Kristi Kimberlin

Kristi Kimberlin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Licensed School Social Worker with more than 30 years of experience supporting the emotional, social, and behavioral well-being of children, families, and schools. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Hanover College in Indiana in 1990 and a Master of Social Work from the Indiana University School of Social Work in 1994.

Throughout her career, Kristi has served as a private clinician, school social worker and counselor, camp counselor, and health education teacher. After relocating to Wisconsin with her family in 2018, she worked as a school social worker at The Wisconsin School for the Blind and Visually Impaired from 2019 to 2025, providing services to students ages 4 through 21 with a wide range of developmental, emotional, and educational needs.

In September 2025, Kristi joined Oak Tree Child and Family Services as a therapist and crisis interventionist in the Little Oaks Program, a therapeutic program designed for young children with behavioral and emotional challenges. She has extensive training in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and previously trained educators and school staff throughout the CESA 2 region in crisis prevention and de-escalation strategies. Kristi now partners with families to assist them with understanding how children's emotions are communicated through behavior and how early recognition and support can prevent escalation while strengthening relationships.

Kristi also has specialized training through the Gottman Institute in supporting the emotional and social development of young children. She is passionate about helping children build emotional awareness, social skills, resilience, and problem-solving abilities while empowering parents, caregivers, and educators with practical strategies to support children's growth.

Her therapeutic approach is trauma-informed, client-centered, and strengths-based, emphasizing the importance of meeting each child where they are developmentally and emotionally. Kristi strives to create a safe, supportive environment where children feel understood and confident exploring creative ways to express themselves, regulate emotions, and build healthy relationships.

Kristi incorporates evidence-based and developmentally appropriate interventions including play therapy techniques, movement, mindfulness, music, bibliotherapy, emotion coaching, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to foster social-emotional development and promote lasting emotional well-being.