Therapist Info
About Me:I’m Christina P. Kantzavelos, LCSW, a trauma informed clinician and psychedelic integration practitioner. My work sits at the intersection of trauma, chronic illness, the nervous system, and mind-body healing.
I bring more than a decade of clinical experience to my work, along with a deeply personal understanding of what it means to navigate complex health experiences and to be on the other side of the therapeutic relationship. This has shaped an approach that is compassionate, curious, and grounded in the belief that healing is rarely linear.
I work with people who are looking to better understand themselves, their bodies, and the experiences that have shaped them. I am particularly drawn to supporting people navigating chronic and complex illness, trauma, major life transitions, and profound experiences that can be difficult to put into words.
My approach integrates trauma informed therapy, EMDR, mind body approaches, nervous system regulation, and psychedelic preparation and integration. I do not believe there is one right way to interpret a psychedelic experience. Instead, I create space to explore what emerged, what it may mean to you, and how you might thoughtfully bring those insights into your everyday life.
I see therapy and integration as collaborative processes. You are the expert on your own experience; my role is to help you slow down, become curious, and make meaning of what you are moving through.
Description of Services:I offer individualized psychedelic preparation and integration support for people who are exploring psychedelic experiences in legal and appropriate settings, as well as those who are processing an experience that has already taken place.
Preparation sessions can help you establish intentions, identify potential emotional or psychological material that may arise, explore concerns or fears, and develop practical strategies for approaching an experience with greater awareness and grounding.
Integration sessions provide a space to process what emerged during a psychedelic experience and explore how it may relate to your emotions, relationships, sense of identity, spirituality, physical body, or larger life transitions. Experiences do not always feel profound or positive, and integration can also be helpful when an experience was confusing, challenging, destabilizing, or simply difficult to make sense of.
My work is especially informed by trauma and chronic illness. For people living with complex or persistent health conditions, psychedelic experiences can bring up unique questions about the body, illness, identity, grief, control, uncertainty, and the possibility of change. I offer a space to explore these experiences without reducing them to either a purely psychological or purely physical explanation.
Depending on your needs, sessions may incorporate trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, nervous system regulation, somatic and mind-body approaches, and other integrative techniques.
My role is not to direct your experience or tell you what it means. Rather, I help you develop the safety, awareness, and support needed to explore your experience and determine what feels meaningful and useful to carry forward.
Credentials & Certifications: LCSWLicenses: California LCSW #73271 Oregon LCSW #L12895 Washington LCSW #61237433 Colorado LSW #LSW.0009926858Details
Remote Practitioner: YesPrice Range: 299-400My Process
Overview of Experience:My approach to psychedelic preparation and integration is individualized, trauma-informed, and focused on helping clients feel grounded, supported, and empowered throughout the process.
Preparation begins with understanding the client’s goals, intentions, current circumstances, previous psychedelic experiences, and any concerns they may have. Together, we explore what they hope to learn or shift, potential emotional material that could arise, strategies for grounding and self-regulation, and ways to create an environment that supports a meaningful experience. Preparation is also an opportunity to identify when psychedelic work may not be appropriate and to establish a plan for support before, during, and after the experience.
Integration takes place after the experience and provides space to slow down and process what emerged. We may explore emotions, memories, insights, changes in perspective, challenging or unexpected experiences, relationships, spirituality, identity, the body, or questions about how to translate an experience into everyday life. I help clients distinguish between an insight that feels meaningful in the moment and changes that can realistically and sustainably be incorporated into their lives.
Integration can be particularly valuable following experiences that were difficult, confusing, emotionally intense, or unexpected. There is no assumption that every experience needs to be interpreted as positive or transformative.
Throughout the process, I draw from trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, nervous system regulation, somatic and mind-body approaches, while honoring each client’s own framework and meaning-making. My role is not to tell clients what their experience means, but to provide a grounded space in which they can explore it safely and thoughtfully.
Intake Process:I begin with an initial consultation to understand what brings the client to psychedelic preparation or integration, their goals for working together, and whether my approach and scope of practice are an appropriate fit.
For clients seeking preparation, I discuss their intentions, previous psychedelic experiences, current support system, relevant psychological and medical history, medications, and other substances when clinically relevant, and any concerns or contraindications that may affect whether psychedelic work is appropriate. I also assess current stability, support needs, and the client’s ability to engage in the preparation and integration process.
Clients complete appropriate intake and consent documentation before beginning services. When additional medical or psychiatric evaluation is indicated, I may recommend that the client consult with their physician, psychiatrist, or another qualified medical professional before proceeding.
I do not provide or administer psychedelic substances. My role is focused on preparation and/or integration within the scope of my clinical training and practice.
I am intentional about screening for situations that fall outside my scope of practice or that require a higher level of care. If I determine that I am not the appropriate provider, I discuss alternative resources or referrals with the prospective client.
The goal of the intake process is not simply to determine whether someone is interested in psychedelics, but whether this work can be approached responsibly, safely, and therapeutically within the context of the client’s individual needs.
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