In all walks and phases of life, there may be roadblocks and bumps that you are faced with as an individual, couple, or family. My role is to guide, comfort, and support my clients as we navigate the obstacles together so that you no longer have to face them alone. I believe that people are resilient and capable of accomplishing their goals, healing past trauma, and developing secure relationships. I became a therapist because I am passionate about helping my clients meet and exceed their goals and thrive as individuals, couples, and families. I am filled with admiration and gratitude for my clients’ courage and trust to embark on this healing and restorative journey side by side.
Humans are wired with an innate need for connection, and I understand the unequivocal importance that relationships play in our lives and health. I am passionate about helping couples create safety, communicate effectively, and increase trust and understanding within their relationship. To do so, I utilize evidence-based treatment modalities such as Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy. My approach is direct, collaborative, non-judgemental, and empathetic as we discover the pattern that is keeping you and your partner isolated from connecting with one another in the ways that you deeply desire. In this process, you and your partner will gain empathy and an intimate understanding of one another and your most vulnerable emotions. You can expect to improve your communication and intimacy within a new pattern of relating that fosters a secure, safe, and satisfying bond between partners. I work with couples throughout their lifespan who are facing issues such as trauma, attachment distress, communication issues, conflict, lack of intimacy, breaches of trust, boundary-setting, and premarital counseling. I love doing couples work because it is so rewarding to help couples gain clarity on their needs, strengthen their bonds, and thrive. I also enjoy working with couples and families who are struggling with transitions throughout the life cycle such as parenting, divorce, blended families, and coparenting. It is such an honor to work with families as they navigate these storms of life to help them create the boundaries they need, while providing space for them to process the trauma and stress that they endure.
In addition to couples and family work, I also enjoy working with individual clients who are stuck in unhelpful patterns, have experienced trauma and emotional pain, and want to grow a healthy sense of self. With my training as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, I am passionate about helping my clients break out of the harmful narratives and patterns that keep them trapped in despair while creating more secure attachments with themselves and important others in their lives. I utilize trauma-informed and evidence-based treatment modalities such as Internal Family Systems and Emotionally-Focused Individual Therapy to help my clients heal. My approach to individual therapy is accepting, warm, and empowering. Through our work together, you can expect to gain control over challenging symptoms, break free from harmful patterns, and increase self-worth and acceptance, which will create deep, meaningful change in your life. I work with individuals from all phases and stages of life from age three and up with a variety of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, PTSD, boundaries, life transitions, attachment and relationship injuries, divorce recovery, and trauma and abuse recovery. It is very inspiring to me to facilitate my clients’ individual growth as they create a thriving relationship with themselves that permeates the rest of their lives and relationships.
My work with children and adolescents is viewed from an attachment and child-centered lens to help children create stronger bonds socially, give them space to express themselves, and foster a sense of self-appreciation and self-responsibility. I earned my Play Therapy certificate from Capella University, and I mastered Child-Centered Play Therapy skills from my time in that program. I also work with parents to teach child-centered play therapy skills in a treatment called filial therapy that can be utilized at home to strengthen the parent/child relationship. For teens, I also utilize Narrative Therapy techniques to help strengthen and utilize their sense of self-agency and to encourage and develop their unique individuality. I work with children, adolescents, and teens in areas such as emotional regulation, boundaries, school and family problems, anxiety and related disorders, self-esteem and self-worth, post-divorce, trauma, and abuse recovery. My work with kiddos allows me to be creative and utilize my imagination, and I am very playful and creative in my approach with them.
My standard session length is 60 minutes, which is $135 for couples and families, or $125 for individuals or children. I also offer alternative session lengths to best suit your needs of 50 minutes for $115 for couples/family or $105 for individuals/children, 75 minutes for $155 for couples/family or $145 for individuals/children, or 90 minutes for $185 for couples/family or $175 for individuals/children.
I have a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colorado State University. I also have received training as a Clinical Trauma Professional from Dr. Eric Gentry, as well as training in the development and application of Internal Family Systems by Dr. Frank Anderson and Dick Schwartz. I have worked with numerous men, women, and children who are survivors of abuse and trauma, are recovering from divorce, navigating co-parenting or blended family dynamics, or being challenged as parents throughout life transitions, among many other presenting problems. I also attended an Intensive Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) externship, as well as training for on-target couple interventions with the founder of EFT Sue Johnson. I have extensive experience in a private practice setting helping couples and families achieve conflict resolution, improve communication, break out of patterns, and create secure attachments.
In my free time, you can mainly find me lifting weights at the gym and spending time with my partner and son. I love enjoying the beauty of my home state of Colorado paddle boarding, hiking, skiing, or camping. I also love spending time with my friends and family, homesteading, traveling, deepening my spiritual beliefs, and using creativity to express my individuality through various mediums, including my hair! I consider myself a student of life, and I enjoy reading and expanding my knowledge primarily about therapy, spirituality, and self-growth and development.
Specialties
- Couples therapy to improve communication and intimacy, as well as develop safe and satisfying bonds between partners
- Couples and family therapy for support through life transitions, such as premarital, parenting transitions, and infidelity recovery
- Support during and after divorce/separation for all members of the family
- Navigating co-parenting and blended family issues
- Healing from trauma and internalized shame
- Boundary setting and value identification/development
- Fostering self-esteem and self-agency
- Rebuilding after abuse, including narcissistic abuse, and leaving codependency in the past
- Child therapy for social, emotional, and behavioral challenges at home or school
- Adolescent and teen therapy for fostering self-agency and creating healthy boundaries
- Parent coaching
Education
- Master of Science, Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), Capella University
- Bachelor of Science, Political Science and Legal Studies
Advanced Clinical Training
- Intensive Emotionally-Focused Externship with Dr. Robert Allan and Dr. Paul Guillory
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy: On-Target Couples Interventions with Dr. Sue Johnson
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional training with Dr. Eric Gentry
- Internal Family Systems Immersion with Dr. Frank Anderson and Dick Schwartz
- Play Therapy Certificate from Capella University
Contact me to schedule a free consultation or a session (I offer in-person sessions in Fort Collins or online sessions anywhere in Colorado):
Contact Kristen:
Kristen.HeartoftheMatterTherapy@gmail.com
Fort Collins Marriage Counseling and Couples Therapy (Heart of the Matter Therapy and Coaching) 