Christine Ryan , LPC

Christine Ryan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who brings decades of clinical and coaching experience to people navigating relationship challenges, grief, transitions, and life change. She trained at Arizona State University, began her professional work in psychiatric hospital social work and community mental health centers, and has held licensure since 1983. For many years she maintained a private practice in Dallas before expanding her work to include life coaching and remote services.

After relocating to the Bay Area eight years ago, Christine shifted to working exclusively by phone and online, combining psychotherapy and coaching in practical, solution-oriented ways. She added formal coach training and became a Certified Life Coach in 2011, and she has received Disaster Management Training, including certification as a telephonic critical incident responder. Those experiences have informed her work with people facing anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, separation and divorce, parenting strains, grief, chronic illness, and other major life stressors.

As a cancer survivor of thirty years, she draws on personal insight when supporting others through serious medical and caregiving challenges. Christine emphasizes a three-step process of understanding the situation, exploring its effects, and identifying pragmatic next steps. She blends client-centered listening, cognitive-behavioral tools, and solution-focused strategies to help clients move toward meaningful change. She would be honored to be a partner in a client’s growth journey.

Therapeutic Approaches and Remote Care

Christine combines client-centered therapy with cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused techniques to offer flexible online support. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathic listening and collaboration, helping individuals feel heard and respected while they explore values and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress and to build practical coping skills. Solution-focused therapy concentrates on strengths and small actionable steps, making it useful for people seeking concrete changes and short-term progress.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Christine works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts strategies over time as progress and circumstances evolve.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which can make it easier to fit care into busy schedules or to access support from different locations. These formats provide flexibility in how and when someone connects with a licensed professional, and they allow therapy and coaching to continue even when in-person visits are not feasible.