Christina Goodson
Christina Goodson
(she/her)
I am a Licensed Mental Health Therapist in Texas, Virginia, and Maryland with a specialized license as a Sex Offender Treatment Provider. I maintain my National Certified Counselor certification and possess a Clinical Dependency Counselor-Intern License in Texas. I have achieved an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, an MS in Psychology, and an MS in Organizational Psychology. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology from Walden University. I have experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and groups. I employ cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, client-centered therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and various modalities as part of my humanistic approach. I additionally focus on methods of Gestalt, Gottman, Existentialism, mindfulness, and family systems while carefully considering cultural concerns, sexuality, and practices. I have experience working with court-mandated clients with various criminal offenses, anxiety, depression, trauma-related diagnoses, and other life experiences.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Your first session is a chance for us to get to know one another and begin building a therapeutic relationship rooted in safety, honesty, and respect. We'll start by exploring what brought you to therapy whether it's a specific issue, a recent life change, or a general sense that something in your life isn't working the way you want it to. I’ll ask some questions to better understand your background, current challenges, and goals for therapy. You’re welcome to share at your own pace; there’s no pressure to open up more than you feel comfortable with. My goal is to listen without judgment and begin forming a collaborative understanding of your experiences, needs, and hopes for change. By the end of the session, we will talk about what ongoing work might look like together. I’ll offer some initial reflections and invite you to ask any questions you have about the process. This first meeting is as much about you feeling out whether I’m the right fit for you as it is about beginning the therapeutic work. You can expect the session to feel thoughtful, compassionate, and focused on creating space for you to feel seen, heard, and supported.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
What sets my approach apart is the way I blend deep emotional work with practical strategies, creating a space where clients can both understand themselves and move forward in their lives. I don’t offer one-size-fits-all therapy, I meet each person exactly where they are, integrating evidence-based methods like CBT, IFS, and trauma-informed practices with a relational, person-centered foundation. Clients often tell me they feel genuinely seen in our work together that our sessions are not only supportive, but also challenging in the best ways. I focus on helping clients build insight, emotional resilience, and self-compassion while also developing clear tools to set boundaries, navigate relationships, heal attachment wounds, and feel more in control of their inner lives. I believe that real healing happens in a space that feels safe, attuned, and emotionally honest. My goal is to help you not just cope, but transform the patterns and beliefs that are keeping you stuck so you can move toward greater clarity, connection, and self-trust.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I’m best positioned to serve individuals and couples who are ready to engage in meaningful, insight-oriented work to better understand themselves, heal from emotional pain, and build healthier relationships. Many of my clients come to therapy navigating challenges such as anxiety, grief, relationship struggles, low self-worth, sexual concerns, or the impact of trauma. Others are feeling stuck—internally conflicted, emotionally overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves and others and are looking for clarity and change. I work especially well with clients who are open to self-reflection and interested in exploring both the “why” and the “how” of their experiences. Whether you're dealing with a specific issue or simply sensing that something deeper needs attention, I create a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where we can explore what’s beneath the surface, strengthen self-awareness, and work toward alignment, confidence, and emotional freedom. My approach is grounded, integrative, and relational. If you're looking for a therapist who will honor your story while also gently challenging you to grow, I may be a good fit for you.
About Christina Goodson
I identify as
Serves ages
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have extensive experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a core modality in my clinical work. CBT is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. I’ve received formal training in CBT and regularly incorporate its techniques across a wide range of presenting concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and relationship challenges. In my practice, I use CBT in a collaborative and individualized way. I guide clients in developing insight into the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and support them in challenging cognitive distortions, building healthier coping strategies, and reinforcing behavioral activation. Whether we’re working through difficult emotions, setting boundaries, or processing loss, CBT provides a concrete framework for clients to gain clarity, agency, and practical tools they can use in their daily lives. I also integrate CBT with complementary methods, such as IFS (Internal Family Systems), mindfulness, or trauma-informed approaches when appropriate, to ensure that each client’s unique needs and healing process are fully supported.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I have a strong foundation in the person-centered approach, which is central to the therapeutic relationship I build with each client. Rooted in the work of Carl Rogers, this method emphasizes unconditional positive regard, empathy, and authenticity—values I consistently bring into my practice. In my clinical work, I use the person-centered method to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel fully seen and heard. I believe that each individual has the inner capacity for growth and healing, and my role is to support that process by offering consistent emotional presence, deep listening, and genuine acceptance. This approach allows clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and identities at their own pace and in their own way. While person-centered therapy forms the relational foundation of my work, I often integrate it with structured modalities like CBT or trauma-focused methods to address specific goals or challenges. The flexibility and client-led nature of the person-centered approach make it especially effective in building trust and fostering long-term, meaningful change.
Existential
I incorporate the existential approach in my practice to help clients explore the deeper questions of meaning, identity, freedom, isolation, and responsibility that often underlie emotional distress. My training and experience with existential therapy allow me to support clients in navigating life transitions, grief, identity struggles, and periods of uncertainty or crisis with depth and intentionality. In sessions, I use existential principles to help clients examine how they relate to the core realities of human existence such as death, freedom, meaning, and aloneness and how these issues may be influencing their thoughts, behaviors, and emotional experiences. I encourage clients to reflect on their values, choices, and sense of purpose in a way that fosters self-awareness, personal growth, and authentic living. Rather than offering prescriptive solutions, I use the existential method to invite clients into a collaborative process of exploration. This often helps individuals find clarity in the midst of ambiguity, confront fears that may be limiting their freedom, and reclaim a sense of agency in shaping their lives. I frequently integrate existential work with other modalities such as CBT, IFS, or person-centered therapy to ensure clients receive both emotional depth and practical tools for daily living.
Gestalt
I integrate Gestalt therapy principles into my clinical work to help clients increase present-moment awareness, deepen their emotional insight, and develop a more authentic relationship with themselves and others. My experience with Gestalt therapy allows me to support clients in recognizing patterns, unfinished business, and internal conflicts that may be keeping them stuck in cycles of distress or disconnection. In practice, I use Gestalt techniques to bring attention to what’s happening in the here and now focusing not just on what a client is saying, but how they are experiencing it emotionally, physically, and relationally in the moment. This might include exploring body language, using “empty chair” work, or helping clients give voice to different parts of themselves in dialogue. These experiential methods often uncover deeper layers of emotion and meaning that traditional talk therapy can miss. Gestalt therapy supports clients in integrating fragmented parts of themselves, promoting personal responsibility, and encouraging a fuller, more embodied experience of life. I often combine this approach with person-centered, trauma-informed, and cognitive-behavioral strategies to meet each client where they are and provide both depth and direction in the healing process.
Gottman method
I have specialized training in the Gottman Method and use its research-based interventions to support couples in building stronger, more resilient relationships. The Gottman Method, developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, is grounded in decades of empirical research and provides a structured framework for improving communication, managing conflict, deepening intimacy, and strengthening the friendship and emotional connection between partners. In my work with couples, I apply core Gottman tools such as the Sound Relationship House framework, the Four Horsemen and their antidotes, and emotion coaching to help partners better understand one another and repair patterns that contribute to disconnection or distress. I conduct thorough assessments to understand the couple’s strengths and challenges, then tailor sessions to help them build trust, emotional attunement, and constructive problem-solving skills. This method is especially effective for couples dealing with recurring conflict, emotional distance, infidelity recovery, parenting stress, or major life transitions. I often integrate Gottman tools with trauma-informed or attachment-based approaches to meet the specific needs of each couple, whether they’re looking to heal, reconnect, or strengthen their long-term partnership.