Christina Benboudiaf, LMHC

Christina Benboudiaf is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York. She focuses on helping people who face stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, grief, anger, and mood concerns. Christina also offers support around relationship and family strains, LGBT issues, life changes, and coaching for next steps.

Christina uses a calm, straightforward style in sessions. She centers conversation on what matters most to the person in front of her and listens without judgment. Sessions draw on mindfulness practices to help people notice thoughts and body sensations in the moment.

She commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which looks at how thoughts and behaviors affect mood. Christina also incorporates dialectical behavior therapy skills to help manage intense emotions and improve coping. Her approach includes client-centered ideas that prioritize the person's own goals and experience.

Christina has five years of clinical experience as an LMHC working with people affected by substance use, domestic violence, and a range of mental health diagnoses. She emphasizes practical steps people can try between sessions, such as simple behavioral experiments or grounding exercises.

Her aim is to create a steady, respectful space where clients can talk honestly and try new ways of coping. Christina encourages small goals and steady progress rather than quick fixes. If someone wants clearer direction or problem-focused work, she blends coaching with therapeutic tools to move toward concrete change.

Approaches that translate well to online work

Christina often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people spot unhelpful thought patterns and try different behaviors to change mood and stress. CBT tends to suit worry, depression, and patterns tied to daily habits.

She also uses client-centered methods that focus on the person's goals and experience. This approach emphasizes listening and following the client's lead so therapy stays relevant to their life. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are another common element, offering concrete techniques for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Christina collaborates with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, preferences, and the issues they bring. She adapts techniques over time based on what helps most.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make attending easier. Video is useful for in-depth conversation and practicing skills together. Phone sessions can be a lower-bandwidth option or fit a quick check-in during a break. Live chat and text messaging allow brief check-ins, tracking progress, or working through coping skills between longer sessions. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into daily life.