Dr. Krista Barnett, DSW, LSW
Doctor of Social Work & Licensed Social Worker
Dr. Krista Barnett, DSW, MSW, LSW, is a New Jersey Licensed Social Worker with a diverse background in clinical social work, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, education, advocacy, and community support. Krista has experience working with adolescents, survivors of trauma, neurodivergent individuals, and diverse populations experiencing emotional, behavioral, and life challenges. Her approach emphasizes compassion, resilience, empowerment, and creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, respected, and understood.
Krista earned her Master of Science in Social Work with a concentration in Advanced Clinical Practice from Columbia University School of Social Work, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Advanced Practice in Social Change and Innovation from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Science from The City College of New York. Her advanced education provides her with a strong foundation in clinical practice while also informing her understanding of the broader social, cultural, and systemic factors that can influence mental health and well-being.
Krista is currently a clinician with Monarch Counseling Center, where she provides psychotherapy to individuals seeking support with emotional, behavioral, interpersonal, and life challenges. She strives to create a collaborative and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship where clients can explore their experiences, recognize their strengths, develop healthier coping strategies, and work toward meaningful personal growth.
Krista has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, strengths-based practice, differential diagnosis, and DSM-5-TR diagnostic formulation. She also has experience with biopsychosocial assessment, treatment planning, safety planning, risk assessment, psychoeducation, family engagement, and resource coordination. Krista integrates these skills based on each client’s individual experiences, strengths, needs, and therapeutic goals.
A significant area of Krista’s professional experience involves supporting survivors of trauma. Through her crisis intervention work, she has provided survivor-centered emotional support to individuals impacted by sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, grooming, intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of interpersonal trauma. Her experience includes assessing emotional distress and safety concerns, utilizing grounding and emotional regulation strategies, identifying protective factors, developing safety plans, providing psychoeducation, and connecting individuals with appropriate community resources and continued support.
Krista also has extensive experience supporting adolescents with developmental, emotional, behavioral, and social challenges. She has worked closely with high school students with disabilities, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder, Other Health Impairment (OHI), and emotional and behavioral concerns. Her work incorporates trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming practices designed to promote emotional growth, self-advocacy, self-regulation, confidence, and a greater sense of belonging.
Krista’s professional background also includes mentorship, case management, and work with college students and emerging adults. She has supported individuals navigating academic expectations, field placements, career development, communication challenges, self-advocacy, and professional growth. Her experience working across educational and community settings allows her to appreciate how relationships, environments, identity, life transitions, and systemic factors can influence an individual’s emotional well-being.
Krista approaches therapy from a strengths-based and collaborative perspective, recognizing that each client brings their own experiences, values, identities, challenges, and existing sources of resilience into the therapeutic process. She incorporates practical coping strategies, emotional regulation techniques, mindfulness, psychoeducation, and evidence-based interventions while helping clients develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the patterns influencing their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relationships.
At Monarch Counseling Center, Krista is committed to providing compassionate, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care. She is passionate about helping clients strengthen resilience, develop greater emotional awareness, navigate difficult experiences, and recognize their capacity for growth. Her goal is to provide clients with both the supportive space and practical tools needed to improve their mental wellness, strengthen their sense of self, and create meaningful and sustainable change in their lives.