Christie Rios, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida
Hi! My name is Christie Rios. I am passionate about serving the Lord and encouraging people of all cultural backgrounds to grow into the unique individuals that God created. Do you feel anxious, depressed, consumed in a world of substance abuse, traumatized, exhausted, stressed, unsure of how to cope, or just overall lost? If so, you don’t have to go through this alone!
I specialize in treating young adults and adults who have endured trauma, anxiety, and depression, using many approaches, including Brainspotting. As a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner, I am trained to help you access the deeper regions of your brain where emotional pain is often stored. Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment that uses your field of vision to locate points in the brain that correlate with unprocessed trauma. By identifying and processing these points, we can release the emotional and physical stress held within, leading to profound healing. This approach allows us to access areas that traditional talk therapy may not reach, providing a path to relief and emotional balance.
I have also been trained to guide you in finding relief from PTSD symptoms using Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). This therapeutic approach empowers you to evaluate your thoughts surrounding traumatic experiences, especially maladaptive or self-blaming beliefs. As you learn to identify and reframe your thoughts, you can actually improve your emotional regulation and reduce the impact of trauma on your daily life.
I am also eager to have the opportunity to guide clients in spiritual matters. Although it requires courage and strength to embrace hope or believe in the possibility of transformation, I have been blessed to witness incredible growth, progress, change, and complete healing through the power of God! I realize the decision to make a change in your life isn't easy and commend you for considering professional therapy.
If you take the next step and schedule an appointment, you can expect a safe and nurturing environment. I think you will find me to be empathetic, compassionate, straightforward, and flexible, basing my counseling techniques on your current needs. I believe in you and can't wait to hear your story!
Education
BS - Psychology and Theology (State University of New York College; Brockport, NY)
MA - Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling with a certificate in Integrative Mental Health Care (University of South Florida; Tampa, FL)
Post-graduate Training and Education
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Experience
~ Providing counseling since 2016 to individuals, couples, and families in a variety of clinical settings, including:
Crisis Stabilization Units
Homeless Services to individuals with co-occurring disorders
In-home and In-School Services to at-risk adolescents
Veterans Administration Substance Abuse Treatment for adults struggling with significant mental health and substance abuse issues
~ Serving as pastoral staff since 2019
~ Providing spiritual and ministerial guidance on a regular basis to those in need since 2017
Payment Accepted
Private Pay
Aetna
BCBS of Massachusetts
Horizon BCBS of New Jersey
Oscar Health
Oxford
United Healthcare
Primary Therapeutic Approaches