Chrystal Dunkers

You should know that I specialize in helping Black, high-achieving women who shut down, hold everything in, or blow up under stress understand how anxiety is affecting their relationships. My style is direct, warm, and culturally aware. I won’t talk in circles or give you generic coping skills. I focus on helping you recognize the patterns that keep repeating in your marriage, family, or day-to-day interactions, and give you practical tools to respond instead of react. If you’re overwhelmed, on edge, or tired of carrying everyone’s emotions, I can help you figure out what’s really going on and what to do next.

My approach is practical, direct, and focused on what’s happening in your relationships right now. I use a blend of ACT, CBT, family systems work, and RLT-informed strategies to help you understand why anxiety shows up as shutting down, irritability, overthinking, or blowups—especially with the people closest to you. I don’t spend 12 weeks analyzing the past, but I do help you connect the dots between old patterns and the reactions you have today. Sessions are collaborative and straightforward, with tools you can apply between sessions so you’re not stuck in the same emotional cycle week after week.

In our first session, I’ll ask clear, straightforward questions to understand what’s been happening in your relationships, what your anxiety looks like day-to-day, and what triggers you the most. You won’t be put on the spot or expected to pour out everything at once. Together, we’ll map out the patterns you’ve been stuck in—whether that’s shutting down, overthinking, or blowing up—and identify the specific situations that push you there. By the end of the session, you’ll know what we’re working on, why it’s happening, and the first steps we’ll take to help you respond differently.