About

Getting Started.

First, we’ll have an initial phone consultation where we’ll gather some information so that I can better understand what brings you to therapy and what your goals are for you and your child.

You’ll also have an opportunity to hear a bit about the work I do and how I can best support your child’s journey.

Once we establish that I am a good fit for you and your child’s needs, we’ll schedule our first session and I’ll send you the intake paperwork via email for you to complete before our first session.

For our first session, I’ll want to meet with just you as the parent to gather the pertinent background information and get a complete picture of what your child is expressing and experiencing, before I meet with them.

From there, we’ll schedule regular appointments for your child for their counseling sessions. We’ll also schedule additional Parent Support Sessions so that you and I can keep each other updated throughout the process.

Developing Trust

Picture this – you meet someone for the first time; they immediately sit you down, look into your eyes, and ask you to tell you your deepest darkest fears and regrets. How likely are you to open up?
(Personally, that’s a hard pass!)

Now picture a different scenario – You meet someone for the first time at your child’s sporting event.  You chat for a bit while you cheer your kid on, and then go your separate ways. After seeing them again and again at games, you become more comfortable with this person and look forward to seeing them. After several games, you develop a friendship, and even spend time together in other settings, on your own time.

One day, you go to a game feeling fragile because of something personal. Your new friend senses that something’s up and asks, “Hey, Is everything ok?” It’s easy for you to open up because there’s trust, and you feel safe in their presence. You know they genuinely care.

Compare these two scenarios. What makes the difference in your willingness to open up?
(Drumroll, please) Tada!

It’s the relationship.

Providing a Safe Environment

As a therapist, I’m not meeting your child at school, their sports team, or anywhere that is part of their regular schedule.

So why should they trust me?

It’s not enough for you as a parent to read about my experience and background. It’s not even enough for you to trust me (of course, I want that for us, too). I will need to gain the trust of your child to be able to help them.

To accomplish this goal, my job is to build a relationship with them so that they can feel safe.

There will be art activities, games, building, and music. Your child will have the power to choose the activities that match their unique needs and interests.

In addition, I will be a consistent, supportive, and active presence, teaching your child that I am someone they can trust. They will feel safe, and that is where the work begins.

Parent Support

You and I are entering into a partnership. Together, we’ll work to decipher the deeper needs of your child based on their behavior and background.

In our Parent Support Sessions, I’ll keep you informed about how your child is doing within the bounds of respect for their confidentiality. I’ll be relying on you to keep me updated as well.

There is work for you as the parent in this journey as well. In addition to providing support for your child in their sessions, we’ll also cover the skills and resources you need to interact with your child confidently. This approach provides consistency for your child in their home as well as in therapy and exponentially increases our work’s effectiveness.

              About Me

My journey

My love for helping others started at a very young age. My elementary school teachers consistently de

scribed me as compassionate and always willing to help others.

This compassion for helping others is somewhat of a theme for me, and I have worked with children since I was basically one myself at summer camps, school settings, and volunteering in my community.

I fell in love with working with young children in my years as a preschool teacher. Just me and ten little ones, I wracked my brain

to understand why they acted the way they did.

I soon learned that they were not so much manipulative or purposely trying to get under my skin but lacked knowledge of so many things – So. Many. Things.

The children weren’t trying to hide their feelings, they just didn’t have the language to express them.

Realizing their challenges started a fire in me – I developed a deep passion for understanding children and how to help best them grow into healthy and happy adults.

My Qualifications

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (ID- LCSW 40006) (WA- LW 61308530) and a Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCCPT).

My Philosophy

My view of mental health differs slightly from the mainstream medical model. I do not see my patients strictly through the lens of their problem or diagnosis. Instead, I seek to build a relationship with my clients as human beings first – then we tackle their challenges together.

I believe that people’s behaviors and struggles result from a combination of their past experiences and life circumstances.

Therefore, I’ve never seen problem behaviors as flaws in the person, but as their effort to be seen, heard, and accepted.

Certain life circumstances and traumatic events can lead to unhealthy behaviors as a means of survival. After we’ve survived, the behaviors can linger, getting in the way of our ability to thrive.

By increasing support through information, awareness, skill-building, and emotional support, we ease the difficulty of their situation and encourage healthy functionality.

Humans aren’t built to go through life alone. We often try to do so, but as a result, we end up feeling as though we’re failing – but we’re not!

We need deep and meaningful human connections to get through all that life throws us.

As a therapist, my role is to support you and your family in this life.

And I consider it my great honor to do so.

   My Free Time

     I have a great love of nature, music, people, and play. (Especially the last one, of course!)

     In my free time, you’ll find me enjoying the beautiful outdoors of North Idaho: either fishing,       kayaking, backpacking, or hiking with my family and our spunky red-haired retriever, Lukla.

     I also enjoy flower arranging, creating pottery, singing, and coffee dates with friends.

     That’s me.

     Now I’d love to meet you and your family.

Reviews

There aren’t enough good things to say about Cristy. She was amazingly patient, understanding, and kind. She never made me feel bad or uncomfortable. I will miss her so much. Choose the best- you will not be sorry!

-Adult client

If your child is having any sort of issue or problem you have the best there is right in front of you. Cristy is very kind. She saw my granddaughter who always looked forward to seeing her.

-Client’s parent

Cristy has helped me in many ways. I look forward to seeing her. She is fun and I don’t feel like I’m talking to an adult. I will miss her.

-11 year old client