Cristen earned her Ph.D. from Idaho State University in Counselor Education and Counseling, her Master's degree in Community Counseling from Baylor University in Waco, TX, and her BA in Biblical Studies and History from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR. She has experience training and supervising counselors, writing and presenting in her field, and working with sexual abuse survivors, college students, and a wide variety of other clients. Her research centers on multicultural development of counselors through international experiences. She is also interested in sexual abuse and trauma counseling in Montana. Between her master's and doctoral work, Cristen worked clinically as a counselor specializing in sexual abuse and assault.