Dr. Kristi Hottenstein, LPC, LPCC

Dr. Kristi Hottenstein brings two decades of counseling experience to her work. She is a licensed professional counselor - LPC and LPCC - who has worked in Michigan since 2009. Kristi aims to help people facing stress, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, and life transitions by focusing on practical, everyday steps.

She combines counseling and coaching to match each person's needs. Sessions emphasize self-awareness, clear goals, and manageable changes. Kristi uses a mix of approaches rather than a single technique, and she adapts methods to fit each person's situation.

Her background includes a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Toledo, a master’s in Counseling from the University of La Verne, and a bachelor’s in Sociology from Alma College. She also runs a private practice called Compass Counseling & Coaching, PLLC and has been active with the Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association.

In sessions she listens for values, strengths, and patterns that get in the way. She helps people notice what matters to them and take small steps toward those values. Techniques can include attention to thoughts and behavior, skills for managing strong emotions, and work on communication and relationships.

People who reach out often want support with aging and geriatric issues, caregiver stress, mood concerns, or coping with health and life changes. Kristi frames therapy as a collaborative process where the person's goals guide the pace and focus.

How therapeutic approaches guide online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify what matters to them and take actions that match those values even when feelings are hard. It is often used for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing them with behavior changes and practical exercises to reduce symptoms like anxiety or depression. Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person’s experience, with the therapist following the client's lead and offering empathy and reflection to help people better understand themselves.

Finding the right approach is usually a joint process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. If an approach doesn’t feel helpful, adjustments are part of the work rather than a failure.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the specific session formats before booking. Online therapy can make scheduling easier and help therapy fit into busy days. It can reduce travel time, let someone check in during a break, or allow shorter focused sessions when that works better. Licensed professionals can use these options to help people keep progress moving while balancing everyday demands.