Masters of Science, Marriage and Family Therapy, 2012
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA
Bachelor of Business Administration, Human Resources, 2008
University of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA
* Please Note: Only available during pre-scheduled appointment. To request an appointment with this provider, please go here.
Christine Topping, MS, LMFT is a therapist and the Chief Administrative Officer. She works with a wide variety of individuals, but especially loves helping families. She also has specialized training in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Christine was a Forty Under 40 Award Recipient in 2020.
Christine understands the difficulty of blended families. She has firsthand experience with step-parents and can relate to the struggle of varying family dynamics. Her PCIT training proves to be a valuable resources for her as she works with many families. In addition, Christine knows what it is like to experience loss. She has lost immediate family members and experienced the grief that follows. As a result, Christine is familiar with the grieving process. She knows that everyone grieves in their own way and compassion is key. There is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Christine has always been a caring individual. She wants everyone to be happy and feel included. Her desire is to help everyone know that they are important in this world. These characteristics led her to become a therapist. Through this role she is able to help others overcome their hardships while still acknowledging their worth and value. It is also important to her to increase mental health awareness overall. Without awareness, many individuals won’t receive the help that they need.
Outside of work, Christine continues to help by volunteering at local schools and with the Parks and Recreation department by coaching.
Her first priority is to make each person feel cared for and welcomed. One way to do this is to pay close attention to non-verbal cues. In addition, her intentional kindness and comfort helps develop and strengthen relationships. This allows individuals to trust her, putting them in a better position to heal.
Another important factor is to maintain a judgement free zone. No matter their situation, Christine never passes judgement. Instead, she remains aware of her reactions. She approaches situations with a calm and understanding perspective. This helps individuals feel more comfortable sharing their true thoughts and feelings. They trust her and the space, making them want to come back, and therefore furthering their progress in therapy.
While Christine provides love and support, she also wants to challenge people. For example, challenging any existing negative thoughts about themselves. These small challenges can help others to make positive changes in their life. She believes therapy is there to help foster change and to assist individuals in becoming their best selves.
It is rewarding to Christine when she is able to discharge individuals from therapy. It feels good when she can see someone thriving in life. For instance, when they want the best for themselves and work hard for their goals. She also loves seeing relationships be grow and improve.
The amount of major life events they have missed out on is upsetting. On top of that, they haven’t been able to have regular interactions with their friends. The changes, transitions, and confusion has been overwhelming for all of us, especially our teens.
No longer the taboo word it once was, sex is a normal and healthy part of our relationships as humans. Similarly, sexual wellness is the blend of our physical state, mental state, and social well-being in connection with our sexuality.
Holiday Stress is something that is probably impacting a lot of us right now — this year especially. The holidays are presented as a very joyful, warm, and fuzzy time of year. A lot of us want to decorate, give gifts, and bake treats. However, is this stereotypical image of the holidays realistic? What is the reality of bringing this vision to life?
