Chelsie Crilly, AMFT
they / them / their
Senior Associate Therapist
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist: AMFT#126879
Supervised by: Grace Malonai, PhD, LPCC, BC-TMH
Phone: 925-954-6229, ext. 8
We can put an extraordinary amount of pressure on ourselves to overcome adversity. But what if your greatest challenges are also our greatest strengths? Our ability to experience the depths of sadness is also our ability to dive deep into relationships. Our acute awareness of injustice and passion for equality can also be our anger. Our feelings of isolation can be a signal that we haven’t found our people yet– and yet sometimes we try to quiet our inherent wisdom.
A Safe Space
As a therapist I am committed to building a safe space to explore what your inherent wisdom is. What are your values? What are the parts of your identity you’re comfortable with– and what are the parts of your identity you are learning to be comfortable with? What beliefs are serving you?
When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower. ~ Alexander Den Heijer
Experience and Education
In addition to my work at TheraThrive, in the past I have had the privilege of working with neurodivergent folks in the capacity as residential counselor, caregiver, caseworker, advocate and therapist. As a therapist I have worked as both a Trainee and Associate at Holden Highschool in Orinda. While I love all ages, teens hold a special place in my heart.
I have a Master’s in Counseling with an emphasis in Expressive Arts Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies. Expressive Arts is rooted in the belief that we are all artists and heal through the creative process (I am particularly interested in visual arts). I have a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Mills College (RIP). I am a Registered Associate Marriage And Family Therapist (AMFT #126879), and am working towards completing my hours to become a Licensed LMFT. I am currently being supervised by TheraThrive’s Director, Grace Malonai, PhD, LPCC, BC-TMH.
As long as we feel safely held in the hearts and minds of the people who love us, we will climb mountains and cross deserts and stay up all night to finish projects. ~ Bessel A. van der Kolk
Specializations
Child therapy
Therapy for teenagers
Individual adult therapy
Parent support
Family therapy
Disordered Eating
High sensitivity, highly sensitive people
LGBTQ+
Autism
Giftedness and twice exceptionality (2e)
ADHD