Christine Elder

Christine is an art therapist who recently relocated to St. Louis from Louisville, Kentucky and currently holds the status of Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC) in Missouri. Christine earned her bachelor’s degree in art and psychology and her master’s in Counseling and Personnel Services with a concentration in Art Therapy from the University of Louisville. During her masters, she gained clinical experience working in the private school setting with children and teens with language-based learning disorders and anxiety. Post-graduate school, Christine worked as an in-home therapist in the family preservation and reunification division of a high acuity non-profit organization in Louisville, where she worked with families with extensive trauma histories, involved in the child welfare system. Throughout her experience, she learned that the best way to help clients who feel pressured during traditional talk therapy is to get them excited for the process of communicating their feelings.

Christine specializes in Art Therapy, an interactive and adaptable method that is effective in reaching a wide range of clientele. Her philosophy follows a client-centered and trauma-sensitive approach where she focuses on building a strong therapeutic relationship with clients and establishing a safe environment to promote healing and growth. Through her practice, Christine found that art can serve as a natural means of communication to create a space for authentic self-expression. Christine aims to make therapy a collaborative and expressive experience to break down barriers of language and help her clients explore overwhelming emotions through a creative outlet. She incorporates several approaches into her art therapy practice such as play therapy and sand tray therapy techniques, mindfulness techniques, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and strength-based techniques to meet her clients where they are. Christine is open to working with any age group.