“I regard the desire to be loved and cared for as being an integral part of human nature throughout adult life.”
—John Bowlby
pronouns: she/her
Psychotherapist
While in my graduate studies in Human Services, I discovered that there was a professional path for embracing my infinite curiosity about the role of love and relationships in human development. So, I shifted my focus to clinical work, and my rewarding experiences have reinforced this decision many times. This work has enriched my life in many ways! In recent years, I have found a particular enthusiasm for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Sex Therapy. I find great efficacy in models that embrace love and connection as a fundamental human need and survival tool. It resonates in such an exciting way with what I have encountered in my work.
I enjoy working with different types of relationships, and I have extensive experience addressing challenges in parent/child and sibling relationships. In addition to my work with adult relationships and individuals, I enjoy helping teens 14 and up embrace their emerging autonomy and independence in a way that accounts for developmentally appropriate boundaries and healthy communication. I work to create a space that is safe for honesty, and have been able to engage teens who have struggled in other therapies. I work with trauma, adoption issues, life transitions, and loss. I love supporting relationship-focused parenting and difficult conversations around sexuality, consent, and reproductive health.
My practice is informed by the premise that (1) All humans have a fundamental need for meaningful connections to others; (2) People will thrive when they feel safe and have the right support; (3) We all have pain. The quality of our life and relationships depends on how well we manage our pain. I take a trauma-informed, attachment-focused approach, and draw from a number of modalities, including EFT with individuals and couples, mindfulness, person-centered, and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) therapies. Clients have described me as being uniquely skilled at having hard conversations while balancing honesty with kindness and compassion. I value a practical, validating, and supportive approach to psychotherapy.
I am LGBTQ affirmative and welcome people of all genders, sexual orientations, relationship configurations, and lifestyles.
I acknowledge the realities of racism, embrace an anti-racist stance, and strive to be culturally sensitive and honoring of intersectional realties. I also recognize that this is a work in progress for all of us, and invite dialogue if I err. I have an ongoing commitment to educate myself in these areas.
I am meeting clients in person or via telehealth.
Education and Credentials
- MA (Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling), 2007
- Illinois LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor), #180.008075
- Missouri LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), #2013008263 - available via telehealth only
To contact Christina, please call 847.425.1500, ext. 3, or email christina@evanstonrelationalpsychotherapy.com.