Find a therapist in Colorado — covered by insurance

Melissa ("Mel") Klootwyk, MSN, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over eight years of psychiatric mental health experience providing care across inpatient, PHP, IOP, and outpatient settings to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Mel has experience treating a broad spectrum of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, to more complex mood, trauma-related, thought, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

I am the Founder of EQ Therapy (eqtherapy.co), a private practice designed for high-performing clients. I also teach at NYU in their graduate mental health counseling program. My dissertation at Johns Hopkins focused on the mental health experience of intercollegiate student-athletes. I supervise therapists at EQ Therapy who are accepting new clients for individual and couples therapy. If you're a couple, college student, industry leader, entrepreneur, or athlete, schedule a session with with me today!

I have experience with adults and teenagers in systems of care including nonprofits, hospitals, and outpatient facilities. I specialize in trauma and addictions but enjoy working with variety in all its forms. I am passionate about adventure and the outdoors and want to help my clients improve their relationship to the land, connection to self, and deepening the quality of our interactions with others.

Clinical experience: 30+ years working with adults, couples, families, adolescents, and children specializing in trauma and co-occurring disorders with an integrative and holistic approach. Graduated from Saybrook University: Doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology (2010); Naropa University: Masters in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology & Art Therapy.

I am a dual board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner committed to supporting your mental wellness. I help children, teens and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, mood disorders and ADHD.

I completed my training at Case Western Reserve University, and I went on to complete additional certification at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

I aim to create a safe space where you feel heard and empowered. I would love to assist you on your path to growing, as we work together to achieve personalized, goals that promote positive outcomes.

My Positive, Storied Approach to Personal and Professional Growth

Everyone’s life is a grand story, filled with twists and turns, good things and bad things, all grounded in personal life themes. I consider it an enormous honor to be invited into someone’s story and believe that everyone has the power to take control of their stories, write the next chapter, and then make it happen.

Be the hero of your own story! Together we can talk about everything from what you want to include as you move forward, what you want to leave behind, and even the cast of characters in your life! Through thoughtful and genuine exploration, we both gain a better understanding of you and what you bring to the world including your strengths and talents, meaning and purpose. Through the process, my goal is to empower you to create a meaningful story you can be excited to step into.

I am an NCDA Certified Career Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado. I have PhD in Counselor Education and a master's degree in mental health counseling. I currently serve on the boards of both the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). I bring my strengths, training, and experience to our career and counseling work together.

For over 10 years, I've had the opportunity to support people through some of life's hardest moments. My journey has taken me from working with youth in residential treatment to helping families involved in foster care, adoption, and divorce, as well as individuals involved in the justice system. I also spent time working at an eating disorder and substance use treatment center before becoming a high school counselor, where I currently work. Throughout every role, one thing has stayed the same; I genuinely love helping people and have always been passionate about mental health.

Are you a parent, pregnant, or thinking about starting a family? Or, are you in your late teens / early 20s and trying to figure out who you are as you head into adulthood? I'm passionate about the process of becoming - whether that's matrescence (the transition to motherhood & parenthood), or adolescence (the transition to adulthood). I have over 10 years of experience working with young people as an international/wilderness guide and clinician. My own experiences with pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood led me to seek out specialized training in supporting folks in this transition. Current openings for in-person therapy on Thursdays at my office located in South Denver near DU. Schedule a free consult call with me to see if it's a good fit!