Christa Tipton, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Licensed Therapist in California

The simple answer? We will do it together. As your therapist, I am passionate about relational healing through building trust and rapport. I ask a lot of questions to get to know you better and we address your wants and needs together. I share resources and psychoeducation so you can learn more about yourself and have useful tools. I am holistic and explore your experiences in the contexts of environment, culture, and community systems. We don't exist in a vacuum. My therapeutic lens is person-centered, humanistic, and holistic. The mind and body are connected. I commonly use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) principles. I read the latest research and quote Mister Rogers. There is complementary wisdom in many therapeutic approaches and I find what is most useful for you at this time.

If you identify with feeling like an outlier, wanting to help others and make a difference in the world, or not meeting your expectations, I may be a good fit. I focus on people who may be neuro-complex, gifted, twice-exceptional, and looking to navigate life with less anxiety and more belonging. I also work well with those individuals in the tech/engineering sectors as well as first responders, as I have worked in those fields and understand the language, technology, work cultures and values.

As someone who is neurocomplex, gifted, and twice-exceptional, I am a lifelong learner and fascinated by how people interact with each other and their environments. I didn't find many others who mirrored my traits, needs, and multiple passions until adulthood. I have been a social worker for a decade, providing crisis services and helping people in the most stressful of situations. I understand how our families and communities shape us in our youth, what we need as adults to thrive, and what limits us. I am a therapist because I enjoy interacting with others who are also exploring themselves and may be an outlier on a bell curve of cultural norms.

We confront your challenges with kindness and unconditional positive regard. I am compassionate and practical, hopeful and realistic. The healing journey and adjacent grief are worthwhile. We hold that space for you. I want you to feel a sense of belonging and that you can trust the process. I listen, reflect with questions to avoid assumptions, and use stories to bring you clarity and self-compassion. "The opposite of depression is not happiness, it's vitality." - Alice Miller.

I join you in identifying and approaching problems to achieve self-actualization and reclaim your time and energy. Many of us are navigating life with bad info, oppressive cultural norms, and advice from emotionally immature individuals. We will collaborate to identify the issues most important to you. You may not even know where to start, and goals may change. That's ok! We will name a few effective goals and will move forward with the time and energy that you have. We will address the whole person, not just the symptoms.

We will discuss the therapeutic process, what to expect in the first few sessions, and explore if we may be a good fit.  We will ensure that necessary forms are filled out. I will ask you initial questions about what is affecting you right now and briefly identify what would be different if the issue were resolved. We will name two specific goals in a treatment plan and each goal will have two objectives. Please feel free to ask questions about therapy and clarify any confusion.

If you would like to explore therapeutic services outside of insurance, please email me at christatiptonlcsw@gmail.com. A sliding scale can be discussed as appropriate. I accept most insurance plans through the Rula platform www.rula.com.

If you have Kaiser, there are a few more steps to the process. Call Kaiser behavioral health to be approved for telehealth therapy and to be connected to the Rula platform. Kaiser may have you book an appointment with any available Rula provider. Rula will email you directly and once you are enrolled, you can cancel the appointment and change your provider to me.  If you have questions, please let me know.