Caroline Christian, PhD
Caroline Christian, PhD
(she/her)
Hi! I am a licensed clinical psychologist based out of Pittsburgh. I received my PhD from the University of Louisville, and I am currently in a research-focused psychology role at the University of Pittsburgh. I am passionate about providing evidence-based, high quality therapy in my community. My clinical expertise is in treating anxiety disorders, eating disorders, OCD, trauma, and perinatal mental health concerns. I integrate evidence-based treatments to meet each client's individual needs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, exposure-based therapies, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I prioritize creating a therapeutic space that is inclusive and nonjudgmental, including sex-positive, LGBTQ+ affirming, and weight-neutral care.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is an opportunity for me to get to know you and for you to get more comfortable with me. Most of the first session I will ask you questions to get a better sense of who you are, what brought you to treatment, and what your goals are for therapy. We can chat about therapy styles that might be a good fit for you, and you will also have opportunities to ask me any questions you have. Coming in to therapy for the first time, and sharing some of your most vulnerable stories with a relative stranger, can be incredibly difficult. There is no pressure to share everything the first session, portray yourself in any specific way, or do things perfectly.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
One of my greatest strengths is the fantastic training I have received in evidence-based treatments. I have a lot of experience working with clients from all backgrounds, across levels of care and settings, with diverse mental health concerns. Additionally, I prioritize nonjudgment, collaboration, flexibility, and genuine care in the therapy room. I listen to my clients, I believe them, I lean in to difficult conversations, and I always work towards helping clients live their best, fullest, happiest, most-fulfilled lives.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work primarily with adolescent and adult clients. I work best with clients who are motivated for treatment and like a relatively structured therapy environment focused on working towards their goals (not just "talk therapy"). I am best-positioned to serve clients with anxiety-based disorders (including OCD and PTSD), eating disorders, or postpartum mental health disorders. I work with clients of all genders, sexual identities, and ethnicities. It is important to me to listen and understand each client's unique identities, background, and experiences in the therapy room in order to support the whole person.
About Caroline Christian, PhD
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I was trained in ACT in grad school and have since taught didactic courses and provided supervision for other therapists on ACT. ACT can be really helpful for folks who are struggling with intrusive/worried thoughts, feeling out of control, or having a hard time coping with stressors, and CBT doesn't quite feel like the right fit. I often integrate ACT skills even when it is not the primary treatment modality.
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. It is helpful at reducing OCD symptoms, anxiety, and impairment in over 80% of people. For clients with OCD and anxiety, I always lead with exposure-based therapy approaches, while also integrating other therapy styles to meet each client's individual needs.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use enhanced CBT for eating disorders, which is the only evidence-based treatment to date for adults with EDs. CBT principles are also helpful for a range of symptoms associated with anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, etc. I often integrate CBT with other modalities, such as ACT, exposure therapy, and DBT.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
I use either CPT or prolonged exposure therapy to support individuals with trauma and PTSD symptoms, depending on the needs and interest of each client. These therapies have been shown to be the most effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. I personalize CPT to the client and integrate other modalities as helpful.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I don't often provide full-course DBT, but I find the emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness skills in DBT to be very helpful and compatible with other treatment modalities. I will often pull from DBT to help clients build coping and interpersonal skills. I am also trained in radically-open DBT for overcontrol.