Krista McQuillian, LMSW-C

Krista McQuillian, LMSW-C, provides individual and family therapy for children and teens experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional-regulation difficulties, and other challenges. She has a particular passion for working with adolescents and helping teens develop practical skills to understand their emotions, navigate relationships, and cope with difficult experiences.

Krista takes a warm, engaging, and skills-focused approach to therapy. Depending on a young person’s age and needs, sessions may incorporate conversation, activities, play-based approaches, and evidence-based treatment strategies. She also involves parents and caregivers when appropriate so families can better understand and support the skills their child is developing in therapy.

About Krista McQuillian, LMSW-C

Krista understands the importance of addressing underlying emotional experiences while also helping children and teens develop practical skills they can use in everyday life. She tailors treatment to each young person’s individual needs, strengths, experiences, and treatment goals.

Krista strives to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where young people can discuss difficult or vulnerable topics. Her approach emphasizes building a strong therapeutic relationship while helping children and adolescents recognize their strengths and develop greater confidence in managing challenges.

DBT for Teens

Krista is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and serves as a leader of Kalamazoo Child & Family Counseling’s DBT program.

DBT teaches practical skills that can be especially helpful for adolescents who experience intense emotions, difficulty coping with distress, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, relationship difficulties, or impulsive behaviors.

DBT skills generally focus on four primary areas:

• Mindfulness — increasing awareness of thoughts, emotions, and experiences in the present moment
• Emotion regulation — understanding emotions and developing healthier ways to respond to them
• Distress tolerance — developing strategies for getting through difficult situations and intense emotions
• Interpersonal effectiveness — improving communication, relationships, boundaries, and problem-solving

Families interested in this approach can learn more about DBT for teens in Kalamazoo.

Trauma-Focused Therapy and TF-CBT

Trauma is another important focus of Krista’s clinical work. She is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.

TF-CBT can help young people understand trauma reactions, develop coping and emotional-regulation skills, process difficult experiences, and strengthen communication and support between children and caregivers.

Families can also learn more about therapy for childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress at Kalamazoo Child & Family Counseling.

Therapy for Adolescents

Krista particularly enjoys working with teenagers and understands that adolescence can bring significant emotional, social, family, and developmental changes. Therapy can provide teens with a supportive place to better understand themselves while developing skills for managing emotions, relationships, stress, and difficult situations.

Krista’s clinical interests and areas of experience include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma and post-traumatic stress
• Emotional dysregulation
• Anger and difficulty managing strong emotions
• Self-harm
• Suicidal ideation
• Self-esteem concerns
• Peer and relationship difficulties
• Bullying
• Family concerns

Family Involvement in Treatment

Krista recognizes that parents and caregivers can play an important role in a child or teen’s treatment. When appropriate, she involves caregivers to help them better understand their child’s needs, reinforce skills outside of therapy, improve communication, and support progress at home.

When a Teen Needs More Support

Some adolescents need more support than traditional weekly outpatient therapy can provide. Kalamazoo Child & Family Counseling also offers an Adolescent DBT Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for teens who may benefit from a more intensive and structured level of mental health treatment.

Looking for a Therapist for Your Teen?

If you are interested in working with Krista or another member of our child and adolescent therapy team, you can request a therapy intake online. Our team can help determine which available provider or level of care may be a good fit for your child or teen.

You may also call 269-615-7637 and select Extension 1 for assistance.