BACKGROUND & TRAINING
​​Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Brooklyn College. 11+ years of clinical experience with over 8,000 therapy sessions conducted. Completion of many extensive specialized trainings in working with couples (IMAGO, EFT, etc.), trauma (Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Embodiment & Regulation Strategies, etc.) and more. I very much enjoy contributing to the professional development of others and have done so through creating and facilitating trainings and workshops on various topics (LGBTQ+ Competency, Effective Communication, etc.) and through providing direct supervision and guidance to other therapists. I taught college psychology courses at Brooklyn College for several years (Abnormal Psychology, Fundamentals of Psychotherapy, etc.) and have served on several mental health-focused discussion panels.
RELATED HOBBIES & INTERESTS
Creative writing, music, comedy, fitness, hanging out with my dogs :)
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I passionately believe that the individualistic nature and impossibly high demands of our modern society and culture play a huge role in impacting the mental health of many. Slower living is something I am always striving for. And the better I get at practicing my own work-life balance, the more I plan to pursue advocacy work toward larger scale changes.
Kris LaRocca
MA, LMHC
(she/they)
director, supervisor, therapist
SPECIALIZATIONS
​​​​Adults (18+). I provide individual and relationship counseling; not just for couples but also triads, polycules, families, coworkers, friends, etc. I specialize in working with queer folks, artists, and creatives, but also love working with those who are not so similar to me. I have become quite passionate about working with couples and have developed very effective skills in this area. I have extensive training and experience working with individuals of many various sexualities, genders, and gender expressions and with clients who practice nontraditional relationship styles (such as polyamory and consensual non-monogamy (CNM)).
THERAPEUTIC STYLE
I am committed to an anti-oppressive, diversity-embracing stance. I don't position myself as an authority figure dictating treatment. My role is to be a supportive companion traveling alongside clients on their personal growth journeys. I like to take a collaborative, holistic approach tailored to each client's unique and evolving needs. Understanding the mind-body connection, I use mindfulness and body-based strategies to help clients build greater awareness and regulation skills. I like to keep things down-to-earth and may incorporate some humor when appropriate.
COMMON ISSUES I HELP WITH
I find that anxiety, depression, grief, OCD, eating disorders, substance issues, and many other common clinical issues often tend to share similar roots. Sometimes there is trauma that needs to be realized and processed through, or feelings, desires, and needs that need to be felt, identified, and/or confronted. Sometimes there are boundaries that need to be set or values that need to be better aligned with. This often requires self-examination and also examination of one's relationships.
PHILOSOPHY
I believe that we need to deconstruct in order to reconstruct. To improve self and systems, we must examine through a critical lens what we've been taught about ourselves throughout our lives in order to process, heal, and become more authentic and liberated. Deep self-reflection allows true growth.
I believe that the quality of our relationships profoundly impacts the quality of our lives. My clinical approach emphasizes improving how we relate - both within ourselves and with others. I specialize in building effective communication skills and self-attunement to foster authentic, fulfilling bonds.