Hey!
I’m Christina, and I’m your guide to modern mental health.
We’ve been through a whole lot of heavy stuff recently (hurricanes, a global pandemic, and a war just came out of nowhere, y’all. Fix it, Jesus) and it’s all highlighted that we need to spend more attention and intention to being kind to our minds. We neglect our mental health, and that’s not okay. I can help you do better.
I’m an elder millennial, so working with me is not going to be like those portrayals of therapists and mental health practitioners we’ve all seen in the media our whole lives. I have a whole lot of respect for what I do, and I am a professional at all times – but modern challenges require modern interventions, and that’s where I come in. I bring a breath of fresh air to what can be some really emotionally challenging work, and I’m here to help you realize that there’s no shame in doing that work. At all. You absolutely never lose when you focus on bettering yourself.
Not only is it okay to talk about your feelings, doing so is an essential part to your overall health. It’s good for you to work on your mental health, period. So whether taking charge of your mental health looks like working on your relationship with yourself, or your relationship with others – I’m your girl and
I’m so glad you’ve found me.
Five important things you can expect from working with me:
Quality services. I have been learning and training non-stop since 2007. I invest heavily in myself so I can be the best therapist, coach, and educator for you. I’m true to this, not new to this – and I have the education and experience to back it up. I have Canadian and American Ivy League institutions on my resume, I do training annually, I have wonderful professional mentors, I have personal insight into mental health concerns, and I absolutely love my career. These all translate to you getting exceptional healthcare from me, which is what you want.
Unconditional positive regard. This is therapist speak for I got your back. I love doing what I do because I get to create a safe space for my clients to express themselves in their most authentic way with no repercussions. I support and accept you no matter what. There’s a little something called mandated reporting (meaning I’ll have to tell authorities if you express a desire to hurt someone or yourself), but again, regardless of what you share with me, it does not affect our professional relationship.
A balance of professionalism and personality. My career allows me to always be myself, and contrary to many beliefs, that doesn’t take away from the quality of care and service I provide. It actually adds to it, because my sauce can’t be replicated. My secret recipe, combined with empirical evidence, tried-and-true interventions, and a lot of therapeutic knowledge is what makes what I do so effective and impactful. Clients and I laugh together, cry together, and I won’t ever say no to seeing a meme that hit different for you. I quote from pop culture – a lot. But I also know how to help you manage an anxiety attack in the moment. I know how to help couples communicate better and connect deeper with each other. I know how to help family members work towards resolving conflict. I know how to help you take better care of yourself. Get you somebody who can do both.
Compassionate drags. When it’s professionally warranted and you state you’d like to hear it, I’m gonna tell you about yourself. I’ll always do it with compassion, because I’m trying to raise your awareness, not shame you. I’m going to challenge you – but with care. I’m going to lean in on you – but with love. I’m going to push you – but properly. Nothing I will do or say within our professional relationship will be with the intention of hurting your feelings. Might that still happen? Yes, and that’s normal – it’s part of life. Sometimes having a light shined on difficult situations or areas you’re not ready to accept is uncomfortable, and sometimes I might be clumsy with my words. That being said, I will do what I can to rectify any perceived missteps when necessary.
Humility. I’m the professional expert in this relationship, but in no way does that mean I’m the expert on your life. I will never pretend to be either, because I’m simply not. I learn from you just as much as you learn from me. I’m not in the driver’s seat, you are. I have the GPS and I’m riding shotgun. I ask a lot of questions because it’s important that I understand the situation from your perspective, and not just my limited perspective from the time I spend with you. Many people think that therapists think they’re better than you. I may be assisting you from a place of more education and insight, but that doesn’t mean I think I’m above you. I don’t, and I’m not.
I wanted to offer this alternate introduction because it’s necessary for people to understand that just because I work in mental health doesn’t mean I’m not a person (yes, I do have to spell this out!). There are so many misconceptions about therapy and therapists that it’s important to emphasize that I’m a human first, and therapist second. I’m not a robot, I’m not perfect, I make mistakes of my own, and I too struggle with my mental health at times. That doesn’t make me any less capable to do what I do – it just makes me human. So if you’re interested in working with the competent professional outlined on the first page and the real-talk flawed human being outlined here, you’re in luck – because they’re both me.