Hello. My name is Christian Cruz-Ayala. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. I have been in the helping profession for over 7 years. This is a journey that has been personally and professionally rewarding. It has much growth to me as an individual in my personal life as well as in my professional life. I graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. I then pursue a Masters in Counseling at Webster University. I have gained experience working in a crisis unit, working in inpatient substance abuse treatment. I then gain employment at a local methadone clinic where I was able to provide counseling services to individuals with an opiate addiction. Later on I began my journey in working with children, adolescents/teenagers, young adults and parents, which has now become my passion. I am one who believes the philosophy that life is a journey rather than a destination. I’m a huge believer that life throws many things at us through our journey, but what is more important is how we respond to life rather than what it throws at us. This Cognitive Behavioral approach is the same approach that I take when it comes to counseling. I use an eclectic approach, utilizing theories and teachings from all psychology teachings to help the individual respond well to life. I like to teach clients how to manage their own symptoms with the help of coping skills and give them the tools to help them. I’m a strong believer that whatever you put into this world is what you will get out of it. I want to help you define what it is to be you and how you can make a change in your own life to better yourself. I want to be a bridge on your journey of life to help you get to the destination that you desire.