Christy Alten, LPC-MH, LMHC
South Dakota · 31 years in practice
Christy Alten is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 31 years of clinical experience.
License and registration
- LPC-MH, South Dakota
- LPC-MH2270 · expires November 2026
- LMHC, Iowa
- 111880 · expires September 2026
- NPI
- 1972260180 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 31
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Christy
Christy Alten is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 31 years of clinical experience. She practices in Iowa and brings a steady, straightforward approach when people face stress, addiction, depression, or major life shifts.
Christy describes her work as grounded in hope and purpose, and she draws on both existential and spiritual perspectives in sessions. Clients can expect clear, practical conversation about immediate problems.
Background and approach
Christy uses evidence-based methods like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to teach coping tools and new thinking patterns. She also integrates client-centered listening so people feel heard while they work through change. Her background includes extensive experience with addictions, grief, parenting strain, sleep problems, anger, and career concerns.
She has also supported people dealing with abandonment, codependency, family-of-origin issues, and feelings of emptiness or isolation. Christy has years of experience providing clinical supervision and development for newer clinicians as well. Sessions usually focus on collaborative planning and step-by-step strategies.
Counseling may include skill building for mood regulation, relapse prevention for substance concerns, or communication coaching related to family problems. The goal is to help people find meaning, steady coping skills, and better day-to-day functioning. Christy sees clients in Iowa and conducts sessions in English.
She works with adults and adolescents with a range of mental health and addiction concerns. The first step is a short matching questionnaire followed by scheduling that fits both parties.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Christy lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- 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 names
- Existential Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Christy often combines existential therapy with client-centered and cognitive behavioral methods to address practical problems and deeper meaning questions. Existential therapy focuses on questions of purpose, choice, and values and can help when life changes or feelings of emptiness are present. Client-centered work emphasizes listening and empathy so the person feels understood before making changes. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at thoughts and behaviors and teaches specific skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change unhelpful patterns.Choosing the right approach is part of the process and will be collaborative. The therapist will talk with the client about current needs, goals, and preferences and then try methods that fit best. Plans can be adjusted as progress is seen or priorities shift so the work remains practical and relevant.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video is useful for in-depth sessions and skills practice, phone calls can work when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins, and messaging is helpful for brief updates or when daily support between sessions is useful. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, school, or family schedules while maintaining consistent care.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does Christy help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, grief, parenting strain, sleep problems, anger, career concerns, and related life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She combines an existential and spiritual outlook with client-centered listening and practical skills from CBT and DBT to help people cope and find meaning.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Christy has practiced for 31 years and has over two decades of experience providing clinical supervision and professional development for other clinicians.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds LPC-MH and LMHC credentials and practices in Iowa.
Which languages and international clients are supported?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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