Chris Grisafe-Pont
Chris Grisafe-Pont

LMLP-T

Chris Grisafe-Pont

LMLP-T

I believe therapy works best when it is a collaborative process built on trust, clear goals, and a genuine understanding of the person sitting across from me. My approach is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard. I want clients to have a place where they can be themselves without judgment while also developing the insight and practical skills they need to make meaningful changes in their lives.

I work with children as young as three, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I particularly enjoy working with children and teens and helping families understand what may be underneath emotional, behavioral, academic, or relationship difficulties. Whether a child is struggling with behavior at home, a teenager is having difficulty regulating emotions, or an adult is trying to understand patterns that have followed them for years, I approach treatment by looking at the whole person rather than simply focusing on a diagnosis.

My therapeutic approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Process Therapy, person-centered therapy, and developmentally appropriate play-based interventions. With younger children, play provides an important way to communicate experiences and emotions that may be difficult to express with words. With older children, teens, and adults, therapy may involve exploring thoughts and emotions, relationships, behavioral patterns, coping strategies, and practical ways to manage challenges outside of the therapy room.

Children, Teens & Families

Working with children and adolescents is an important part of my practice. I help young people with anxiety, depression and mood concerns, ADHD, autism, OCD, trauma and PTSD, grief, behavioral difficulties, anger and emotional dysregulation, social difficulties, self-esteem, school concerns, and other challenges that can affect development and family life.

I believe parents and caregivers can be an important part of successful treatment. When appropriate, I work collaboratively with parents on routines, communication, behavior management, boundaries, reinforcement strategies, and ways to support skills learned in therapy. I can also help families navigate school-related concerns, including IEPs, 504 plans, accommodations, and strategies for improving functioning at home and school.

For children with ADHD and executive-functioning difficulties, treatment may focus on organization, impulse control, attention, task initiation, emotional regulation, and developing systems that make everyday expectations more manageable.

I also work with children and adolescents experiencing more significant or complicated concerns, including self-harm or suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, personality-related concerns, substance-use concerns, and serious mental health conditions. When a case is complex, my goal is to understand how the different pieces fit together rather than treating each symptom in isolation.

Adults, Couples & Families

Although children and adolescents are a significant part of my practice, I also provide individual therapy for adults as well as couples and family therapy.

I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, autism, OCD, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, anger and emotional regulation problems, substance-use concerns, and other mental health conditions. Therapy can also address communication, boundaries, family conflict, life transitions, self-esteem, perfectionism, and patterns that interfere with relationships or everyday functioning.

With couples and families, I work collaboratively to identify patterns that contribute to conflict or disconnection and help family members communicate more effectively, understand one another more clearly, and develop healthier ways of responding to problems.

Psychological Testing

Psychological testing is another major part of my practice and something I particularly enjoy. A thorough evaluation can help answer questions that therapy or observation alone cannot always resolve, especially when symptoms overlap or someone has spent years without a clear explanation for their difficulties.

I conduct psychological testing with both children and adults, including evaluations for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, cognitive functioning, learning disabilities and academic concerns, personality functioning, mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related concerns, and diagnostic clarification.

ADHD testing is a particular area of interest. Because difficulties with attention, executive functioning, motivation, emotional regulation, anxiety, learning, sleep, and other conditions can sometimes look similar, I believe it is important to understand the broader clinical picture rather than simply checking whether someone has a list of ADHD symptoms.

For children and adolescents, testing can also help parents better understand a child’s strengths and challenges and provide practical recommendations for home and school. When appropriate, psychological testing may support IEPs, 504 plans, school accommodations, or college accommodations.

Whether I am providing therapy or psychological testing, my goal is the same: to understand the person behind the symptoms and help turn that understanding into practical steps toward better functioning, stronger relationships, and a healthier life.

Areas of Focus

  • Individual Therapy
  • Children & Play Therapy
  • Adolescents & Teens
  • Adults & Older Adults
  • Couples & Marriage Therapy
  • Family Therapy
  • Parent Coaching & Behavioral Support
  • Anxiety & Social Anxiety
  • Depression & Mood Concerns
  • ADHD & Executive Functioning
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Trauma & PTSD
  • Grief & Loss
  • Anger & Emotional Regulation
  • Behavioral Concerns
  • School & Academic Difficulties
  • Social Skills & Peer Relationships
  • Self-Esteem & Confidence
  • Family & Relationship Conflict
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Personality-Related Concerns
  • Substance-Use Concerns
  • Serious Mental Health Conditions
  • Psychological Testing
  • ADHD Testing
  • Autism Testing
  • Cognitive & IQ Testing
  • Learning & Academic Testing
  • Personality Testing
  • Diagnostic Clarification
  • School, IEP, 504 & College Accommodation Testing

THIS THERAPIST IS IN NETWORK WITH THE FOLLOWING INSURANCE COMPANIES:

  • Aetna (Not “Optum Behavior Health” or Medicare)
  • Kansas Medicaid KANCARE Plans: UHC, Sunflower (Not Ambetter)

As a general rule, we do not accept secondary insurance.