Christine Olson, MA, LPCC

I remember riding as a passenger on a highway in the Bay Area as a child, wondering about the lived experiences of the people in passing vehicles. What are their lives like? What are their stories? What do they struggle with and what brings them joy I’d ask myself? Needless to say, my path to becoming a therapist started early!

 

My own upbringing and lived experiences contributed to my desire to help others and serve as an advocate of change, both for individuals and within our greater ecosystem. I was raised in two households with an unconventional family structure. I witnessed mental health within my family system. And gratefully, I was taught to embrace such differences within my family and others. I was encouraged as a child to use my voice to protect others from harmful language or behavior. As such, my role as a clinician is intertwined with my role as an ally. 

 

In addition to my wonderful job as a therapist, I am also a mother, partner, daughter, and animal caregiver. Much of my energy outside of work is dedicated to raising and playing with my own child. When possible, I nurture myself through swimming, playing soccer, reading, spending quality time with loved ones, and getting immersed in nature. I am a consumer of therapy and believe in the benefit of doing my own internal processing/healing. 

 

I hold the identities of a White, able-bodied, cis-woman, daughter to an LGBTQ parent; my ancestry includes Anglo-saxon (settler) as well as Armenian (settled) lineage. I am cognizant of and committed to engaging with the ways in which my identities and privileges impact my work and the spaces I inhabit. I hold myself responsible for continuing to examine my own internalized biases and unlearning of systemic messages that perpetuate harm. I hold a deep respect for the wisdom, practices, and values that come from indigenous and non-Western, de-colonial cultures. I welcome these resources into the therapeutic space!