Christina Runnels

Mental health care shouldn’t feel cold, complicated, or out of reach. It should feel like someone truly sees you—your story, your struggles, your potential—and is willing to walk alongside you as you figure it out. That belief is what led me to create Greater Houston Counseling Services (GHCS) in 2013, and it’s the vision that still guides everything we do today.

I’m Christina Runnels, a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S) and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Therapist (PMH-C), but first and foremost, I’m someone who knows what it’s like to need support and not know where to start. I built GHCS to change that—for individuals, for families, for communities that have been overlooked or underserved for too long.

A Vision Rooted in Real Life
I didn’t start GHCS as a polished business plan—I started it as a mom, a clinician, and a woman who believed mental health care could be better. Over a decade later, GHCS has grown into a multi-location practice serving tens of thousands of clients across Texas. From individual therapy to psychological assessments to school-based wellness programs, our work is grounded in compassion, cultural responsiveness, and real connection.

My personal clinical focus is on:

• Maternal mental health – supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the complexities of motherhood
• Trauma-informed care – helping individuals process and heal from what they’ve carried
• Work-life balance and burnout prevention – especially for high-achieving women and professionals trying to do it all

I also founded The Grace Foundation for Maternal Health and Wellness, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring mothers—especially those in underserved communities—have access to the support they need to survive and thrive.

Beyond the Office: Speaker, Mentor, and Advocate
In addition to leading GHCS, I’m also a speaker, mentor, and coach, committed to equipping other professionals—especially women—with the tools to build purpose-driven careers without sacrificing their well-being. Whether I’m facilitating a workshop, mentoring a private practice owner, or speaking about mental health equity, my mission is the same: to make healing more accessible, inclusive, and human.

Real Life, Real Balance
When I’m not working, I’m fully in mom-mode—cheering on my boys at baseball games, sharing giggles with my daughter, or brunching with my husband and kids on the weekends. I believe you can be both ambitious and grounded, both nurturing and driven. That’s the energy I bring to GHCS—a space where excellence and authenticity can co-exist.

Let’s Redefine What Mental Health Care Looks Like
Whether you’re a client, clinician, or community partner, GHCS is here to help you thrive. We’re not here to check boxes—we’re here to make mental health care feel like it truly belongs to you.