Christine Harker, CIT

What led you to becoming a helping professional?

There is an old Buddhist saying, "Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." To me, mental health wellness coaching can help people recognize the difference between pain and suffering. While we can’t go through life always avoiding pain, we can at least reduce the suffering we may experience along the way.

After a full career as a professor of medieval literature and environmental studies, I decided to retire early and pursue mental health work. I still love my previous subjects (and will equally happily talk about Beowulf or apex predators!), but it became clear to me that the need for mental health professionals was greater. The greater our ability to self-regulate and be calm in the midst of the increasing storms of this world, the better we can be forces for positive change.

What does being a 'good therapist' mean to you? 

Good helping professionals are fully present and authentic with their clients. They meet a client where that person is, listen to their goals, and help them to achieve those goals. In my sessions with clients, I strive to hold an unconditional positive regard, never judging you for what you may share with me. I also strive to help clients develop an embodied awareness and mindfulness practices, tuning in to what is happening in their body, and encouraging them to listen to that inner knowing sense rather than simply ignoring it.

What’s your training and educational background?

I studied Biochemistry as an undergraduate, and earned a PhD in Literature. I am currently working towards my Master's of Mental Health Counseling. I should be graduating in December 2024.

I currently support individuals through coaching approaches informed by Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as well as mindfulness-based strategies for personal growth and healing. Also, I have been a Feldenkrais practitioner and a yoga instructor. The Feldenkrais Method is a mind-body integration therapy modality that draws on the power of somatic awareness (that is, our fine-tuned awareness of sensation and bodily ability by way of our senses) to rewire the brain and improve ease of movement and reduce pain and injury. I integrate this knowledge into my work as a healing professional: Integration–whether it is mind/body, intellect/emotion, or self/world–is the foundation of all well-being.

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Outside of sessions, Christine is often outside gardening, running, or playing the banjo. She also spends an abundance of quality time with her beloved retired thoroughbred racehorse, Dale. She loves both purple and green.