Clinician Spotlight: Christie LeBeau, LMFT
The IFS Telehealth Collective is happy to shine the spotlight on Christie LeBeau, LMFT. Christie is licensed in Michigan.
In this interview she shares some of her favorite ways to find peace and how she approaches Internal Family Systems℠ (IFS ) therapy with clients. Read on to learn which beloved children’s television character inspires her and how it informs her work.
Q: What kinds of clients are you drawn to working with and what do you find most helpful?
Christie LeBeau: I enjoy working with those who feel they don’t know themselves, who might feel afraid of themselves, and those who have abandoned themselves. My belief that the only therapeutic intervention is to help clients get into a deep and loving relationship with themselves is foundational to how I work with clients in therapy.
Q: Tell us about your professional background. Are there any areas of interest you specialize in?
CL: I began as a school teacher and taught science; I’m now retired from teaching. I’m currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an approved supervisor with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. In addition to IFS therapy, I use Brene Brown’s Daring Way to work with issues of shame, vulnerability, courage and worthiness. I am a certified Daring Way facilitator. Another area in which I have expertise in is grief recovery. My training in the Grief Recovery Method has provided me with practical tools to help clients move through the grieving process, and I’ve found it complements the work we do with IFS.
Q:We know you’re a fan of IFS. Is there something in particular that really drew you to the Model?
CL: The focus on Self and the relationship with all parts of you is really holistic and appealing. I love the idea of clients being the healer in their process and I am honored to watch this process unfold in therapy sessions. IFS aligns with my beliefs and values about the human condition - immersing myself in this model both as a client and a therapist is incredibly fulfilling.
Q: How would you describe IFS to clients?
CL: One of the ways I approach it with clients is to say that IFS is a whole system approach. It encompasses body, mind, and heart. IFS is a bridge between our external and internal experiences.
Q: How would you finish this sentence: The therapeutic relationship is…
CL: a mutual endeavor. Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood fame is my soul mentor - he’s an excellent example of how therapy is a mutual endeavor. He does not center himself and he models how to treat others and interact with each other (and our parts) with kindness and respect.
Q: Favorite TED Talk or Podcast?
CL: I love 3 things professionally: IFS, Brené Brown, and Enneagram. I’ve yet to discover a favorite IFS podcast, but Unlocking Us (Brene BrownB) and Enneagram 2.0 are my favorite related to my non-IFS loves. Bea and Uranio of the Enneagram 2.0 podcast are my teachers!
Q: Share some favorite books
CL: I love so many books that it would be too many to list! Reading is a favorite pastime and I have so many fictional characters that have endeared themselves to me.
Q: What are you reading currently?
Susan McConnell’s Somatic IFS is what’s on my nightstand.
Q: What’s a favorite analogy that you use with your clients that seems to be helpful to them?
CL: I like the view of our internal family system as an orchestra. The Orchestra (parts) and Conductor (self) are both good and both necessary. In IFS we are NEVER trying to get rid of any parts of you; we simply work to ensure they are all playing the same piece of music. A conductor with no orchestra is just a conductor and an orchestra without a leader can be chaotic. Both are necessary to make beautiful music.
Q: How do you stay grounded in Self energy?
CL: This is an interesting question, and I don’t want to give the impression that being in Self is the ultimate goal of therapy, or that because I’m the therapist, I’m in Self more than a client. My parts allow me access to Self by trusting that I will not ignore them, that I will take care of them. They know they are needed and valued. During sessions with clients, my system is a collaboration between Self and parts to be very present. This allows me to be engaged and competent in guiding clients with IFS.
Q: Favorite Quotes?
CL: “Taking care of yourself instead of blaming others for not living up to your expectations is a herculean task.” That’s from Brene Brown. When I first read this sentence I teared up; it felt like someone finally was acknowledging how difficult the work of getting into relationship with self can be at first.
“Leap and the net will appear” by John Burroughs. These words remind me that waiting for certainty is not necessary. Go for it and trust in your choices and decisions.
Q: Besides doing the work that you love, what else do you do that’s fulfilling or fun?
CL: I am a lover of music and can happily spend a lot of time sharing all the songs that bring me a sense of joy. Something with a piano intro that invites me to sing at the top of my lungs, preferably. Nightswimming by REM, Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and I Am Here by Pink are some of my favorites.
Q: When do you feel most in touch with your Self energy?
CL: When I am in nature I am most in touch with being, rather than doing, and I associate this with Self energy. I feel settled and at one with my surroundings. Kayaking in a tree-lined lake or river, or lying in the grass and peering up at the sky through the trees are times when I’m at peace. In IFS, we talk about humans being instead of humans doing, and, in nature, I can just be.
Does Christie LeBeau, LMFT sound like the right fit to support your healing journey? If you live in Michigan, contact our Client Care Coordinator or call 503-477-3244 to schedule a consultation.
Contact our Client Care Coordinator or call 503-447-3244 if you live in California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, or Oregon to be matched with a well-trained IFS clinician. IFS Telehealth Collective is the place for your healing and Self transformation.
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