Christine Heikkenen-Black, LPC

Christine Heikkenen-Black is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) based in Colorado with nine years of clinical experience supporting adolescents, individuals, couples, and families. She combines a long history in education as a retired special education teacher with clinical experience in both school and private practice, bringing practical knowledge of behavioral, developmental, and learning-related challenges to her therapeutic work.

Her background includes training and practice in addiction counseling and rehabilitation, and she has provided counseling for emotional and trauma-related concerns, substance use, brain injury, and intellectual and developmental differences. Christine emphasizes relationship strength and communication skills, drawing on intensive Gottman training - she has completed all three levels of Gottman Clinical Training and serves as a Seven Principles of Marriage educator and a Bringing Baby Home educator.

Christine works with a wide range of concerns including relationship and family conflict, stress and anxiety, coping with life changes, addictions, trauma and abuse, and issues related to attachment and chronic illness. She approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, tailoring conversation and treatment plans to fit individual needs. Recognizing that beginning therapy can feel daunting, Christine focuses on listening carefully, building trust, and helping people take the first courageous steps toward change.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches into Online Relationship and Life Work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people identify their core values and take meaningful action even when difficult thoughts or feelings arise. ACT is useful for stress, anxiety, avoidance, and helping clients move toward goals that matter to them.

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns of connection and trust in relationships. It explores how early and adult attachment styles influence communication, closeness, and conflict, and it can be especially helpful for couples, families, and individuals working through relationship and caregiving challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Christine collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they evaluate what feels most helpful and adjust strategies over time to support progress.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can be scheduled as video calls or phone conversations, or arranged as live chat and text-based messaging when that better fits a person’s routine. These options make it easier to maintain consistent care around work, parenting, or mobility limits, while allowing therapists and clients to focus on effective, goal-oriented work.