Meet Christina Roach

As both a stepmom and biological mother herself, Christina has an 'insider's' understanding of the dynamics which comprise the stepfamily. During her graduate studies, she noticed that traditional counseling theories in marital and family therapy mostly overlooked the uniqueness of the stepfamily unit. From the biological family in which she grew up to her stepfamily now, she has firsthand knowledge that each is distinct from the other—and should be approached differently.

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Realizing that a gap existed between what academic programs were teaching and the real life experiences of more than half of U.S. homes living in stepfamilies, Christina founded Success for Steps®. It is her hope to raise awareness that the same intervention techniques used for biological families do not necessarily apply to stepfamilies. The stepfamily unit is different so it deserves an approach tailored to meet its specific needs. Ignoring these differences is dismissive of the experiences of individuals who are living in step relationships.

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Professional Credentials:

• Psychotherapist with a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling; focus in Marriage and Family Therapy

• National Certified Counselor (NCC #260799)

• Stepfamily Foundation Master Counselor & Coach

• Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC #906)

• Licensed Mental Health Counselor FL (MH11532) 

• Acknowledged stepfamily provider by the National Stepfamily Resource Center

• Advanced clinical training for working with stepfamilies through the National Stepfamily Resource Center, the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative, the Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and the Stepfamily Foundation 

• Personally trained by pioneers and leaders in stepfamily work, including Dr. Jeannette Lofas, Dr. Kay Pasley, Dr. Patricia Papernow, and Dr. Scott Browning

• Trained as a Florida Supreme Court Family Law Mediator 

• Trained as a Parenting Coordinator in the state of Florida

• Noted authority on stepfamily dynamics and has been recognized nationally in both broadcast and print media, including NBC's Daytime, Stepmom Magazine and Ebony Magazine 

• Worked as an approved facilitator in Florida's Batterers' Intervention Program

• Prior volunteer in Guardian ad Litem Program in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Tampa, FL

• Member of Chi Sigma Iota, International Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society

• Recipient of the Cecil Cheek Psychology Award 2007

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From her advanced training and experience in the field, Christina uses evidence-based techniques. Also, given her credentials as a mental health provider and a specialist in stepfamily issues, she's well-suited to meet her clients' needs and help them move towards their identified goals. 

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Prior to founding Success for Steps®, Christina worked with corporate executives in helping them present business mandates to both internal and external audiences. Her expertise was in helping these professionals communicate their messages both accurately and eloquently. Today, she does this same thing with her clients as she assists them in working through concerns and in realizing the life they wish to lead. 

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Christina works with clients from across the country and around the globe.