Therapist and Yoga practitioner.
Christina Sieren, LCSW provides a dynamic and integrative approach that individually customizes each service to the specific needs of each client.
Hey there, I’m Christina.
I’m sure this isn’t your first stop on your journey to help your teen.
I can almost bet you’ve either relentlessly searched for, and utilized different providers before, or you’re frantically trying to find help and resources, right now.
There’s a reason you’re here.
There’s a protectiveness that comes with being a parent. We want what’s best for our kids, yet sometimes what’s best, gets tangled with uncertainty, fear, and doubt.
Some days you’re treading water, and some days you find yourself drowning in hopelessness.
Over the last 16 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with numerous high-risk adolescents, their caregivers, and their families. Therefore, I understand that parenting a high-risk teen is a unique journey that requires innovation and an out-of-the-box approach.
Specialties
Telehealth Appointments Available
TEEN ANXIETY
I help adolescents break free from the hold anxiety has put on them and learn how to work with their anxiety, not against it. Teens will learn simple tools that are individualized to each person and can be used in a variety of settings.
SELF-HARM
When we connect with the existing fears that self-harming presents for teens, it supports us to broaden our perspective. We see the bigger picture of what self-harming is because we understand that it’s about managing really big feelings.
SUICIDE
Overcoming suicidal thoughts can feel like an uphill battle, but it doesn’t have to be. I help teens learn how to take one small step at a time, and how to let go of those negative messages that barricade confidence, courage, and hope.
TRAUMA
Teens and parents are often surprised that an experience can have such a profound impact. Adolescents are provided with the resources to work within their physical bodies and confidently navigate the stresses that trauma creates.
Therapy Approaches
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a therapy model that examines thinking patterns and helps clients change distorted thinking patterns. CBT is helpful in treating anxiety disorders and depression.
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is an evidenced-based therapy approach that connects cognitive and behavioral therapies. It’s often used to address high-risk behaviors including self-harming and other impulsive behaviors.
SEEKING SAFETY
Seeking Safety is an evidence-based model that treats trauma and/or addictions. Seeking Safety helps clients focus on the present moment through teaching different coping skills that help clients attain safety.
YOGA
The experience of practicing yoga is an invitation to witness and experience the shifting sensations in our body. It is through this introspection that we connect the mind, body, and soul creating greater balance and awareness.
IT’S FINALLY HERE!
My brand new book, Parenting Teen Girls: A Positive Parenting Approach to Raising Healthy, Independent Daughters, is officially out in the world.
It's been a wild ride from start to finish, and I'm thrilled to now be in a space to share this book with you.
I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I loved writing it!
This book is a collaborative, and interactive, approach on positive parenting principles that will help you, the caregiver, not only guide and support your daughter, but also connect with your teen on various topics.
Chapters address cultural factors that impact teens, brain development, communication, biological and social influences, body image, bullying, social media, sex education, gender expression and identity formation, and drugs and alcohol.
Education and Experience
WHY DID I CHOOSE THERAPY?
As children, we’re often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer was always, “I want to help people.”
At first, the dream was to be a Pediatrician. I enjoyed the authenticity that children effortlessly portrayed; their curiosity about the world, their blunt conversations, and their impulsive behaviors. But after much research, I realized that medicine wasn’t a good fit for me.
I envisioned sitting with clients, hearing their stories, and understanding and appreciating their unique experiences. So, after taking my first Psychology class in high school I knew that I wanted to be a Therapist.
I earned my Master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health from the University of Southern California and received my Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona.
I was awarded my professional license by the Board of Behavioral Sciences in 2010 and have been practicing as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since that time.
Professional Affiliations
California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Former Expert Consultant
National Association of Social Workers, Member
Certifications
LifeForce Yoga Practitioner, Level 1 and Level 2