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LMSW, LCSW

Christina Steele-Lietz, LMSW, LCSW

  • Experience20 years
  • LocationIllinois
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Client-Centered Therapy
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About Christina

Christina Steele-Lietz combines a person-centered, compassionate approach with structured, evidence-informed methods to help people navigate stress, trauma, mood concerns, and life transitions.

Background and approach

She frames therapy as a collaborative process in which the client is the expert on their life and she acts as a supportive guide - a confidante, teacher, and partner in identifying facts, exploring solutions, and building sustainable coping strategies.

With 20 years of professional experience, Christina brings a calm, attentive presence and a focus on practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, grief, and the lingering effects of abuse. Licensed social worker credentials (LMSW, LCSW) anchor her clinical work in Illinois and reflect a long-standing commitment to ethical practice and continuing development.

Christina draws from approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment principles, emotionally focused work, and EMDR to tailor interventions to each person's goals. She encourages clients to define their own priorities, learn how to respond to what cannot be controlled, and strengthen self-soothing and resilience.

Those seeking support for relationship concerns, identity-related challenges including LGBT issues, ADHD, caregiving stress, or other life adjustments will find an accepting and curious clinician ready to collaborate on meaningful change.

Integrating therapeutic approaches into online care

Christina often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients clarify personal values and develop flexible responses to difficult thoughts and feelings; ACT emphasizes present-moment awareness and committed action toward what matters. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and build practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, and everyday stressors. EMDR is another tool she employs for processing traumatic memories and reducing their emotional intensity, when clinically appropriate.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Christina works with each person to understand their goals, preferences, and life circumstances, and then tailors techniques so the plan fits the individual rather than forcing a single method. This collaborative stance helps clients feel involved in treatment decisions and better able to try new ways of coping.

Online therapy offers flexibility to access these approaches from home or other convenient locations. Video sessions allow real-time interaction that mirrors in-person work, while phone sessions provide an alternative when video is not possible. Live chat and text-based messaging can support between-session check-ins and skill practice, making it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and maintain continuity of care.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Christina commonly address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, ADHD, and identity-related matters such as LGBT issues.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
Her practice blends client-centered listening with structured therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and EMDR to meet each client's needs.
How much clinical experience does she bring?
Christina has 20 years of professional experience working with people across a variety of life challenges and clinical presentations.
What credentials and location are on record?
She holds LMSW and LCSW credentials and practices in Illinois; specific license details include MI LMSW 6801120967 and IL LCSW 149.011914.
Does she provide services in other languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available for working together?
Clients may access therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging according to availability.
How is cost structured for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and services are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseGriefDepressionCoping with life changes

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Adoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityDissociationDivorce and separationEating and food-related issuesFirst responder issuesGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

20+ years

Licensed

Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan

Languages

English

What Christina can help with

Christina Steele-Lietz works with clients on stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and coping with life changes.

Christina works with clients with stress and anxiety, depression, lgbtq+-related issues, and trauma and abuse.

How Christina approaches therapy

Christina's clinical approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

Experience and training

Christina is a Licensed Masters Social Worker practicing in Illinois, with 20 years of clinical experience.