I am an independently licensed social worker and a level I Reiki practitioner. I obtained my Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and my Master’s Degree in Social Work from Simmons University. I pride myself on engaging in client-centered and trauma-based work. I believe that therapy should feel like an empathetic, open-minded, and compassionate conversation between two friends within ethical boundaries.
The mantra that I tell each individual I work with is, “If you don’t laugh or smile at least once in a session, I feel like I’m not doing my job correctly unless that’s not what you need when you come into session.” My most used approaches to therapy are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, and I enjoy incorporating elements of music, art, play, spiritual, and internal family system therapy (IFS) when appropriate. I come from a military-based and multiracial background that motivated me to become a mental health clinician of cultural humility and empathy from the early-life realization that in times of hardship and the face of loss, many people don’t reach out for the help they need due to fear, judgment, and stigma.
I aim to guide people who choose to work with me in battling these mindsets and barriers by improving their abilities to identify who they are, stand up for who they are and what they believe in, fulfill their fullest potential, increase their self-awareness, and while also showing gratitude towards who they are and forgiveness of where they’ve come from. I am a mother of one, wife, and pet owner. In my free time, I enjoy attending live music events, creating art in many forms, gardening, listening to all genres, enjoying new cuisines, sipping comforting beverages, hiking, and trying new things.
View Marlena Kriner’s current licensing details on the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapy Board’s License Verification portal. Type their name in the search tool for confirmation.
