Christopher Giangarlo

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious, depressed, or just unsure of what you’re supposed to be doing with your life, you don’t have to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. I frequently work with teens and young adults ages 14–23, and I understand that these years can come with a lot of pressure—school, work, friendships, family, relationships, figuring out who you are, and trying to understand where you fit in the world. I’ve worked with people in a variety of mental health settings and have experience helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, mood concerns, substance use, neurodivergence, and major life transitions. More than anything, I want you to feel like you can be yourself with me. I’m a huge fan of movies, comics, and pop culture, and I enjoy finding those shared interests and experiences that can make it easier to connect and talk about what’s really going on. I love exploring how the stories that shape us reflect the times we live in, and I often draw on those shared cultural moments to connect with you in meaningful ways.

Therapy should be a place where you feel comfortable being honest—not a place where you feel like you’re being judged or told who you’re supposed to be. I’ll meet you where you are and work with you, rather than expecting you to fit into a certain mold. Together, we’ll work on understanding what you’re experiencing, figuring out what you need, and building practical tools to make things feel more manageable. If you’re neurodivergent, anxious, depressed, struggling with substance use, or simply trying to navigate a major transition in your life, I want to understand your experience from your perspective. You don’t have to pretend everything is okay with me. My goal is to build a relationship based on trust, respect, and genuine connection while helping you develop the confidence and skills to move toward the life you want.

You don’t need to know exactly what to say when you walk through the door. If you’re nervous about starting therapy, that’s completely okay. Our first session is mostly about getting to know each other and helping me understand what life has been like for you lately. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what you’ve been struggling with, and what you would like to be different. I’ll also want to hear about the things that are important to you—not just the things that are going wrong. You won’t be expected to tell me everything right away, and there’s no “right” way to do therapy. We’ll take it at a pace that feels comfortable for you and start figuring out together what might be helpful. My hope is that you leave your first session feeling like you were actually heard and that you’ve found someone you can be yourself around.