Grief counselors and therapists in Salida, CO

I believe in empowering my clients to recognize the strengths in themselves to deal with life's challenges. For 20 years, I have provided therapy to children, adolescents and families in the areas of anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment, parenting and divorce.

I am so glad you're here! Reaching out for support takes courage, and I'm honored to be a part of that next step. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado, as well as a wife, mom and rancher with deep roots in agriculture. I believe counseling should feel welcoming, supportive and genuine. My background and education in grief, trauma, and experiential equine-assisted practice has shaped a grounded, connection-focused style that helps people feel seen, supported and understood to create meaningful changes with hope for what's ahead.

I am a Clinical Mental Health Therapist with over 16 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families in community mental health, educational and private practice settings. Prior to that, I spent 20 years in pastoral ministry. I completed my Masters in Counseling Psychology in 2008 from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and soon after moved to Northwest New Mexico/Southwest Colorado. My professional experience includes: Administrator of a Residential Treatment Center, Clinical Administrator for Children's Behavioral Health, Student Assistance Coordinator for a school district, Visiting Professor at a School of Social Work, Private Practice, Outpatient Clinical Manager, Health Services Coordinator for a school district, and Integrated Behavioral Health Provider in a family medical practice setting. In addition to working with high risk/high needs children and adolescents, I work primarily with trauma as well as anxiety and depression. I also serve as a Certified First Responder Counselor.

I have worked in the mental health field since 2001 and am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC). While I have extensive training and experience with adolescents and young adults, I also enjoy working with adults, families, and couples. I am trained in EMDR, an evidence-based trauma therapy, along with other trauma related techniques which I incorporate in my counseling work when indicated. I am also a skilled trainer in Motivational Interviewing, adolescent development, developmental trauma, and suicide prevention. In addition, I regularly utilize CBT and DBT skills and interventions as necessary in counseling sessions.

Regarding my philosophy of counseling, Glennon Melton, an author I admire, sums it up best: she describes life as “brutiful.” Brutiful blends the two words, “Beautiful” & “Brutal”, which sums up how we often experience our journeys in life. Life has its beautiful moments, it also has some difficult, hard times. When life feels painful and you need someone to talk to, I am someone who can provide a safe place to feel supported & heard. My goal is to provide a place for you to explore your thoughts, feelings, and values in order to better understand yourself. Additionally, I work with you to learn and strengthen healthy coping strategies so the unhealthy ones are less appealing.

My clinical experience and training involves helping those with depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, mood instability, anger, conflict, behavior/legal struggles, grief and loss, life transitions such as divorce, and adjustment issues.

Hello, I'm Emily - I'm happy you're here! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a passion for supporting children, adolescents, and young adults through some of life’s most challenging moments. In addition to my clinical work, I serve as a school therapist, supporting students with IEPs as they navigate emotional, behavioral, and social challenges within the school setting. For 13 years, I worked in hospitals as a Certified Child Life Specialist, walking alongside children and families as they navigated chronic illness, medical trauma, and end-of-life experiences.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Colorado. I graduated from Colorado Mesa University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to complete my master’s degree in in mental health counseling at Arizona State University. In 2017, I received my Ph.D. in counselor education from the University of Central Florida

I work with creative, self-aware adults navigating anxiety & overthinking, grief, ADHD & other neurodivergence, relationship struggles, and major life transitions and reinvention — people in the middle of real change.

Therapy with me is grounded, direct, and collaborative. We slow down enough to understand what’s happening beneath the surface — and then we figure out how to move you forward.

I have a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and have worked in inpatient rehab, community mental health, and private practice. And I've had several other careers before this: massage therapist, editor and writer, writing instructor, park ranger, all of which inform how I show up as a therapist.

I am a trauma specialist and have spent my entire career dedicated to helping those afflicted by traumatic events. I have been trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy,(DBT) Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy(MB-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Interpersonal Psychodynamic Therapy (IPT), Exposure Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

I believe that everyone comes with the resources and strength to overcome the challenges of trauma, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and all anxiety and depressive disorders.

My approach can vary from direct to humanistic in style. I have a very analytic mind, and a heart to comfort those who need a softer approach. My passion is helping those afflicted with traumatic events and the resulting symptoms.

The population I serve can range in age from 8 years old to 80 years old. I pride myself in being flexible to meet varying developmental stages and needs.

I completed both my undergraduate and graduate school training at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. At the time the graduate school in psychology was ranked 4th in the nation. I received my master's degree in 2004 with a 4.0 grade average in this very demanding and competitive program.

I’ve been a therapist for over 30 years, and I love my work. To me, it’s all about walking alongside clients, helping them reconnect to themselves or, sometimes, to find themselves for the very first time.

The client who will feel like I’m their very best fit is one who wants to let go of past experiences that keep them stuck. You may have trauma or difficult memories that you are ready to move past, anxieties that you want to learn to manage, or stress you want to let go of. Or you may be struggling to manage a new phase of life, like becoming a parent, navigating the transition from adolescence into adulthood, reinventing life after a loss, a relationship change, or retirement.

If any of this rings true for you, I’d love to partner with you. Together, we’ll use tools like EMDR, Brainspotting and mindfulness to help you rediscover your strengths, your confidence, and your interests, so you can create the life you’ve always imagined.