change, often in areas like addiction recovery, health behavior, and life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Kristen works collaboratively with each client to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and personal preferences, and she adjusts techniques over time as progress and circumstances evolve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - making it easier to fit regular care into busy schedules, to access therapists from different locations, and to maintain continuity of support during life changes. Licensed professionals can deliver effective care through these modalities while tailoring the format to what works best for each client.