Sterling’s Elston Psychotherapy works to fill gaps in mental health care

STERLING – For Christine Elston, owner of Elston Psychotherapy in Sterling, mental health care is not only a profession, it is a lifelong calling.

“I’ve known that I wanted to do this work since I was about 6,” Elston said. “I had the goals and I had everything figured out.”

Elston’s passion has fueled her career in mental health since 2009, culminating in the founding of her hometown practice. After a decade of working across hospital systems, outpatient care and private practices, she saw a critical need for expanded mental health services in Sterling, especially for children and families.

“I saw a lot of unmet needs, especially in this area,” Elston said. “Especially with children ... kids on the spectrum not getting their needs met, parents not knowing how to handle it or cope, or the schools not supporting them as best as we can.”

That realization was the catalyst for opening Elston Psychotherapy in February 2024. Elston Psychotherapy is a full-service mental health practice offering psychotherapy to clients of all ages and backgrounds. The clinic’s team of therapists is versed in a range of specialties, from post-traumatic stress disorder to autism spectrum disorders and anxiety.

“Each of us kind of have our population we work best with,” Elston said. “But we can serve any age or diagnosis here.”

At the heart of Elston’s practice is a commitment to personalized care. Clients undergo a comprehensive intake and treatment planning process, but above all, Elston emphasizes the importance of building trust.

“Building that rapport with the patient is key,” Elston said. “That way, they feel like they can open up and be vulnerable about very traumatic experiences or things that are uncomfortable to talk about.”

In addition to several evidence-based methods, one of the clinic’s therapeutic tools – which Elston describes as a game-changer in reducing symptoms related to PTSD, anxiety and other disorders – is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

“It reduces symptoms ... by 80% on average, which I’ve never seen in a pill form, or any other therapeutic intervention,” Elston said.

For Elston, the best part of the job is seeing her patients heal.

“It’s so beautiful to see them become a version of themselves they didn’t think was possible,” Elston said. “It makes the whole job worth it.”

Looking ahead, Elston Psychotherapy is planning to expand its offerings. Neurological testing services are in the works, along with efforts to bring in a medication prescriber, allowing for more comprehensive, integrated care.

With a growing client load and demand for services, the clinic is also expanding its physical space to add more offices in the future.

“We’ve run out of room and need to continue to help as many people as we can,” Elston said.

Elston Psychotherapy is at 402 Second Ave. in Sterling. The clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. To schedule a session, visit elstonpsychotherapy.com or call 779-297-7016.