Christine saw the innate resilience and determination of the human spirit at her first big girl therapist job at a community based program dedicated to helping homeless young adults with serious mental illnesses. Whether she was picking up clients on the streets or visiting jails, hospitals, and drug rehab centers, Christine (literally and figuratively) met clients where they were at. She became aware of the importance of differentiating the person from the circumstance, diagnosis, and/or addiction. 

Craving genuine connection and long lasting change, Christine transitioned into working with foster youth. Christine realized that conventional talk therapy taught in the grad school textbooks did not clearly or easily apply to teens with complex trauma. She leaned into candidly connecting with her clients in session while providing long-term support. She learned that when she showed up authentically herself, it allowed for her clients to show up as themselves too. 

After obtaining her license, Christine opened her own therapy practice and began working with an organization serving first responders. Her comprehensive experience with crisis management, historical childhood trauma, and first responders has set her up to be well-versed and effective in working with the variety of adverse experiences – big, small, wide, and/or complex. Through the culmination of these experiences, Christine developed a high value for emotional sturdiness as a pillar in her practice and understands the importance of having a therapist who won’t shy away from difficult conversations or topics.

Whether carrying shame from the past or the fear of it returning, Christine’s hope for when her clients leave, is that they leave more centered and grounded within themselves while knowing they can handle whatever comes next.