Kristine is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, traditional narrative psychotherapy, EMDR, and family systems therapy. With a unique focus on science and research, her career of over 20 years has been defined by the relentless pursuit of different and better ways to treat trauma holistically, incorporating a deep understanding of the brain-body connection and the vital role genetics and nutrition play in overall well being. She is passionate about understanding trauma and its global effects on the human body, and believes untreated trauma is a major health crisis around the world.

After obtaining a B.S. in Social Work with a focus on research from Bowling Green State University in 1996, Kristine began her career in community program design and management. She worked for two years at Parmadale Residential Treatment Center (now closed), where she was placed in the first specialized lockdown unit for children who could not be safely maintained in the community. While there, she became the youngest person to win their excellence award as a result of her successful revamp of their partial hospitalization program.

Kristine obtained a master’s in Social Work from Cleveland State University in 2000. Through a fully funded graduate assistant position, she was privileged to work with Dr. Miyako Smith in evaluating program funding on the state and federal level. Their work together focused on helping community nonprofits in the city of Cleveland improve their processes for data collection and evaluation, and they also helped distribute federal funds for HIV/AIDS prevention programs. In this role, Kristine was able to create several statistical programs and teach nonprofits how to collect their own data, as well as assist in the review and approval process of federal grants. Also during this time, she succeeded in creating three after-school programs for inner-city children in Toledo and later, one in the Bronx.

In her next role, Kristine worked with Dr. Brody at The Federation for Community Planning, now The Center for Urban Affairs. As a researcher for The Social Indicators Project, she worked with several senators and local community development corporations to conduct research on poverty, crime, and housing, and their impact on quality of life in select Cleveland neighborhoods. From this research, quality of life reports for individual neighborhoods were created which could be used for future planning and funding purposes.

As someone with a reputation for achieving results, Kristine was then approached to open a residential facility for boys ages 12-17 at Bellefaire Jewish Community Bureau. With the help of other staff, she built a brand new program for one of the residential cottages on site and retrained all staff. She provided a sustaining model of how to behaviorally impact children, particularly boys, and keep them out of correction facilities while servicing their underlying mental health needs.

Kristine decided to start working with adults to round out her skillset after obtaining her independent license in 2002. She went into an established private practice with psychiatrist Dr. Inil Parikh and later set up her own practice, Cunningham & Jordan, in 2008. Four years later, Jordan Counseling was created and she began to offer holistic, nutrition-based counseling in collaboration with the Amen Clinic in NYC, which was pioneering brain and neurological-based interventions and diagnostics. She was later the director of the residential treatment program in juvenile justice affairs at Applewood Centers from 2018-2020, after she was approached for this role by Jeff Locks, CEO of Bellefaire. While there, she was successful in securing half a million dollars for a diversion program to keep vulnerable children out of the juvenile criminal system.

Continuing her education in the neurobiological underpinnings of psychological issues, Kristine became a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional in 2020, allowing her to incorporate dietary supplement and nutritional counseling into her mental health practice. In 2022, she finished certifications for GX Sciences, 3X4 Genetics, and genomic testing and counseling. Upstream Therapeutics was opened January 1, 2022, which aims to “find the source through science,” using genetics, lifestyle choices, and nutritional counseling to improve her patients’ quality of life. This innovative practice marries true psychotherapy and physical psychological work, such as EMDR biofeedback, with nutrition and lifestyle coaching to support the body and promote a level of healing and recovery that goes far beyond what psychiatric medications and traditional talk therapy can offer.

Through her current work with Upstream Therapeutics, Kristine aspires to equip her patients with the “owner’s manual” to their brains and bodies, and empower them to truly understand the brain-body connection in order to gain control of their health and their lives. She is open to seeing patients of all ages and backgrounds in her Independence office or virtually, and provides IV and IM injection therapies in conjunction with a medical team on site. Outside of work, she is a mom of three boys and three dogs, enjoys spending time outdoors, and is an active member of her community. She loves gardening, especially flowers, and considers Stephen Porges, Bessel van der Kolk, and Dan Siegel as influential intellectual mentors.

Kristine looks forward to working with you to learn more about yourself and create a plan for wellness. Contact Upstream Therapeutics to schedule an appointment today.