Find a therapist in Colorado — covered by insurance

I believe therapy is most effective when it's rooted in collaboration and connection. The therapeutic relationship is the foundation of meaningful change, and I work to create a space where clients feel genuinely heard, respected, and supported as full partners in the process. Over the course of my career, I've had the privilege of working in both community-based organizations and private practice — experiences that have shaped a flexible, grounded perspective on how people heal and grow. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and earned my Master of Social Work degree from Florida State University. Outside of formal training, I'm committed to continued learning so that I can show up for every client with curiosity, presence, and care.

I provide a calm, supportive space grounded in trust, empathy, and respect. My approach honors each person’s uniqueness, recognizing that no two journeys are the same. Therapy is a collaborative process where your voice, experiences, and goals guide our work. I focus on self-empowerment, helping you build insight, confidence, and resilience while moving at a pace that feels right for you. Whether you are seeking healing, growth, or clarity, my goal is to support meaningful change in a way that feels authentic, steady, and aligned with who you are.

Hi!

My name is Katie Thornton and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Nevada, Maine, and Wyoming. I am trained in EMDR therapy possess 7+ years of experience working with various backgrounds from outpatient and residential settings to working with children, adolescents, adults, veterans, and families through a variety of different challenges.

I have been in private practice for 20 years with my specialty focusing on individuals resolving historic traumas and women balancing all of the complications of womanhood in a fast paced, demanding world. My style is informed from my diverse experience. I have worked in adolescent residential treatment, FBI consulting, an expert witness and a graduate school professorship; all the while working with my private practice clients. In the last several years, I have been sought out as a corporate consultant and speaker to discuss how our negative experiences and traumas shape our behaviors as high intensity professionals.

The untapped magnificence I see in my clients never ceases to inspire and amaze me. Anyone who is willing to do hard work is already a gift to this World! I've grown bored of many things in my life but this work....never!

I’m an LCSW, and my practice name, Life Shift Happens, comes from a truth I see every single day: people don’t come to therapy because they’re broken. They come because life stopped unfolding the way they expected, and they feel entirely stuck. A lot of the humans I work with are incredibly thoughtful and trying so hard. They usually don't lack insight; they’ve read the coping skills and talked things through with friends. Yet, they still find themselves procrastinating, shutting down, or feeling completely frozen by past stuff. When that happens, change isn’t a matter of forcing more willpower. It requires slowing down to look at the patterns and defense mechanisms we build to protect ourselves when life gets heavy.

My style is collaborative, deeply conversational, and entirely human. I’m not here to judge, lecture, or pretend I have all the answers. Instead, I’m active in our sessions through asking questions, noticing patterns, and gently pushing back when I see you getting in your own way. We will work on the practical things like boundaries, follow-through, and managing emotions, while sitting with the messy overthinking, panic, burnout, or feeling checked out underneath it all. Therapy with me is a relationship where we make sense of the sudden crises and quiet paralyses that come with life shifts. The goal isn’t a perfect, flawless life, but rather a therapeutic space where you can figure out what changed, sprinkle in compassion, and learn how to move forward in a way that feels genuinely your own.

Healing begins when people are given the opportunity to explore all parts of themselves, including the parts that are difficult to face or that we feel ashamed of. I am an empathic Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a professional background in family conflict and chronic illness. My focus is providing a compassionate and supportive therapeutic space where people can feel safe being fully themselves without fear of judgment. Through thoughtful self-exploration, I help clients build self-awareness, empowerment, and greater self-compassion.

My approach is rooted in trust, empathy, curiosity, and genuine care. I believe that meaningful change begins in a safe, supportive relationship where you feel seen and understood. I strive to create an environment where you can explore your thoughts and emotions freely, without judgment. I have had experience working with all ages- spanning from private practice, community mental health, school social work / school based therapy, and residential treatment centers. While I love working with children and adolescents, I also provide space for adults and parents.

Here's the honest truth: the license on my wall is fresh. The decade of experience behind it is very much not.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over 10 years of practicing psychotherapy, and I specialize in the kind of work that tends to find people in the middle of life asking big questions — Who am I now? Is this what I signed up for? Why is my anxiety running the show?