Christi Gallon, LCSW #22338

“A therapist’s presence creates a safe space for self-reflection, growth, and personal transformation.” 

My name is Christi Gallon, and I am a California-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #22338).  I earned my Master of Social Work degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.  With over 15 years of experience, I have had the opportunity to work in different clinical settings, including schools and various community mental health agencies as well as private individual therapy.  I also have extensive experience working with children, adolescents and adults who have had a history of trauma, anxiety, depression, bullying, LGBTQ challenges, divorce, and issues related to family/relationship dynamics. 

I have a passion for helping others and work toward creating an environment that is safe and supportive for you to express yourself.  I believe in a compassionate approach that empowers individuals to focus on personal and situational improvement. 

Through therapy, I will work collaboratively with you to identify productive goals, learn healthy and effective coping skills, gain emotional independence as well as assist with problem solving, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships in order to empower you and your personal growth. 

Anxiety & Stress

So often, in our daily lives, we face situations that are stressful or anxiety-provoking. While some stress and anxiety are normal, it can become problematic if that anxiety escalates, or is excessive and persistent to a level where it affects important areas of functioning. It can lead to the following: feeling fearful or on edge, excessive worries that are difficult to control, restlessness, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. Persistent anxiety and stress can also manifest in problematic physical symptoms, such as an increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, nausea, muscle tension, headaches, and dizziness. If these symptoms are interfering with your life, therapy can help. I specialize in the treatment of anxiety using interventions such as stress management, mindfulness, relaxation, and the development of effective coping skills to help individuals reduce their symptoms of anxiety and stress.

Depression

Depression can also take a toll on your well-being and can significantly impact your level of functioning. Symptoms include depressed mood, mood swings, feelings of sadness, loss of interest and pleasure in activities, increased social isolation, fatigue, loss of energy, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness as well as thoughts of suicide or self-harm also negatively affect self-esteem. I have extensive experience in treating depression, along with evaluating risk, implementing safety plans, and ensuring stabilization.

Trauma

The experience of a traumatic event or an ongoing trauma can have a debilitating effect on one’s quality of life. Experiencing trauma can result in fear or threats to one’s safety, flashbacks or distressing memories of the trauma, avoidant behavior, detachment, anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, self-destructive behavior, irritability, sleep disturbances, negative thoughts, beliefs and emotions, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

Throughout my clinical practice, I have worked with individuals and families who have experienced various types of trauma including situations involving abuse, neglect, abandonment, domestic violence, and other violent crimes. I have extensive knowledge and experience in trauma processing using various interventions that are tailored to one’s specific needs and goals. With clients who have experienced trauma, the initial focus is on stabilization and risk assessment. My treatment interventions include, but are not limited to, affect and regulation strategies, grounding strategies, the use of expressive arts, relaxation techniques, guided imagery, stress inoculation training, and family systems therapy. Emphasis is on learning healthy and effective coping skills and helping clients transition into living their lives without the emotional burden of past traumatic experiences.

Grief and loss

The experience of grief and loss can be a difficult and challenging road. Denial, regret, anger, depression, and anxiety can set in. Support from a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship can help process feelings surrounding a loss and navigate through the stages of grief.

Interpersonal Relationships

Interpersonal relationships refer to the association, connection, interaction, and bond between two or more people. This includes relationships among family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and romantic partners. Interpersonal relationships are built on loyalty, support, and trust. Without this foundation, relationships can become strained and communication difficult. Through a supportive and trusting therapeutic relationship, I can provide you with the tools to improve communication, social skills, and problem-solving skills to work toward building, improving, and strengthening your relationships with others.

Life Transitions

Life transitions often prompt us to make changes to our existing life. Some transitions can be predictable, such as leaving home to attend college or an upcoming marriage. Other transitions can be unpredictable, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job. Regardless of the transition, in therapy, we can work on processing the adjustment as well as identify helpful and effective coping, problem-solving, and decision-making strategies.

Treatment Modalities

In therapy, I utilize various treatment modalities including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Trauma Processing, and Family Systems Therapy. In addition, there is a strong focus on building a therapeutic relationship that is supportive, safe, non-judgmental and empathic. Interventions will be tailored to your needs with ongoing collaboration toward setting realistic and attainable goals.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions, such as negative or irrational thought patterns, beliefs, attitudes, and their associated behaviors in order to improve mood, regulate emotions and develop personal coping strategies that target solving problems in an effective manner.

Mindfulness-Based Therapy: Mindfulness therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meditation, and the cultivation of a present-oriented, non-judgmental attitude called "mindfulness."​  It is a type of talk therapy that focuses on learning how to be more aware of thoughts, feelings, emotions, surroundings, and actions in order to process and work through feelings in a healthy and productive way.  Interventions can include meditation (both guided and self-directed), visualization, body scan exercises, yoga, and relaxation techniques.

Trauma Processing:  Emotional traumas can come in various shapes and sizes, resulting from many possible causes.  Because the experience of trauma is fundamentally subjective and different for each individual, various techniques may be use to help process the trauma in order to improve level of functioning and achieve emotional stability.  As previously mentioned, the emphasis is on learning healthy and effective coping skills and helping clients transition into living their lives without the emotional burden of past traumatic experiences.

Family Systems:  Family Systems theory suggests that individuals are interconnected to their relationship networks.  People are influenced by their family but each person also influences their family unit. When something affects one member, it can have a resounding impact on every other member of the family. Understanding these family networks and the patterns of communication and conflict that occur within them is important in order to address and help resolve problems and conflict. 

I am here to assist you in discovering the changes you desire and support you throughout your healing journey. No matter what challenges you may be experiencing, I am here to lend an ear and help you find the way towards a more positive future. This is where I come in and help guide you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for a free 20-minute consultation.

Individual therapy sessions are 50 minutes/$150 per session and couples sessions are 50 minutes/$170 per session. 

I look forward to connecting with you!

Email: christigallon@gmail.com

Phone #: (562) 352-8413