Kristal DeSantis
94 ratings | 10 reviews | avg rating:4.19

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Kristal DeSantis

Goodreads Author


Website

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atxtherapist

Genre
Self Help, Psychology, Nonfiction

Member Since
February 2020


My passion has been relationships since day one and so I focused on learning all the things that pertained to healthy relationships. I studied Gottman Marital Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples’ Therapy, Premarital Counseling, Attachment Styles, and Sex Therapy. Another focus area of mine was working with veterans and first responders, so I also became certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional, and received EMDR training.

I am most proud of creating the STRONG Model of Relational Therapy which is a trauma-informed, attachment-based approach to couples’ therapy. It blends a skills-forward, structured approach with a somatic, trauma-informed base of safety and connection. I have had the opportunity to train other therapists in this model, ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Kristal DeSantis As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I found that so many people were coming into therapy with some very similar questions, patterns, and themes. Altho…moreAs a Marriage and Family Therapist, I found that so many people were coming into therapy with some very similar questions, patterns, and themes. Although every single relationship is different, I wanted to empower my clients by sharing some basic tenets of healthy relationships with them in book form. I found that many of the beginning sessions were simply focused on psychoeducation, and since therapy can be pretty expensive, I figured if I could get the psychoeducation part into a book, the work of therapy would be more effective and beneficent by then being able to focus more on the deep, personal work of the couple/individual.

Also, the reason I focused the book to men is that there are already so many resources out there for women, and I wanted to help balance the field a little bit. Men were expressing to me when they came into therapy that a big part of the hesitation they felt toward beginning therapy was the lack of knowledge of therapy terms which affected their confidence in the process. I wanted to write this book for men to dispel some myths and shed some light on the process of therapy and explain some terms in detail. I believe that information is power, so the more information I could provide to men before beginning therapy, I hoped the more empowered they would feel walking into their first therapy session. (less)
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Combine Editions

Average rating: 4.77 · 13 ratings · 7 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors
STRONG: A Relationship Fiel...
4.77 avg rating — 13 ratings — 3 editions
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* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Kristal is Currently Reading

If You'd Only Lis...
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bookshelves: currently-reading
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Jan 11, 2026 08:11PM
The Invisible Lif...
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bookshelves: currently-reading
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Jan 11, 2026 08:10PM
How Not to Hate Y...
Kristal DeSantis is currently reading
by Jancee Dunn (Goodreads Author)
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Jan 11, 2026 05:04AM

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Kristal’s Recent Updates

Kristal DeSantis wants to read
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
The Plot (The Book Series, #1)
by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Goodreads Author)
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4 hours, 52 min ago  ·   ·  preview book
Kristal DeSantis wants to read
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
by Olga Tokarczuk
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The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History
by Donna Tartt
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4 hours, 54 min ago  ·   ·  preview book
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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Such a Fun Age
by Kiley Reid
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My Sister, the Serial Killer By Oyinkan Braithwaite / How to ... by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My Sister, the Serial Killer By Oyinkan Braithwaite / How to Kill Your Family By Bella Mackie 2 Books Collection Set
by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Goodreads Author)
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4 hours, 56 min ago  · 
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None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
None of This Is True
by Lisa Jewell (Goodreads Author)
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Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
Notes on a Scandal
by Zoë Heller
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4 hours, 57 min ago  ·   ·  preview book
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The Push by Ashley Audrain
The Push
by Ashley Audrain (Goodreads Author)
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4 hours, 58 min ago  ·   ·  preview book
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We Need to Talk About Kevin by Shriver, Lionel. (Harper Peren... by Lionel Shriver
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Shriver, Lionel. (Harper Perennial,2006) [Paperback]
by Lionel Shriver (Goodreads Author)
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Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Eileen
by Ottessa Moshfegh
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5 hours, 0 min ago  ·   ·  preview book
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Kristal’s Quotes

Rainer Maria Rilke
“Again and again, however we know the landscape of love
and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names,
and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others
fall: again and again the two of us walk out together
under the ancient trees, lie down again and again
among the flowers, face to face with the sky.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Ahead of All Parting: The Selected Poetry and Prose
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Kristal’s Groups

1041734 What's My Therapist Reading — 711 members — last activity Feb 04, 2026 09:46AM
A book club for therapists/counselors.
50920 Beta Reader Group — 29891 members — last activity 6 hours, 5 min ago
A place to connect writers with beta readers. Sometimes writers get so involved in the plot they can't see the wood for the trees. Hang on a sec'--th ...more
103713 Authors & Reviewers — 11078 members — last activity 1 hour, 31 min ago
A&R is about helping authors promote their books. If you are a reviewer or a blogger, and you don't mind writing a honest review, then come and join u ...more
104076 Beta / Proof Readers — 4587 members — last activity Feb 22, 2026 10:07PM
I am hoping that in creating this group I can help writers find someone to proof read their book. All books will be accepted.

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