PuttingFamilyFirst

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CC Portrait of Colin Christman
Online therapist

Colin Christman

Thoughtful, practical therapy for family concerns

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Credentials
LCSW
Experience
5 years
Licensed in
Connecticut
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Colin

Colin Christman is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Connecticut who centers his work on practical, evidence-based therapy. He focuses on family concerns, trauma and abuse, eating issues, depression, and coping with life changes. He writes plainly and aims to help parents and individuals name what is missing in their emotional lives.

Sessions begin with simple questions about who you are and what matters to you. Colin trained at Yale University for his undergraduate studies and completed graduate work at the University of Connecticut.

Background and approach

He spent much of his early career in intensive care settings, including inpatient and residential programs. There he worked with severe behavioral health problems such as substance use, self-harm, suicidality, eating disorders, and other complex issues. That background gave him experience with co-occurring trauma, personality disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and situations that involve family contact.

He has training in Internal Family Systems, and he uses trauma-specific techniques when appropriate. His overall style draws on psychodynamic ideas and relational theories to understand patterns that repeat across relationships. In sessions he treats symptoms as clues about unmet needs like safety, connection, identity, or purpose.

He helps people trace how those gaps shape thoughts, feelings, and actions. Then he works with them to test and shift beliefs that drive harmful patterns.

Colin also notes a history of working around a wide range of focused concerns such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness, communication and control problems, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. He sees therapy as a collaborative process of discovery and gradual change.

Approaches that guide online family and trauma work

Colin uses evidence-based interventions that aim to make everyday life more manageable. Internal Family Systems helps people notice and talk with the different parts of themselves - the scared part, the critic, the protector - so those parts stop driving unhelpful behavior. Trauma-specific techniques focus on reducing the power of painful memories and building skills for safety and emotional tolerance. Both approaches can be used to address family conflict, eating issues, depression, and reactions to major life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. He treats therapy as a collaboration and will help you choose techniques that match your goals and preferences. Together you look at what is working, what is not, and adjust the plan as needed.

Online sessions offer flexibility for busy families and individuals. Video calls recreate face-to-face conversation, phone sessions provide a simpler option, and live chat or text messaging let you check in between appointments. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into daily life while still working with a licensed professional to address family concerns, trauma, or mood issues.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does Colin address?
He focuses on family-related issues, trauma and abuse, eating concerns, depression, and coping with life changes. He also works with specific issues like abandonment, attachment problems, body image, caregiver stress, and chronic illness.
What is his therapy style like?
His approach is practical and relational, drawing on psychodynamic ideas and trauma-informed methods. He looks at patterns in relationships and how unmet emotional needs shape behavior.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has five years of professional experience, including work in intensive inpatient and residential settings with complex behavioral health problems.
What credentials and location are listed?
He is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, with license CT LCSW 58.013911 and practices in Connecticut.
Which languages are supported and can he work internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are accepted.
What formats are available for sessions?
Sessions can be done by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

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Experience
5 years
Licensed
Connecticut
Languages
English

Next step

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