I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Atlanta, Georgia with more than seven years of professional experience in working with clients that have included everything from play therapy with young children to grief counseling with grandparents. My most recent focus has been working with families in the LGTBQIA+ community as they process a variety of issues.
My personal philosophy is to find humor in everything and live passionately. A little more about me? I’m a big nerd who loves sci fi and fantasy like Aasimov’s Foundation series (I have big opinion’s about Apple’s adaption). I go to regional Burning Man events and make art from thrift store Barbies. I love to garden, but am pretty terrible at it. I generally despise most holidays but enjoy being silly and posting memes about them. I like board games and puzzles and go to conventions. When I need to meditate and be calm I watch my tank of guppies and ghost shrimp.
Back to therapy! If you’re looking for something specific; I am kink and BDSM lifestyle friendly, as well as supportive of those in ethically non-monogamous relationships such as polyamory. I also have experience dealing with intra cultural shifts such as transitioning out of conservative religious backgrounds and processing the changes in belief and subculture. I work well with folks who are working on self esteem and body positivity. I have a lot of experience working with non neurotypical folks with autism spectrum and adhd diagnoses. I also work well with issues of anxiety and depression.
My approach to therapy is client goal directive, believing that you usually know where you want to go. I believe in pushing gently at the edge of my client’s comfort zone; therapy shouldn’t be painful, but it should help you move forward. To that end, I often help my clients design their own “homework” to try outside of sessions to see and measure their own progress. Didn’t do your homework? That tells us you weren’t ready, or that something was blocking you, or you weren’t motivated… therapy doesn’t have grades, just learning!
If you’re still reading, I hope you’re ready to start our therapy journey together.
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Career difficulties, Depression, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture, Caregiver issues and stress, Emptiness, Fertility issues, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hoarding, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Mood disorders, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Phobias, Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-love, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Trichotillomania, Women's issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
GA LCSW CSW008503
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Christine Penguino. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Christine is an amazing therapist!
She is an attentive listener, always comes up with new perspectives and ideas while helping me with my introspections and navigate my mind and issues.
She has this way of making me feel seen, heard and understood.
10/10 I would HIGHLY recommend.
Amazing therapist for any folks in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Written on Oct 11, 2023 after therapy with Christine for 5 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, and self esteem
I feel like my sessions with Christine is an open non-judgemental space. It's very positive, I feel safe to be expressive with my thoughts and feelings. I also feel supported in the hard work to get beyond my pain points to see and experience life in a different way. It's a healthy conversation, I leave each session feeling heard, better about myself and the people I interact with.
Written on May 18, 2023 after therapy with Christine for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
I just started working with Christine, but she truly listens and offers several suggestions for homework in between sessions, helps to point you in the direction of some good groups, and checks in often through chat! I greatly appreciate all of the support already!
Written on May 11, 2023 after therapy with Christine for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, eating disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, compassion fatigue, and adhd