about
carrie christiansen
licensed professional counselor • clinical supervisor
If you're living with anxiety, ADHD, or chronic insomnia, you may feel like your mind is constantly working overtime. Racing thoughts, difficulty focusing, restless nights, and feeling overwhelmed can make it hard to feel like yourself. Therapy should be a place where you don't have to hide those struggles—you can simply show up as you are.
As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona with over 20 years of clinical experience, I specialize in helping adults navigate anxiety, ADHD, and insomnia. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counseling, and I've worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient mental health settings, giving me broad experience supporting individuals through a wide range of mental health challenges. My work is grounded in psychodynamic therapy and informed by evidence-based treatments tailored to each client's needs.
Clients often describe me as warm, approachable, and easy to talk to. I strive to create a supportive, genuine environment where you feel safe, understood, and accepted without judgment. I view therapy as a collaborative process, working alongside you to better understand the patterns that may be keeping you stuck while helping you build on your existing strengths to create meaningful, lasting change. My style is conversational, thoughtful, and practical. I believe therapy should help you understand why you're struggling while also equipping you with tools that make everyday life feel more manageable.
I believe that every person has the capacity for growth and meaningful change. Whether you're hoping to quiet an anxious mind, better understand and manage ADHD, improve your sleep, or simply feel calmer and more grounded, my goal is to provide personalized, thoughtful care that helps you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
My own life experiences have also shaped the therapist I am today. I was born without the lower part of my right arm and wore a prosthetic hook - Captain Hook style - throughout childhood and junior high. Growing up with visible physical differences, along with navigating personal challenges and loss, taught me resilience, adaptability, and how to navigate adversity with flexibility and self-compassion. Those experiences allow me to connect with clients through empathy, authenticity, and a deep respect for the challenges each person carries.
My Approach
My therapeutic approach is grounded in psychodynamic therapy, which means we work to understand the underlying patterns, experiences, and relationships that shape how you think, feel, and respond today. By increasing awareness of these patterns, many people find they are better able to respond to life's challenges with greater flexibility rather than feeling caught in the same cycles. While gaining insight is an important part of the process, I also believe therapy should provide practical tools you can use in your daily life. That's why I integrate other evidence-based approaches when they best fit your needs and goals.
For clients struggling with insomnia and chronic sleep concerns, I am certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the gold-standard, first-line treatment recommended for chronic insomnia. Whether sleep difficulties have been part of your anxiety or a challenge of their own, we'll work together to improve both your sleep and your overall well-being.
I am also a Certified Clinical Provider for ADHD, with specialized training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD and executive functioning challenges. Whether you've recently been diagnosed or have spent years trying to understand why certain tasks feel harder than they "should," therapy can help you better understand how your brain works and develop strategies that fit your life.
My goal is to provide a thoughtful, collaborative, and individualized therapeutic experience that is responsive to your unique needs and circumstances.