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My name is Christopher Mahoney, I am a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. My goal is to create a nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship, where clients can build awareness and identify strategies to have a better quality of life.
My approach
I use unconditional positive regard to facilitate a person-centered approach that focuses on utilizing elements of Motivational Interviewing, CBT, solution-focused, Attachment-focused, and psychoeducation to help clients reach their goals and reduce symptoms.
My focus
I am open to working with any clients who have a genuine desire for change, self-awareness, and skill-building to positively improve their daily lives. I am open to working with individuals and couples focused on improving their relationships. I am currently not working with minors, but not because of a lack of belief in the importance of adolescent and child therapy.
My communication style
I intend to create a calming and safe environment that allows for openness with all clients. I believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship created with non-judgment, unconditional positive regard, and being person and emotion-centered in processing.
My journey to mental healthcare
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 7 years of experience in the mental health field. After completing my undergraduate studies at UCLA and completing my M.S. at California State University, Dominguez Hills. I have worked with adolescents, adults, and families in both outpatient and inpatient settings. have worked with a variety of client challenges, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, ptsd, complex trauma, self-harm, suicidality, and attachment disruptions. In my experience in inpatient care, I’ve experienced a vast range of human emotion, psychic pain, and high acuity mental health presentations, however, this work has only increased my amazement at the capacity of mental and emotional resilience that all people possess. It is my personal passion to play a role in reducing the stigmatization of mental health challenges, while honoring cultural and diversity realities. Regardless of the intensity of mental health challenges, I believe that unconditional positive regard, a humanistic framework, and a strong therapeutic alliance is the most important agent of any client’s change. I am strongly committed to meeting clients where they are in the process and attuning to their treatment needs by creating collaborative goals. Therapeutically, I strive to help people to build self-awareness, coping strategies, and self-acceptance, while deconstructing unhelpful processes and mental frameworks to meet goals that improve overall well-being. My preferred modalities range from solution-focused, CBT techniques, and motivational interviewing to existential, attachment-focused, or narrative approaches, depending on best fit for client’s needs. I am excited to work with any adult or adolescent desiring help and seeking change!
My goals for you
I encourage clients to be open to trying new strategies and continuing to be curious in the problem-solving process until reaching desired outcomes. Goals are set collaboratively to find solutions that clients believe in and are comfortable exploring.
My first session with you
The first session is intended to identify client needs, challenges, and current strategies utilized. Identifying strengths, weaknesses, and preferences is important in the first session. The initial session is also important to understand the therapeutic process and expand the client's understanding of known and unknown factors for their reason to start the therapeutic process.
