Chris Whitaker, MSW, LCSW-C, ATR

Chris Whitaker began her professional career of four decades in Washington DC where she worked as an undergraduate with incarcerated individuals as they navigated the criminal justice system. Her interest in the mental health needs of the individuals she served grew, and utilizing her natural gifts and talents as a artist she pursued a career as an Art Therapist, working in psychiatric settings as she completed her first masters degree in art therapy at George Washington University. Her interest in what individuals are able to express about themselves using the arts and the connections that can be made to unconscious process as a form of healing became the touchstone of her professional work, as her career led from working in psychiatric institutions to special education schools. Her social work degree added significantly to her art therapy degree, offering the knowledge to work with family systems and help clients create effective and constructive changes in their lives. Her interest in unconscious process led to significant training in the areas of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic work, and she has used these and other tools in her work in private practice for the last 25 years.

In her private practice work Chris built upon her years working in youth serving organizations to specialize with teens, young adults and their families. She offers both individual and group therapy. She worked for over a decade in a private practice in Bethesda where she helped develop an individualized outpatient program (IOP) for high risk young adults needing intensive services, and in this capacity led numerous expressive art therapy groups weekly.

Since joining Sequence she continues to offer both individual and group therapy to a young adult population. Her amazing warmth, humor, authenticity and kindness help her to connect and establish a rapport as the individuals she work with develop healing coping strategies, communication skills, self awareness and self compassion. Her ability to collaborate is extraordinary and she brings a team approach with families and additional mental health providers to optimize the services her clients receive. Her boundless energy and curiosity are an asset to al of her clients and colleagues.