Jim Christrup, LCSW

i worked with Jim last year during a particularly bad period of my life while I lived in SF, and had never had therapy before. I found him to be a smart and kind presence, and he worked on different modalities to get at the right rhythm for my breakthrough. It was a crucial part of my self-​strengthening process involving a whole host of other therapies, including physical and osteopathic work. Jim was patient, perceptive and the right balance of empathy and professional distance. So all in all, I would recommend him whole heartedly and am glad we got to work together briefly for a few months.

I’ve worked with four therapists over the years and would highly recommend Jim. He was great with helping to analyze how specific behaviors and emotional patterns developed in my life, but then went way beyond that to work through the emotions associated with those experiences. Through working with him I was able to get past just thinking and on to the work of fully experiencing emotion — both the comfortable and uncomfortable. I would highly recommend Jim to anyone interested in truly learning from their past so they can improve their present.

Jim is a warm, gentle and empathic therapist. He exhibits a genuine caring and is able to see issues clearly. I found him to be very insightful and very helpful with anxiety and relationship concerns.

I saw Jim I believe for almost 3 years. I was very depressed and I was having severe problems in all parts of my life. I was under a lot of stress both at work and at home and also with my family and my past with them. I guess at the time I was in my early 50’s, I am 59 now. I was taking a lot of medication for stress and depression and went from doctor to doctor. Jim was the only constant. Jim was also the only person in my life that made me feel safe and was not like so many people who just told me to forget about the past and move on and to grow up. No matter how low I got he was the only person who could calm me down and get me grounded again. He helped me to see what was going on in that time of my life and he helped me so much with the abuse I received as a child and as an adult. I hated myself more than anything else and could not even look at myself in a mirror. Because of Jim I was able to deal with the past and put it to rest, I was able to get out of a job where I was being abused emotionally day after day and end friendships that were abusive in my personal life. With his help things started to get better and they continued to get better. I feel he saved my life. Without him I do not think I would be here today. The day did come when I had no insurance anymore and had no way to pay him. He made an arrangement to see me for a reduced rate. I moved to Sacramento and would drive to San Francisco to see him. But I realized that it was time for me to move on. What Jim taught me continued to help me long after I stopped seeing him. Even today his teachings are with me. Even though I do not see him I will always feel a bond with him because he was such a good and very smart man and knows my darkest secrets. Today at 59 my life is good. My friends are true friends and I have mended the problems with my family and we have all become very close. I live in San Francisco again in a nice neighborhood with 2 very loving housemates and their dog CJ. I have been here 2 and a half years. I also started college and will get my degree in January 2014. I will be in the medical field because I believe my calling is to help others. I am a Shanti volunteer and have a wonderful client and I also volunteer at PAWS. I am alcohol and drug free as well. None of this would have been possible without Jim. The person who first walked into his office no longer here. I do not ever want to be that person again. I still have my problems especially being a student and on a fixed income but I can handle those things now. My mother passed away last night and I am very sad but I can handle it and because of Jim I had a very loving close relationship with my mom for the last years of her life. She had gone from my enemy to my best friend. So I will thank Jim every day for the rest of my life. I highly recommend him to anyone who is suffering emotionally.
Thanks Jim.
Sal

I had a very positive experience with him and would recommend him to others looking for an engaged, interactive, slightly experimental therapist.
Compared to more traditional ‘lying on the couch’ psychotherapy, Jim’s approach was both surprising and pragmatic. There were a lot of sessions where I found myself taking about something and, basically, just spinning, when Jim would stop me and suggest some very simple technique to look at the situation from a different angle. I think this comes from the hakomi method. It was great. These ‘experiments’ were just simple exercises that typically externalized and/​or literalized what I was talking about in order to better look at it and, ultimately, defang it.
One thing I particularly liked about JIm was that he wasn’t afraid to have a point of view on what I was saying. Rather than just listen neutrally and let me ramble, he listened attentively and then often challenged me to question my own assumptions.
We never talked about it explicitly, but it also seemed like Jim may have his own meditation practice, and has some Buddhist ways of thinking. He was extremely skilled at guiding me through meditation on several occasions. I loved this slightly non-​traditional infusion into therapy.

«Jim is one of my most trusted colleagues. We have known each other for over 6 years. I have referred many clients to him including couples. What I have heard back from clients is that Jim is compassionate, has integrity and is clearly insightful with his feedback and interventions. I would not hesitate to choose Jim as my therapist.

Jim is a skilled clinician, but after my spouse and I had an argument in his office, he never bothered to schedule our next appointment. He didn’t call to follow up with us and he never really terminated. It was just a curt, «your time is up.»
We’re in counseling for a reason and it felt unethical for him to just end it that way.
Plus, he picked his nose– a lot. So much that it was distracting.

I have known Jim for some time now as a friend and colleague, and have always been impressed with his outstanding ability to zero in on what’s really happening, the empathic way that he works with people, and his innate sense of just what someone needs in that moment. He is extremely skilled in such areas as Hakomi, EMDR, mindfulness, anxiety and trauma, and I know that his clients have benefited greatly from his calm, nurturing presence. I would recommend him highly to anyone looking for a qualified therapist.

My experience with Jim is that he is caring, sensitive, helpful and smart. He helps me see things more clearly so that I can make positive changes in my life. He has a gentle approach, which makes me feel comfortable and I like his eastern mindfulness perspective. I enjoy receiving his monthly e-​newsletter for good information on stress reduction techniques.

Jim is a very thoughtful, conscientious clinician. I highly recommend him and can speak confidently of his care, skill, and insightfulness. He has extensive training in Hakomi, EMDR, and EFT — and applies them with heart and clarity.

In addition to his warmth and genuine caring, I know that Jim combines a number of interests such as in EMDR and somatically oriented psychotherapies. I know that clients seeking his help find a skilled, helpful, and warm psychotherapist. I recommend him highly. I have known Jim for a number of years now as a respected colleague. He and I have been in a professional group for several years. I am always glad to hear Jim’s contributions to this group because I have come to rely on his advice and knowledge. I also am familiar with Jim’s work as a psychotherapist and I think he is first-​rate.

Jim Christrup is an experienced therapist who helps the individuals and couples he sees via his calming and thoughtful presence. He likes to work with people experiencing anxiety and uses varying techniques to help including EMDR. As an LCSW therapist, myself, I have known Jim for many years and I like how he approaches his work. His clients find him to be engaging, interactive, and willing to do whatever it takes to benefit them. He is also interested in recent developments in mindfulness as it applies to behavioral issues.

Analyze This! No, that’s not Jim’s attitude. Quite the opposite, he’s thoughtful, inquisitive, and truly listens when I am with him. And when I’m confused, he goes the extra mile first understand the issues and then help me understand them. No cookie-​cutter approach here. It’s all first rate therapy that allows me to relax and explore my stuff. Thanks Jim!

Jim Christrup is an experienced, compassionate therapist I highly recommend. He style is gentle but engaged and interactive. (His vocabulary includes more than ‘uh huh.’!) He works with a variety of issues and has specialized training with working PTSD using EMDR. Check him out.

I have been working with Jim on and off for 15 years or so, and he has been an invaluable help to me. He is insightful and kind, and he seems to know how to keep me on track.
He helps me to find «missing pieces» to the puzzle of life. He knows how to get to the salient points and just deal with it.
He is the best, and I am very grateful to him and for him.