Licensed by the states of North Carolina and Georgia, Chris Lahowitch has an MSW degree from the University of North Carolina, an MA from the University of South Carolina, and a BS from the University of Florida. Her professional experience includes work with anxiety, depression, conflictual relationships, trauma, self-esteem and life-fulfillment questions, LGBTQI issues, mindfulness based stress reduction, parenting, adoption, aging and grief, and stressors from systemic inequities. She also assists in uncovering and understanding old, harmful patterns and replacing them with strengths and resiliency leading to an improved capacity to form more satisfying relationships.
Chris’s Treatment Philosophy: I believe that the hardships and emotional pain that bring people into psychotherapy do not come from internal defects or moral badness. Most emotional conflicts are outcomes of accumulated stress from living in an era of busy lives with too few deep human connections. The need to communicate with other human beings—to make ourselves be understood and feel appreciated—is a prime motivator in all we do. When people haven’t had the opportunity to be fully understood, communication is difficult, and we often unknowingly become our worse enemy in important relationships.
In a good therapeutic relationship, clients are respected, listened to and understood. We uncover the unconscious ways they sabotage their efforts to feel heard and appreciated. When this is understood and worked through, clients have a better idea of how to get what they want in life.
A therapeutic relationship encourages clients to face their strengths, to know and forgive themselves for their vulnerabilities, and to learn how to enhance their lives and the lives of the people around them.