Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christine Mark-Griffin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Christine, appreciate you joining us today. How you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?
“I have shared more about myself with you in the last 5 minutes than I have shared with my therapist in the past 5 years,” a foster youth blurted out while also holding back tears in his eyes. About 10 years ago, I was an intern for Child Protective Services (CPS) and had put together a therapeutic activity for a monthly foster youth meet up. My field instructor at the time strongly encouraged me to pursue my LCSW and look into taking the clinical route with my masters when she later learned the impact I was making for foster children and youth during my internship. “There’s something really special about the way you are able to help kids open up and share about some of their darkest moments with you. It really takes a certain kind of person, and you got it.”
Becoming a child welfare worker was not easy. As an intern, I was basically thrown to the wolves. The caseload is high and the rates of complex trauma was even higher. Although I had intensive training through Los Angeles County Department of Family and Children Services through their training academy for child welfare workers, no amount of training could have possibly prepared me for all that I would witness. I saw some pretty horrific, dark and terrible things. For several years as a child welfare worker, I was in a position to remove children from unsafe situations physically, but I wasn’t always able to help children feel safe emotionally in the role I had. I struggled because although I loved the work I did in foster care, I also wanted to do more.
Looking back at my journey in the field of social work, my first internship & job as a child welfare laid the foundation for the mission and core values of the work that I do now. Ultimately, I switched over to the field of child mental health and I now specialize in providing mental health treatment for children and families who have experienced trauma. As someone who has experienced and suffered from my own childhood trauma, it is so important to me to offer a service that can truly help children and their families reduce or end any suffering caused by trauma.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Fun fact: I put myself through undergraduate and graduate school performing as a magical faerie for children’s parties. Little did I know that all of the glitter, face painting, balloon animals, magic shows, sing-a-longs and children’s games would transfer over from my magical faerie days to my professional career as a child mental health therapist.
My name is Christine Mark-Griffin and I love integrating my professional experience as a child therapist with my passion for music, art, yoga, education & fitness to help others spark a path towards growth, healing & wellness. In my practice as a licensed clinical social worker today, you will find that my office is still full of playing, painting, music, magic & glitter. I often combine evidence based therapy modalities such as EMDR, play therapy and trauma conscious yoga. I am a certified as an EMDR therapist, EMDR consultant, Trauma Conscious Yoga Method clinician and author of “EMDR Workbook for Kids.”
In 2018, I started my private practice, Spark All Wellness, with the intention of keeping it part-time and something small on the side. After becoming a first time mom during the pandemic in 2020, I decided to risk it all and go full time into my private practice. Spark All Wellness is now expanding to be a group practice that specializes in providing therapy services for women and children, EMDR consultation for mental health clinicians and trauma informed training for professional organizations.
Our mission at Spark All Wellness is to provide therapy services, products and training to help women, children and their families overcome adversity, build resilience and let their best selves shine. Our core values at Spark All Wellness is to SHINE: Seek Opportunities, Highlight Strengths, Inspire Growth, Nurture Passion, Elevate Yourself & Others.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
The one thing I am constantly telling clinicians who are supervised or trained by me is “know your magic.” This means, knowing what your strengths and passions are and bringing that to your practice as a professional. When you know your “magic,” you are capable of helping others find their magic too.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
One thousand percent. If I could go back to choose the same profession and specialty, I would! I think that the field of social work is super versatile and you will find social workers working in all sorts of settings! I think it is a common misconception that social workers only work in child welfare, but social workers honestly are everywhere.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sparkallwellness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkallwellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparkallwellness/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-mark-griffin-50376826/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sparkallwellness https://www.amazon.com/EMDR-Workbook-Kids-Collection-Worksheets/dp/1683735854/ref=asc_df_1683735854/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=632142493083&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16634494803272828472&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031959&hvtargid=pla-1884954527165&psc=1 https://catalog.pesi.com/item/emdr-workbook-kids-112060
Image Credits
Liz Zimbleman Lisa V. Leach