Steven Kirkilas

Empathetic trauma-informed clinical social worker

LCSW, CSW Wisconsin

Experience: 7 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Steven

Steven Kirkilas is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people navigate stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, relationship concerns, grief, and a broad range of emotional and life challenges.

Background and approach

He brings seven years of clinical experience and an emphasis on trauma-informed care to his work, aiming to meet clients where they are and provide a respectful, nonjudgmental space for exploration and growth.

He draws on multiple therapeutic models to tailor care, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), client-centered approaches that prioritize the person’s perspective, existential thinking about meaning and values, EMDR for trauma processing, and Jungian ideas for exploring personal symbolism. Mindfulness practices and somatic-awareness techniques are also part of his toolbox for managing anxiety, depression, PTSD-related symptoms, and stress responses.

Steven holds LCSW and CSW credentials and practices from Wisconsin, offering services in English. Prospective clients can expect collaborative work focused on goals such as improving coping skills, addressing attachment or intimacy-related issues, and resolving patterns tied to abandonment, control, or communication problems.

He welcomes people seeking respectful, trauma-informed support and invites them to reach out to begin scheduling.

Online approaches that support trauma, mood, and coping

Steven commonly incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR alongside client-centered techniques to address symptoms and life challenges in online work. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety and improve mood, making it useful for stress, depression, and many everyday concerns. EMDR is a trauma-focused approach that uses structured processing to help people reprocess distressing memories and reduce their emotional intensity, which can aid recovery from trauma-related symptoms. Client-centered methods emphasize empathy, listening, and collaboration so clients feel heard and respected while exploring goals and values.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to consider symptoms, goals, and preferences, and then adapt techniques over time so sessions fit the individual's needs and pace.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and accessibility. These formats allow people to engage in therapy from home or work, schedule sessions around busy lives, and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable for them, while still receiving evidence-informed methods like CBT and EMDR from a licensed professional.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

He works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addictions, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating and sleeping problems, self esteem, career difficulties, and more.

What therapeutic approaches are used in sessions?

Care blends several approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s perspective, existential exploration, EMDR for trauma processing, and Jungian-informed reflection depending on client needs.

What is the therapist's professional background?

The therapist has seven years of clinical experience and emphasizes trauma-informed work, mindfulness practices, and somatic awareness as part of therapeutic support.

Where is the therapist located and what credentials are held?

He practices from Wisconsin and holds the credentials LCSW and CSW with licensing details CO LCSW CSW.09928697 and NH LCSW 2926 provided.

In which language are sessions conducted and are international clients accepted?

Sessions are conducted in English and international clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available for working together?

Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different preferences and needs.

How is cost and payment described?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and services use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How does someone begin therapy with this clinician?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuseAnger managementDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationDomestic violenceEmptinessFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMen's issuesVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injury

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

7+ years

Licensed

Alaska, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Washington

Languages

English