Her Story
About Christie
Christie A serves as a mental health specialist and dialectical behavioral therapist, with a decade of experience supporting at-risk and incarcerated youth through evidence-based approaches including dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. She completed specialized training in dialectical behavioral therapy at the Portland DBT Institute and holds an art therapy degree from Mercyhurst University, where she concentrated on developmental psychology and abnormal psychology after attending the University of New Mexico. In addition to her therapeutic work, Christie co-owns and operates a tree pruning and removal service with her spouse in Chehalis, Washington, where she handles groundwork and bookkeeping while her spouse manages climbing and heavy work. She plans to enroll as a member of the ISA to further support her tree care business. Christie attributes her professional success to personal determination and the support of influential individuals who have encouraged and taught her throughout her journey.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Christie
01What do you attribute your success to?
Despite not having many familial supports growing up, I really feel blessed that my own determination definitely got me a good ways, but also just people that have come into my life that have supported me, and encouraged me, and helped teach me new things. Over the years, I can just think of several that were super influential of no matter how hard it felt getting to the point that I'm at right now kept my motivation going. So I feel like I'm standing on all of their shoulders at this point.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
To value myself, to value the observations of the outsider when it comes especially to working with people in a care environment, and to not take your work home. And do as much self-care as possible. Cause that allows you to last in those spaces.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For the tree care industry, I would encourage that it is really fun and rewarding to be able to work in that role and know that you can do something that seems really intimidating and hard. For working in tree care, because that industry's definitely for physical reasons mainly you know doesn't have as many women in it, but I'm small in stature so if I can do it they can. When it comes to the mental health field, to really know your limits, to really have found your own healing before entering a space where you're trying to help someone else find their healing. And I cannot emphasize self-care enough.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.