"Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we will ever do"
-Brene Brown
*For confidentiality purposes, names and initials have been omitted. *
Working with Kristy was a treat and a privilege. I found her while going through a very difficult transition in my life, and her mindfulness-based, holistic approach helped me find my way through it. When we first met, I explained the goals I wanted to achieve through therapy, and she was 100% on board. In fact, she encouraged me to continue on the path I had set, and reminded me when I was breaking from that path. She prescribed me a dose of yoga (which I had never done) and a meditation group, and provided me with highly useful skills that haven't left me to this day. She took a very active and positive approach to my recovery, did all in her power to help, and succeeded in seeing that my goals were met. I highly recommend her to anybody looking for positive change in their life.
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I am not the same person I was a year ago and that is due to the yoga, mindfulness and breath work I’ve committed to in working with Kristy. They are tools we use in therapy to help quiet my mind and body, as well as practice self love. I’m still amazed at how fast I felt the effects yoga had on the feelings of anxiety and depression I was experiencing. I’m forever grateful.
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Kristy helped change my life and brought me to a place that I never thought was possible for me. She took the time and really got to know me, and understood what worked best for me as an individual. I am extremely grateful for everything she has done to improve my life. I can confidently say wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her.
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My family has worked with Kristy for almost 10 years. Not only is she an amazing therapist who relates really well with my now teens and young adults but she's been able to provide therapy in my daughter's first language, American Sign Language. Finding a great therapist who is fluent in ASL and understands Deaf culture has been a life saver for our family. The addition of her mindfulness activities and practices to her therapy have been an added bonus for us all.
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I have been in therapy for around five years now. I have been through many big changes in my life and that affected me negatively and being able to talk with my therapist, Kristy, who is able to communicate with me in my language helped tremendously. It is rare to have a therapist who can sign and it has been a great time with Kristy, being able to talk my emotions out properly. I was also taught mindfulness and meditation to help with my depression, and it assisted largely in keeping myself stable and still being able to lead a life. I will always be grateful to have someone like Kristy to be willing to work with me, if not for her, I would not be the person I am now.
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After my husband's sudden death a year ago, I found myself struggling with grief and realized that I needed help coping with my depression. My background of working with students with mental health issues led me to search for someone who would give me the tools to help me on this difficult journey and not recommend medications that mask my anxieties.
A friend recommended Kristy who helped her deal with the loss of her sister. I am so thankful for her recommendation! Kristy is guiding me through this by teaching me mindfulness & breathing exercises which has helped immensely. I find myself living more in the present-not ignoring the past or worrying about the future-but dealing with those thoughts with less anxiety.
To show how breathing has helped, I'll share this with you. On a recent vacation that was stressful to me (I'm not an experienced traveler and it was the first time without my husband), my travel companion was awakened when she heard me taking 5 deep breaths in my sleep. She was getting ready to wake me when I went into a normal breathing pattern. The next morning she told me about it and I laughed-I was unconsciously using what I've learned through breathing to calm myself!
Thank you Kristy for ALL you're doing to help me learn & grow into this new identity.
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I have been working with Kristy for almost ten years now and she is so great. I've struggled with anxiety my whole life and she's shown me breathing techniques that are a lifesaver during a stressful anxiety attack. She's a great therapist who's never judged me or anything I've confided in telling her. I wouldn't trade her for anyone.
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I just met Kristy as my therapist and wow she knows my background so quickly. She’s good therapist for the Deaf and she use her beautiful ASL!!!
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I have seen Kristy Joy as my therapist. I am Deaf and Kristy Joy knows American Sign Language to communicate with me which it is very helpful. It does make me feel relaxed to talk to her with our ASL. It does make me feel safe because of our languages to understand each other.
Her therapy does help me to understand more about myself and how to help others too. She had been urging me to learn to meditation and mindfulness which I am still trying to work on it. I always get information from her related trying to do the meditation. I’m glad I have found Kristy Joy as my therapist.
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Kristy has been my therapist for 3 years, she is such a wonderful woman, best ever I’ve known. She has been learning more about yoga in my therapy. If you need therapy you should see her, you will love her. She is great with ASL, just like other Deaf people, she understands me.
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My first experience with being truly mindful, I felt like I was experiencing life for the first time; driving down roads that I have driven for years I noticed flowers for the first time (that have really been there all along), trees as they bud and bloom. It’s like being fully alive for the first time. And a therapeutic approach which uses mindfulness and breath allows you to experience life; the pleasures along with the pain. But when pain or unpleasantness arise its through focusing on breathing and being grounded that you are able to tolerate the pain. And with each occurrence the painful situation becomes less overwhelming and more tolerable. Working with Kristy has helped me to learn the skills necessary to live in the moment.
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Kristy is such a bright light. Always positive. Always encouraging other people. These are amazingly important traits as a teacher and a leader. She is both courageous and kind. Kristy is a trailblazer as one of the first therapists to bring Inner Axis breathwork to her clients with great impact. She is making a big difference in this world.
Max Strom
Founder of Inner Axis, speaker, author
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Yoga is an excellent way to ease the mind and put day to day stressors in better perspective. Yoga has become an extremely beneficial skill for many of my patients who suffer with depression, anxiety, psychosis, trauma exposure and a multitude of other physical and behavioral health conditions. At Village Therapy, Ms. Kristy Joy brings her superb mental health counseling skills together with yoga and mindfulness strategies to help her patients achieve wellness in mind and body.
Dr. Kimberly K. Mathos, D.O.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
STEP and Center for Recovery Services
University of Pittsburgh
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Kristy Joy is amazing with my clients. She is ready to think outside of the box with people that don't fit the mold. She incorporates breathing, yoga and even therapy dogs to make even the most anxious client more relaxed and regulated. She understands the brain of a child or adult that has experienced trauma or has intellectual deficits. She even teaches those skills to the staff that work with her clients so that they can continue to learn and practice what she teaches them. She sizes up the abilities and needs of each client and uses yoga and or breathing to best meet their needs and skill levels. I think everyone can benefit from time with Kristy. Even I'm more regulated after helping my client with a session with her.
Melissa Hathaway M.Ed.,
Licensed Behavioral Specialist
Home Community Liaison at Pressley Ridge School for the Deaf
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We are fortunate to have Kristy Joy as a volunteer at Highmark Caring Place. She demonstrates a deep compassion for and commitment to grieving children and families. She has a gift for getting to know the children – truly listening to them - and then developing plans to meet their needs and interests. She is creative, has wonderful energy and demonstrates a deep respect for children.
Andrea Lurier, PhD, CT
Manager
Highmark Caring Place
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I have been working with Kristy for about a year now. Not only was Kristy able to help me be my best self by teaching me how to control my reactions through mindfulness and breathing techniques, but she has also been a great mentor to me in opening my own business. With Kristy’s expert guidance, I have become more confident in my personal life as well as with my business. I can’t thank her enough for helping me find the confidence to achieve my goals and follow my dream.
Kelsey Galbrieth
Owner
Salon 13, Pittsburgh PA
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"Kristy and her team have been amazing referral partners for the past three years! All of the feedback that I have received from our shared clients has been 100% positive. Kristy understands how to meet people where they are and journey with them towards healing. I am so glad that there is a quality, holistic therapeutic option in our community! "
former Case worker, North Hills Community Outreach
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