Christine Rufener

Christine Rufener - Ph.D.

- Offers sessions only online

Christine uses metaphor and humor to bring therapy to life and make it not just a pathway to feeling better, but an enjoyable experience, as much as that is possible.

I am a clinical psychologist who has been providing psychotherapy and mental health services for more than 15 years in the US and, for the last six years, overseas in countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. I am highly trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and have published articles and participated in research in implementing CBT techniques in specific populations. I also have certifications in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and behavioral family therapy and training in Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). I have extensive experience working with clients presenting with problems ranging from adjustment difficulties and stage-of-life changes to serious conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance dependence. 

My approach to therapy is open, authentic, and person-focused–which means I hold important that the client is in the driver’s seat of his or her care, though I do not hesitate to speak honestly, even when my observations or assessment may be difficult to hear. I use metaphor and humor to bring therapy to life and make it not just a pathway to feeling better, but an enjoyable experience, as much as that is possible. 

As a person, I am endlessly curious about people, places, and stories and became a psychologist because I believe that a person’s story has the power to change their life. Finding the best way to do that, unique to each client, is what keeps me challenged, engaged, and many times, rewarded as a therapist. I love to travel and learn about new cultures, to read books and listen to podcasts (stories!), and to take long walks at various and varying elevations.