Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Schneider.
Hi Christine, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Christine Schneider, and I’m a licensed clinical social worker, eating disorder therapist, and the owner of Greenlight Counseling Services, a therapy practice focused on fostering growth and change from the inside out. Growing up in Raleigh, I was always drawn to capturing memories through art, photography, and writing. At the time, I didn’t know how these creative interests would shape my career, but they taught me to pay attention to the small details. They helped me slow down and notice the emotions and histories that often sit beneath the surface.
This perception naturally evolved into a pull toward people’s stories. Social Work became the space where I could uplift the stories of my community while also understanding how larger systems shape people’s lived experiences. From earning my Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at East Carolina University to completing my Master of Social Work (MSW) at UNC-Chapel Hill, I immersed myself in work that placed me alongside individuals facing very different circumstances.
Across multiple different internships, I connected refugees to housing and employment resources at World Relief Durham, supported survivors of intimate partner violence at InterAct in Raleigh, and provided counseling to college students at UNC Counseling and Psychological Services. Though the situations varied, the core of the work remained the same. Creating safety, building trust, and helping people find steadiness in the midst of uncertainty. It was also my first real encounter with imposter syndrome. I cared deeply about showing up well for my clients and often wondered whether I was making enough space for their needs, even as I was still learning to trust myself as a counselor.
After graduate school, I spent several years working in higher levels of care treating adolescents and adults with eating disorders as a clinical therapist. I valued the opportunity to support people in healing their relationship with food and their bodies and gained a comprehensive understanding of care across the spectrum from intensive outpatient (IOP) to inpatient (IP). My work eventually led me to a group practice, where I continued to broaden my skills and deepen my clinical identity.
Looking back, my path before starting my own practice was eclectic in the best way. It’s been a journey rooted in curiosity, connection, and a belief that every story deserves a space to be heard and understood. Moving across different settings, cultures, and communities gave me a richer perspective on what it means to walk alongside someone during meaningful change. It also taught me that what drew me in was never just the narrative someone carried. It was the opportunity to help them reclaim their direction. That, to me, is the true beauty of being a therapist. Two humans sitting together, connecting with honesty and intention. It’s an honor to be entrusted not only with someone’s history but also with the work of helping them shape what comes next.
This is what led me to create Greenlight Counseling Services. My practice is rooted in amplifying people’s voices, celebrating the courage it takes to be vulnerable, and supporting growth from within. I believe therapy should feel grounding and human, an experience where you feel both understood and empowered to move toward the life you want.
The name Greenlight comes from the idea of being given permission to start or continue something important, whether it is a project, a dream, or a direction you’ve been wanting to take. As someone who enjoys classic literature, I was also drawn to the symbol of the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. That image has always stayed with me. It felt like the perfect metaphor for therapy. Greenlight Counseling was created as a space where clients can take action, pursue meaningful change, and honor their own version of that hope-filled green light.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d love to say the path was easy but the truth is it came with its fair share of bumps in the road. Along the way, I wrestled with imposter syndrome, questioned my capabilities, and had moments where the path forward felt murky at best. Transitioning between different clinical settings, learning on the job, and making space for others while still trying to find my own footing was challenging. Taking steps toward creating my own practice required confronting fears that had followed me for years from doubting whether I was “enough” to wondering whether I could truly build something meaningful on my own.
It wasn’t always a smooth process, but it was a deeply formative one. Each hurdle made me more grounded, more self-aware, and more committed to creating the kind of therapeutic space I had once needed myself.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Greenlight Counseling Services?
I provide individual therapy for adults with a focus on anxiety, eating disorders, relational concerns, mood disorders, trauma, OCD, life transitions, and women’s health. Located at the edge of Duke University’s East Campus in a cozy, home-like office, I see clients both in person and virtually across North Carolina. I accept Duke Student Insurance and work closely with Duke University, which gives me the privilege of supporting many students as they navigate academic pressures, independence, identity exploration, and the emotional ups and downs of young adulthood.
At Greenlight Counseling, my goal is to make therapy feel tangible and grounded. My style is warm, relaxed, and deeply collaborative while grounded in empathy and focused on providing practical, real-life tools you can use outside the therapy room. I’m known for creating a space where people feel safe enough to share their story, supported enough to take risks, and empowered enough to make meaningful change. Each session is individually tailored, drawing from an integrative approach of modalities including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, and Relational Theory.
What sets Greenlight Counseling apart is the combination of clinical expertise, especially in eating disorders and body image work, with a deeply human, relational approach. I value creating a genuine collaborative partnership with my clients in order to support the version of themselves they want to become. Greenlight Counseling was created as a place where your goals, your pace, and your voice matter.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Well, you’ll never catch me skydiving but I do believe in taking meaningful risks. One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was deciding to start my own therapy practice. Leaving the structure and comfort of a group practice meant walking away from stability and stepping into the unknown. I had no roadmap for how to run a business, and there were moments I questioned whether I was capable of building something on my own. But that leap required me to trust myself in a completely new way. To bet on my skills, my values, and my ability to create a space that reflected the care I wanted to offer.
Through all of it, I kept reminding myself to “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Risk isn’t about thrill-seeking, it’s about pursuing growth. Choosing to move toward something that matters, despite the discomfort or the unknowns. I see this same crossroads in my work with clients. The moment when someone is asked to choose between what is familiar and what could lead to meaningful change.
My own risks, especially in starting my practice, have taught me that the most transformative experiences often sit right at the edge of our comfort zones. And every time I’ve chosen to step forward, I’ve learned something invaluable about myself and the work I’m meant to do.
Pricing:
- $185 Intake Assessment
- $160 Individual Therapy Session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greenlightcounselingservices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenlightcounselingnc/
