Kimberley VanHaitsma, LMSW

Kimberley VanHaitsma is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) based in Michigan who focuses on practical, person-centered support. She draws on ten years of clinical experience to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and the impacts of caregiving. Kim uses straightforward language and calm direction to guide people through difficult moments.

Her background includes work in geriatrics and crisis counseling, and she has supervised limited license social workers toward full licensure. That history means she is familiar with high-stakes assessments, safety planning, and quick problem-solving when a situation demands it. She also has experience supporting people facing chronic illness and the strain that can bring.

In sessions she leans on client-centered practice and tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. She also uses mindfulness and motivational interviewing to help people reconnect with daily routines, reduce overwhelm, and set achievable goals. Expect practical skills, short-term plans, and a focus on small changes that add up.

Kim pays attention to caregiver stress, compassion fatigue, and the emotional weight of supporting someone with long-term health needs. She works with people dealing with grief, relationship and family concerns, career stress, ADHD, isolation, and self-esteem challenges. Her approach blends compassion with clear steps to ease day-to-day burdens.

People who prefer direct conversation will find her comfortable with phone and video contact, informed by her years as a crisis counselor. For those who want to begin, she asks clients to use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire to schedule sessions.

How Kim’s approaches translate to online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person in front of the therapist. It emphasizes listening, validation, and helping people find their own solutions to stress, caregiving strain, and relationship worries. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns that worsen anxiety or depression. Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, adds tools for managing intense emotions and building better coping skills for overwhelm and impulsive reactions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and try strategies together, adjusting techniques based on what helps most. Expect a mix of talking, skill practice, and simple exercises to use between sessions.

The biography notes phone and video as ways Kim has provided support, reflecting her comfort from years as a crisis counselor. If you are planning to use online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, or let people use methods that do not require being on camera. The therapist will help match the approach and format to practical needs and day-to-day life.