Who We Are

Dr. Christine E. Carpenter

I am passionate about what I do. I see my professional development as a life-long process and look forward to the ongoing enrichment of my practice.

Christine Carpenter, PSY.D., Founder

Over the years, I have built a practice devoted to improving the lives of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, struggling with a number of different issues. More recently, I have shifted my focus from clinical practice to the training of pre-licensed and early career therapists. I very much enjoy mentoring as it gives me the opportunity to share all that I have learned in my two decades of providing psychotherapy.

Education

I knew that I wanted to be a psychologist when I took my first Intro to Psych class in high school. I have always been insatiably curious about human emotion and behavior and psychology offered a window into a deeper understanding of how we function as people. After high school, I majored in psychology at Michigan State University and from there went on to receive my Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago (now Argosy University).

While in graduate school my interests led me to minor in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy which has its roots in Freudian psychology. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is based on the idea that we are shaped by our past experiences in ways that we are not always aware of. As I began to practice therapy at my various training sites, I found myself drawn to the Interpersonal Psychology model which allowed for a much more collaborative and interactive therapy experience with my clients. Interpersonal or Relational psychotherapy focuses on the individual in relationship and uses the interaction between therapist and client as a tool for change.

Additional Training

The combination of psychodynamic and relational treatment philosophies provided me with a very solid and balanced foundation through my pre-doctoral internship at Butler University Counseling Center in Indianapolis and my post-doctoral training year at Allendale, a residential treatment center for adolescents in Wisconsin. When I completed my degree and joined Clarus Center (a group private practice in Naperville) in 2000, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge base and pursue additional interests.

My experience at Clarus taught me about more alternative therapies and it was during my time there that I was first introduced to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP). I have since been trained in both treatment models; to Level II in EMDR and Level I in SP. Both have transformed my practice in that they allow me to more holistically address my clients’ issues. These techniques access all levels of functioning; thoughts, emotions, physical sensation, images, the 5 senses, the unconscious and spirituality. The comprehensive nature of these approaches, along with the experiential aspect of the work, leads to a more efficient therapy process and longer-lasting change.

Completion Therapy (CP) is another experience-based model in which I have been trained at a beginner level. CP is an treatment model that strives to complete deep, unresolved emotional experiences in an intensive format where a client may spend a few hours at a time on a particular issue.

In order to continue learning and growing as a therapist, I regularly invest in training and conferences that I believe will benefit my clients’ work. I have sought additional training or independently studied topics such as attachment, trauma, group therapy, EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Completion Therapy, eating disorders, self-injury, dissociation, Borderline Personality Disorder, couples’ therapy, guided imagery and more. I am very passionate about what I do and see my professional development as a life-long process. I relish the opportunity to enrich the practice of other dedicated psychotherapists.

Jennifer Harrison, MA

I received my master’s degree in mental health counseling from Purdue University . I enjoy providing individual, couples, and group counseling. I believe in blending components from different clinical modalities and tailoring them to my client’s specific needs. Some of the modalities I have used include interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, and humanistic therapy.

I am currently working with adults and adolescents with a variety of issues including: depression, anxiety, trauma, extreme stress, relationship difficulties, adjustment disorders, mood disorders and eating and body-image issues. My priority in our therapeutic relationship is that you feel comfortable and accepted in a safe and non-judgmental environment. It is imperative to me that you feel heard and understood. My objective is to work with you as a whole person, rather than just a list of issues. I am active in-session with my clients and I enjoy using humor as a tool for healing and connecting in the therapy relationship.

I truly love what I do and feel privileged to be a part of my client’s lives.

I see clients in the downtown office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please feel free to reach me at 317-385-7002 or jennijen.harrison@gmail.com.

Jennifer Harrison, MA

I received my master’s degree in mental health counseling from Purdue University . I enjoy providing individual, couples, and group counseling.