- Years in practice
- 31
- Credentials
- LPC-MH, LMHC
- Licensed in
- South Dakota, Iowa
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Christy
Christy Alten is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPC-MH) and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Iowa. She brings 31 years of experience helping adults and adolescents navigate addiction and mental health concerns. She writes plainly and listens carefully to understand what matters most to each person.
Christy focuses on practical steps that fit into daily life. She uses straightforward talk, coping skills, and problem-solving to reduce stress, manage anxiety, and address addictive behaviors.
Background and approach
Parenting is one of the areas she helps people sort through alongside grief, sleep problems, and mood concerns. Her approach blends client-centered conversation with proven behavioral tools. She draws from cognitive behavioral methods and dialectical skills to change patterns and build steady routines.
She also brings an existential and spiritual perspective when clients want to explore life purpose and meaning. Christy has long experience mentoring newer counselors and supervising clinicians. That background shows in her clear explanations and calm guidance during hard moments.
Sessions are aimed at concrete goals - better communication, fewer cravings, steadier moods, or clearer next steps. She offers sessions by video calls, phone, live chat, or text messaging to fit different schedules. People work with her to create a plan that fits their goals and day-to-day life.
What Christy works with
Everything Christy lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Christy helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Christy lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Christy’s Methods Fit Online Therapy
Client-centered therapy is about following the person’s lead and building a strong working relationship through active listening and empathy. It helps when someone first needs to feel heard and to set priorities for change.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing them with real-life experiments. It is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and changing behaviors linked to addiction.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, teaches skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication. These tools can reduce intense mood swings, manage anger, and improve day-to-day coping.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Christy will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for full conversations and skill practice, phone calls work when bandwidth or camera use is limited, and chat or messaging suits brief check-ins or on-the-go support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and keep contact between sessions when that is helpful.
Questions people ask about Christy
What concerns does Christy often address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, mood issues such as bipolar, and parenting struggles. Additional focuses include grief, sleep problems, anger, and career questions.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Christy combines client-centered listening with practical tools from CBT and DBT. She also brings existential and spiritual perspectives when clients want to explore meaning and purpose.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has practiced for 31 years, including extensive work with adults and adolescents around addiction and mental health concerns.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She holds LPC-MH and LMHC credentials and practices in Iowa with licensure details listed as SD LPC-MH and IA LMHC.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English only and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats does she use?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How does someone begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.
More therapists for parents in Iowa
All in Iowa
Dr. Edgar Villarreal
IA Psychologist
Iowa 7 years in practice English, Spanish
Dedicated psychologist for parenting and life stress
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
Lindsay DeMarlie
LCSW, LISW
Iowa 10 years in practice
Compassionate, practical support for parents and caregivers
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
Delishia Williams
LISW
Iowa 15 years in practice
Practical, person-centered support for parents
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem