Clinical Depth, Direct Compassion, and Advanced Trauma Expertise

Kristal Otto is a private practice therapist and contract provider, currently licensed in Florida. She is also seeking licensure in Colorado as of Summer 2026. She is Owner/CEO of Coastal Connections Counseling, Inc., licensed in Florida.

As a trauma expert and EMDR trained therapist, Kristal is an active member of EMDRIA (EMDR International Association). She is also an active member of IAEDP (International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals) and has worked with eating disorders since 1997.

Kristal's approach to therapy can be considered both compassionate and direct, evidence-based and holistic, and open-minded. She is well versed in CBT, DBT and Polyvagal-Informed EMDR. She has been utilizing EMDR for almost two decades, with training in both standard protocols, as well as more advanced, differential protocols for situations such as immediate crisis response, preparation for future events, problem-specific targets (such as OCD and body image issues), and group EMDR that can be applied for groups of 2 to 100 people.

She is a volunteer for Project Sanctuary, which serves military families, as well as Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization. She feels strongly about humanitarian work and serving the military and first responder populations. Kristal is an author of one book and currently working on two more, has done speaking engagements and is proficient in business start-up, project development and the psychology behind group dynamics and development.