Nätverqet member - Christina Tham

Here we meet member Christina Tham and get an insight into her relatively new role as a certified CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) therapist after a career in the pharmaceutical industry:

What inspired you to become a CBT therapist?

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in psychology and how the people around me are doing. My mother-in-law, whom I liked very much, was a CBT therapist and she greatly inspired me to choose CBT as my specialisation.

What did you do before and how did the transition to becoming a therapist happen?

I worked for several years in the pharmaceutical and pharmacy industry as, among other things, a product and category manager. These were very enjoyable roles that involved everything from budget responsibility, assortment and sales analysis, product development, and marketing. I feel that these are the most enjoyable positions one can have within that industry and there was nothing else that appealed to me after almost 20 years in similar roles.

The thought of becoming a therapist has long been in my mind. When my third child was born, I quite quickly realised that I couldn't continue working at my current job because it had become too much. It was a difficult decision to resign from a well-paid and secure job. Before I resigned, I took a psychology course during my parental leave to see if it felt right and it did immediately.

Was there a decisive moment that led you to this profession?

I remember so well the feeling that I just wanted more after an 8-hour psychology lecture. It was the most exciting and rewarding training I had ever done. I never had that experience during my economics studies.

What have been the biggest challenges in starting or running your business?

For me, the biggest challenge has been patience. I am passionate about my profession and want nothing more than to help people. It takes time to find clients, even though it has gone far beyond expectations so far. My experience is that therapists get clients through recommendations but if you are newly established, you need to reach out in other ways that inspire confidence and are not too salesy.

How would you describe your approach in therapy?

Even though CBT has a clear structure, I have learned over time that the most important thing is to be attentive and follow each client's unique needs. An important part of my work is to initially spend time understanding the whole picture, what life looks like right now, what affects well-being, and what the person brings with them. This helps me not to miss anything important and so that we can set up the treatment in a way that feels relevant and helpful.

Depending on what the client is seeking help for, we also usually go through how, for example, anxiety or depression works, to create a better understanding of what is going on internally. Once the mapping is complete, we begin to work with different tools and strategies to move forward step by step. The goal is that the client, after completing treatment, has new insights and a concrete toolbox to use when life feels challenging, both now and in the future.

What do you wish more people knew about CBT, which is often misunderstood?

CBT is the form of therapy that has the strongest research support for many psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and phobias. It is structured, goal-oriented and focuses on changing thought and behavior patterns.

At the same time, CBT is sometimes perceived as a bit too 'practical', as if it's just about thinking differently or working with checklists but that's a misconception. CBT does not at all exclude feelings, relationships or childhood. On the contrary, it can be crucial to understand where our patterns come from, especially if they affect how we feel today. The difference is that within CBT, we often use that understanding to create change here and now, rather than getting stuck in the past.

Ultimately, CBT is about understanding yourself better, breaking patterns that cause friction, and getting support to dare to do things differently. It's not a quick fix but it's a concrete, helpful way forward for many.

CBT is also an umbrella for several modern forms of therapy, such as ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and CFT (Compassion Focused Therapy), where one works a lot with acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion. This is perhaps less known but important to highlight, especially for those who believe that CBT is only about logic and changing thoughts.

What types of clients do you usually work with?

I meet people of all ages, from young people who are entering adulthood to people who have retired or are entering a new phase of life. Anxiety, low mood and stress are common challenges but I also have clients who seek help for, among other things, sleep problems and life crises.

What results do your clients usually experience, and how does it affect their lives?

My clients express that they have a better understanding of themselves but also that they have various tools to manage their challenges. Some clients express that it has been helpful to have me as a conversational support during a particularly difficult situation or before a difficult decision. Sometimes clients come back for shorter periods but then we mostly repeat what we have talked about before. I usually don't meet my clients again but I often receive very nice feedback during the final session and my hope is that the majority feel calmer and stronger when life becomes challenging again.

What values or principles are important to you in your work?

For me, it is extremely important that everyone feels welcome and listened to. That no matter what my clients want to talk about, they should feel that they are met with respect, empathy, and attentiveness.

What is it like to be a client with you - what can one expect from the first to the last session?

My ambition is that all my clients should feel warmly welcomed every time. I want everyone to feel safe and calm when they visit me. For me, it is also important that the client feels that I am up-to-date on their specific situation, that I am well-prepared and that we have a clear plan for each session.

How do you adapt the therapy to each individual?

Over time, I have learned that it is more important to follow each person's wishes and needs instead of following a specific structure. I always ask if my clients have been in therapy before and what they found helpful and less helpful. I also ask what their expectations of therapy are. Some clients have a great need to talk, while others prefer concrete exercises. Many don't know what they want, so I usually check in now and then during the treatment so that I don't spend time on something that is not helpful or doesn't feel good for the client.

What do you love most about your job?

It feels like a gift every time I get to share my clients' deepest thoughts and feelings. When my clients start to feel ready to leave, I always feel enormous joy but also a little sadness because it means we probably won't see each other again.

Can you share an anonymous example that reminds you why you do what you do?

There was one occasion when a client was just about to leave the room and they turned around and said, "It feels like you're speaking directly to my heart." That is one of the nicest things I have ever heard and I still feel warm inside when I think about it.

What would you say to someone who is unsure about contacting you?

You are warmly welcome no matter what you are struggling with and you don't need to have a clear picture of what it is that doesn't feel right. You also don't need to be in complete darkness to seek help; it can, for example, just be a feeling that life doesn't quite feel as it should or it could be a situation that feels particularly challenging. I have professional secrecy and everything that is said stays between us.

Christina is here in Stocksund on Tuesday and Fridays and in Stockholm the other days. You can reach her at www.mindkbt.se