(He/Him)
New to Grow
Hello my name is, Chris. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 16 years of experience in counseling interventions with children, adults, and families. I have a successful history in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, & confidence. I pride myself in being a artner in you developing a new way to see and interact in reality.
In our first session, we will talk about what brings you to therapy, the challenges you are facing, and what you hope to gain from the process. I will ask questions about your current concerns, history, relationships, and goals so I can better understand the full picture. The first session is supportive but structured, and my goal is to help you feel heard, understood, and clear about the next steps in our work together.
It is paramount to me to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. My therapy style has been characterized as warm, encouraging, compassionate, and goal oriented. I believe that every person deserves a mental headquarters to map out how they think, and to be able to alter the course in which travel through reality. My approach is an amalgam of cognitive-behavioral, motivational interviewing, and grounding/practical techniques.
I am best positioned to serve adolescents and adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, relationship concerns, motivation, self-esteem, and emotional overwhelm. I work well with clients who may feel stuck in old patterns, weighed down by past experiences, or disconnected from the version of themselves they want to become. Many of the people I serve are trying to make sense of painful emotions, improve daily functioning, strengthen relationships, and build a more grounded, purposeful life. My background also positions me well to support clients facing parenting stress, family conflict, grief, faith-related transitions, and couples or marital concerns, including communication problems, disconnection, and conflict resolution. In addition, I have experience helping individuals navigate behavioral health challenges with a practical, compassionate, and structured approach that balances emotional insight with action. I tend to be a strong fit for clients who want more than just a place to vent. I work especially well with people who want to understand why they think, feel, and react the way they do, and who are ready to develop healthier perspectives, coping skills, and patterns over time. My approach is well suited for clients whose goals include healing, clarity, emotional regulation, improved relationships, greater confidence, and meaningful forward movement in life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my practice, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through a reality-based lens. I help clients examine the beliefs they have accepted as true, even when those beliefs were formed from fear, pain, or past experiences rather than present reality. Much like a child can fully believe in something like Santa Claus because it feels real and is reinforced over time, many people build their emotional lives around assumptions that once seemed protective but are no longer true or helpful. These false premises often fuel anxiety, stress, shame, and distorted self-perception. I use CBT to help clients identify those unhelpful thoughts, challenge their accuracy, and replace them with beliefs grounded in truth and present-day reality. The goal is not just symptom relief, but freedom: freedom from old lies, freedom from distorted interpretations, and freedom to see themselves, others, and their circumstances more clearly. Over time, this process helps clients shift their perspective, respond rather than react, and build healthier patterns of thinking, feeling, and living
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT to help people break free from emotional reactions and survival patterns that once protected them but now keep them stuck. Many clients are living from pain, fear, or assumptions rather than what is actually true in the present. Through DBT skills, I help them slow down, tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and act with greater wisdom and intention. The goal is to help them live less from old wounds and more from truth, reality, and effective action.
Motivational Interviewing
I use Motivational Interviewing to help clients resolve ambivalence and strengthen their own motivation for change. My approach creates a nonjudgmental space where clients can explore what they want, what is holding them back, and why change matters to them. Over time, this helps them move toward greater clarity, confidence, and action that aligns with their values.
Trauma Informed Care
I use trauma-informed care to help clients understand how past experiences may be shaping their present thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. My approach emphasizes safety, respect, and compassion while helping clients recognize that many coping patterns once served a protective purpose. Over time, clients can begin to feel more empowered, grounded, and able to respond to life from the present rather than from past wounds.
Trauma-Focused CBT
I use TF-CBT to help clients address the impact of trauma on their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. My approach helps clients build coping skills, process traumatic experiences, and challenge trauma-related beliefs such as shame, fear, or self-blame. Over time, this helps them develop a greater sense of safety, clarity, and emotional healing.