01 · Who Christine works with

Christine works with relationship issues, family conflicts and parenting issues

Christine lists 10 specialisms and 15 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Christine chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Christine's own words

What Christine says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Hello! My name is Chrissy Bruso, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who loves people, the beach, the mountains, spending time outdoors, working out, healthy food, a good cup of cold brew coffee, being a wife and mom, reading and finding ways to help others in any way I can. I have had a variety of careers, including horse farm manager and riding instructor, legal secretary, stay-at-home mom, helping families adopt children and counseling individuals with autism and related challenges as well as their families. I work from a strengths-based approach, and I love empowering my clients to learn more about themselves and grow into their full potential.

My counseling style is honest and kind. I will give you tools to help you connect with your most authentic self in order to live an abundant life. I am also a believer in healthy families, so I can help you navigate family relationships and challenges, understand yourself better and employ boundaries that strengthen your relationships with others and yourself. As a mother, I am very passionate about seeing moms live balanced and centered lives. All too often, moms place an inordinate amount of pressure on themselves to be everything to everyone. I love walking with moms to help them set healthy boundaries and put meaningful self care into place so that they can enjoy life and parenthood.

My approach includes person-centered, family systems, structural therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. I enjoy building strong relationships with my clients, and I believe that together is always better than alone. I check messages in here usually once per day, Monday through Friday, and I respond as soon as I can. I will respond to your message within the same day if it is received during my business hours (9a-5p EST) or the next business day if received after hours.

Thank you for reaching out, and I look forward to working together!

Christine “Chrissy” Bruso, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Oct 2026

03 · How Christine works

The 3 approaches Christine lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Christine lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Christine's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Christine runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Christine practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Christine's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Christine at this point.

2. Naming Christine specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Christine is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Christine.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Christine

Built from what Christine actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Christine's - Christine has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

Virginia

Licence

VA LCSW 0904009696

Licence number

0904009696

Licence expires

30 Jun 2027

NPI

1134557374

Years in practice

14

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Christine's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 7 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Christine. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.