Christy Garnhart, LCSW

Christy Garnhart is a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois who centers her practice on supporting children, families, and individuals navigating life’s challenges. Much of her clinical background comes from working with school-aged children with a range of abilities, and she has frequently partnered with parents to identify programming, services, and interventions that address their children’s social-emotional needs. Her clinical work includes providing therapy for anxiety, depression, relationship discord, ADHD, autism, and difficulties related to trauma and abuse.

Christy’s approach builds on the strengths each person brings to treatment. She helps clients recognize and expand skills that contribute to the life and relationships they want while also identifying behavior and thought patterns that cause distress or limit functioning. She values collaborative goal-setting and works alongside clients to develop practical strategies for change. Christy appreciates the time it takes to consider therapy and welcomes conversations to determine whether her style and experience are a good fit for prospective clients.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Christy commonly draws from Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy to guide online sessions. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, client-centered approach that explores ambivalence and helps people clarify their own reasons for change. It is useful for clients working through behavioral changes, motivation challenges, or decisions about next steps in work, relationships, or health. Solution-Focused Therapy emphasizes practical steps and small, achievable goals; it helps clients identify strengths and resources to create forward momentum and is often effective for addressing situational problems and improving day-to-day functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Christy works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time as progress is made. This collaborative exploration helps shape a treatment plan that feels meaningful and doable.

Offering video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging makes therapy more flexible and accessible for busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or limited local options. These options allow individuals to maintain continuity of care, try different communication styles, and fit sessions into their daily lives while working with licensed professionals and therapists who can tailor methods to individual needs.