Christa Sands

I have always loved people’s stories and am honored to earn the trust of my clients and hear and witness the stories that God is writing in their lives. I knew as an adolescent that I wanted to pursue being a therapist after I made the hardest decision I have ever made to begin my own healing journey. I understand personally the process of working through deep emotional pain and the spiritual questions and wrestling that often come in the midst of dark seasons. I also understand and continue to experience how God redeems those seasons and makes beauty out of ashes as only He can do.

God has given me a deep compassion and empathy for people. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 is a significant passage for me and the work that I feel called to do. Because I have experienced God’s comfort in my life, I am able to walk alongside those suffering with a desire for Him to use me to bring comfort and hope. I believe that we are all created for relationships and so healing happens in relationships. Therefore, I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is vital to the therapy process and so I strive to build a good rapport with my clients. I want to make each person feel safe and comfortable with me, and feel heard, respected, and cared about. I also am respectful of where each person is at in their own faith journey and let each of my clients lead in deciding if and how much to include faith in the therapy process.

I work primarily with adolescents and women of all ages. I have experience working with a wide range of issues in different settings, including group homes, in-home therapy, and outpatient therapy. I am especially passionate about helping those struggling with the impact of abuse, trauma, depression, anxiety, life transition, low self-esteem, and self-identity issues.

Experience

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I received my Master of Arts degree from Azusa Pacific University in California. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in both Psychology and Communication from the University of Northwestern. During college I wrote the book Learning to Trust Again: A Young Woman’s Journey of Healing from Sexual Abuse to help survivors and those in their support system.