Meet the Team Who’s Here for You!

Why We Do What We Do

Child Counseling Corner was created because we understand just how important connection is for children to help them feel safe to explore and express their emotions. We want this space to feel welcoming, comforting, enjoyable, and also genuinely helpful for you and your child. We believe that the therapy space should feel like an extension of home and a place where everyone can be their true authentic selves without fear of judgment. We believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy and truly tailor each treatment plan and session to fit the needs of your child in that moment. You deserve a team that wants to understand all the intricate things that make up a child’s world so we can address the whole picture. You deserve someone who will listen, collaborate with you to best meet your child’s needs, and help advocate for what is best for your child. We believe that Child Counseling Corner should feel like an extension of your family and work hard to make you feel confident in your choice of making us part of your support network!

If there is one truth to this work that sticks with us, it is this:
Feeling seen, heard, valued, and understood are the needs that have to be met for a child for deep and meaningful change to occur.

We also believe that the most important part of therapy is the relationship between the client and the therapist so we focus on that from the very beginning as the foundation for the work we will do together.

At Child Counseling Corner, we strive to make therapy a safe and also fun place that kids enjoy coming to. One of the biggest compliments we receive from the families we work with is when they tell us how excited their children are for their next session! We take great pride in making sure kids feel welcomed, understood, and valued in our space.

Trusting someone to help you and your child is vulnerable and a big step, so it is not something we take lightly. Due to the collaborative nature or therapy, it is so important to us that you find a good fit to who you are going to let into the lives of you and your child. You deserve the peace of mind in knowing the person you choose to fill this role to be part of your family’s team has the education, training, experience, and credibility needed to do so well.

We know how uncertain this process can feel and we also know the hope that comes from having someone in your corner. If you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay. You’ve already taken a brave first step by being here. Let’s figure out the rest together.

With love,
the Child Counseling Corner team

Kristina Lutz

Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Registered Play Therapist™, and Owner

I’m Kristina, a Florida-based Registered Play Therapist™ who is passionate about using the powers of play and connection to help children grow and heal and to help strengthen family relationships.

The foundation of how I live my life and my approach to therapy are both centered on:

Intentionality
Connection
Authenticity

These are the things I am sure to always show up with and use to cultivate and foster every relationship I’m in.

Growing up, I saw the impact that being understood vs not had on my own self-talk, ability to express my feelings, and my coping strategies. This discovery led me to really focus on trying my best to show my genuine love and care for people. My hope is that they will feel comfortable and safe enough to be their true selves with me and never feel like they have to walk through things alone.

From middle school through most of my college years, I was fully convinced I was going to be a pediatric dentist. I loved my time interning at a dental office, but when I did more reflecting on my experiences, I realized my passion was really the aspect of helping kids and parents through the fear and anxiety of experiencing something new that could also be intimidating or scary. I then really put it all together that every job and volunteer experience I had throughout my life had one major thing in common: I truly loved connecting with and helping others, especially kids, navigate through their emotions.

In college I was already majoring in psychology because I was fascinated with understanding the way people think, act, and feel, so this made the pivot from dentistry to counseling pretty easy. Then, in my master’s program I learned all about play therapy and how play can be used as a window into the inner world of a child and I fell in love with using play to help children heal. I became determined to learn how to understand this language and listen through this way of communicating that required no words.

All of these passions and interests really came together and led me to pursuing a credential as a Registered Play Therapist™ so that I could have the tools and training to help children and their families on a whole new level.

Now, as a therapist for over 5 years, I support children and families in growing individually and in their relationships with each other. I also help them understand their emotions and build meaningful connections with themselves and others.

Meet the Team

Hazel

Certified Therapy Dog

Hazel is a certified therapy dog who loves people, but especially loves kids and babies. She is a 2-year-old mix between a Golden Retriever and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Hazel loves to spend her time running around, playing with her toys, or cuddling up with people. We really got lucky with Hazel because she is a natural at bringing joy and comfort to people. She is the perfect mix of smart, silly, sassy, and sweet and her favorite thing to do is to spread her love to others.

A lot of people say she is like a human trapped in a dog’s body because of her deep understanding of the things people say and feel. She is really good at remembering people’s preferences with how they like to interact with her and can tell when someone may be a little nervous to meet her. She is an amazing addition to our team and is easily the fan-favorite everywhere she goes.

Outside of work she also likes to volunteer at different places like libraries, hospitals, and schools to help bring joy to people in those settings.
Some of Hazel’s favorite things: cuddling, snacking on fruit like blueberries and strawberries, watching tv (especially if it involves a dog or a baby), chasing after bugs in the yard, and swimming.

Serving Children and Families in Gainesville and Across the State of Florida

4715 NW 53rd Avenue Suite B
Gainesville, FL 32653