Christina (“Nina”) Moak has been with HCFVL since 2019 working with toddlers, kids, and parents. She is warm, understanding, humorous, and motivated. In this therapist spotlight, get to know a little bit more about Nina both in and out of the office.
Why did you get into the field of counseling?
I don’t have any poignant story or turning point moment, but several smaller moments that guided me into the counseling field. Of course it started with a general interest in human behavior as well as the love of building genuine connections with other people. I decided to take an introductory psychology class in high school, and really enjoyed it! I began exploring careers in the field and started my undergraduate with a focus on psychology and again just really enjoyed every class. It never felt like work or a chore the way the required history, math, science classes did.
I was then lucky enough to work at a local private practice as an administrative assistant. I got a feel for the actual day to day life in this field, and again loved it! It was such a joy to be able to connect new clients, really struggling when they contacted us, with one of the therapists. Then to watch the changes over time, and hear their feedback. I knew then “Yup! I want to be the therapist helping them achieve those goals.”
What do you love best about your job?
I coached competitive gymnastics for about a decade – through the end of high school, all during my undergraduate and graduate work, and even while working as an administrative assistant. I was a decent coach, and I liked teaching the skill and understanding the mechanics of it. But what I loved, and the reason I coached as long as I did, were all the secondary parts of the job.
With competitive gymnasts, kids practice 10-15 hours a week for years. This meant that I was with the kids through all their ups and downs – both inside and outside the gym. I frequently supported kids after a rough day at school or when a fear of a new skill arose. I was able to watch them set goals for themselves and be a part of helping them reach those goals – along with all the smaller successes and setbacks along the way. To help these gymnasts learn dedication, discipline, and, on the harder days, self-compassion, as well as celebrating with them when their hard work pays off was truly fulfilling.
As a counselor, the secondary parts of coaching are now my primary focus. This is what I love most about counseling! To develop a genuine therapeutic relationship that is free of judgment, and to be there for all the parts of your journey – the good and the bad. Having a place and a person to really lay it out all there, put things in perspective, and help develop new skills allows for growth – and I love getting to be that person for my clients.
What treatment modalities do you use in session?
I use two primary treatment modalities depending on my clients’ needs – behavioral parent training (BPT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). When I am working with younger children and their parents – BPT is my go to. It is a great skills based therapy approach that allows parents to learn the skills to be their child’s therapist. It’s based on behavioral principles that best fit children’s developmental level. Additionally, it gives parents increased confidence (and decreased guilt) knowing which skills to use when different behaviors arise (like tantrums, aggression, attention seeking, etc.). It also uses structured rewards to increase those prosocial behaviors like compliance and cooperation. Through the course of the treatment parents often describe feeling less parental stress and more connection with their children.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is my primary approach when working with teens and young adults navigating stressful life transitions. CBT focuses on the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Through CBT work we can challenge the content of our thoughts, thus impacting both our moods and behaviors.
What do you want clients to know before beginning therapy?
We want your honest feedback. If something is not working for you, please tell us. Therapy is a collaborative process that only works when we are on the same page. I can’t truly know what life is like for you outside of therapy. If something we are doing doesn’t match what you need, we can adjust. The treatments we use are like general outlines, so the more we can cater it to you specifically, the more you’ll get out of therapy – which is of course what we both want.
What’s something you like to do in your spare time?
When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I am fortunate to have most of my extended family in the Houston area, and enjoy frequent family functions. My toddler plays with his cousins and my husband and I visit with family. We also spend most of the Summer poolside – lathered in sunscreen of course.
My husband and I also enjoy game nights with friends (highly recommend the Exploding Kittens card game!). And while I am unable to coach like I used to, I do help out at local gymnastics competitions a couple times a year. It’s just a little way that I can stay connected with something that has a special place in my heart.