Challis Russell, LPC, LCMHC

Challis Russell is a licensed counselor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, addiction concerns, and life transitions. She approaches therapy with empathy and practical focus. Clients can expect straightforward conversation and a steady presence while they work toward clearer goals.

She practices from a holistic view that considers emotional, social, and physical wellbeing together. Challis earned a master’s degree in clinical counseling from Johns Hopkins University and holds LPC and LCMHC credentials. She has five years of clinical experience supporting people with anxiety, depression, trauma, and other challenges.

In sessions she listens first, then helps clients set manageable steps. Techniques are drawn from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral ideas, mindfulness, and solution-focused strategies. That means sessions often include reflective listening, identifying unhelpful thinking patterns, building simple coping skills, and defining small goals to try between meetings.

Challis has worked with a range of concerns including family and relationship issues, adoption and foster care topics, attachment and codependency patterns, grief around divorce or separation, and challenges such as ADHD, bipolar symptoms, anger, or low self-esteem. She also discusses intimacy, commitment, and communication problems in practical terms.

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients. People interested in beginning therapy can use the site’s Start Therapy process to match and schedule according to availability.

How therapeutic approaches shape online care

Challis uses client-centered therapy to create a respectful, listening-first space. This approach focuses on understanding what matters to the person and following their lead, which helps people feel heard and build trust.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT to identify patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to distress. CBT offers clear, practical tools to test assumptions and try new responses for anxiety, depression, addiction-related urges, and relationship stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to match methods to their goals and preferences, and to adjust strategies as progress is made.

The biography does not specify which online formats are used, so confirm current session options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people try techniques such as mindfulness practices and CBT exercises together with a licensed professional in a flexible way.