Therapists in Colorado

I work best with clients who are looking inward to illuminate their path forward. I'm passionate about working with couples/relationships to navigate conflict, create connection, build emotional/physical intimacy, heal relationship injuries, decide when to stay together or gracefully separate, and to help new relationships build bonds that will help them thrive. I am also excited to work with individuals by helping them discover themselves and find healing. I believe that our pain and struggles, as well as healing, are often connected to our relationships – with ourselves, our partners and families, and the cultures we live in.

You deserve a full and meaningful life. The voice that says otherwise is often born of dysfunctional family conditions and traumatic events. The resulting coping habits cause so much suffering. In an attempt to find relief, you act in counterproductive ways to avoid the pain: denial, isolation, screens, self-medicating, dysfunctional relationships, etc... Sadly, this tends to worsen things. Your confidence and self-esteem are diminished. Your life, relationships, and career suffer. Then toxic self-reliance shames you into believing you're a failure for not fixing yourself. The situation can feel hopeless. But you can find relief.

I have worked with youth and families in a variety of settings for most of my life and in a clinical capacity for more than a decade. While I enjoy working with all ages on a variety of issues, I specialize in anxiety, behavior issues, trauma, adoptive and foster families, parenting support, parent-child relationships, identity, and life transitions (especially related to parenting, early school years, and college). I highly value collaborative relationships, as you are the best expert on yourself, and I individualize all services to meet your particular needs and goals. I am honored and humbled to join clients on their journeys.

Whatever your experience, you are likely visiting this site because you are considering therapy. Good for you! I believe that people deserve support and guidance through difficult challenges, and I hope you believe you deserve this, too. Therapy provides a unique experience where you spend dedicated time on examining yourself and your own needs. When this time is granted clients overcome challenges, resolve pain, and achieve the personal growth they are seeking. I specialize in working with parents, and with clients with depression, anxiety, trauma or low self-esteem. I hope to be hearing your story soon, and supporting you.

I am an evenings and weekends Therapist with more than 15 years of experience working within culturally diverse groups to provide person-centered and cognitive behavioral mental health therapies (CBT). Groups I’ve worked with include individuals with excessive stress and challenges of life, severely and persistently mentally ill, individuals in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, individuals with personality and substance use disorders, medically challenged, in chronic pain, adults, children, adolescents, elderly, LGBTQIA+, VA, active military, developmentally delayed, forensic and incarcerated. Website: www.thebelmartherapist.com

Annette VanVleet is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She is passionate about helping children, adolescents, adults, families and couples address unique challenges and live more fulfilled lives. Annette specializes in depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, ADHD/ADD, and relationship issues.

I specialize in working with children, pre-teens, teens and college students who are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, self-harm, anger and aggression, low self-esteem and trauma experiences. I combine my expertise in Human Development, Synergetic Play Therapy, Somatic Therapy and person centered techniques to help the child, teen or young adult shift their nervous system and find regulation through connection, mindfulness, attunement and play.

Entering into therapy is an important decision, and finding the right therapist is essential to a successful experience. I believe that every person is deserving of compassion and honor, and is capable of living a rich and satisfying life. Each client is unique and very important to me, and together we will create an approach that works best for you. In our sessions, I focus on empowering emotional, physical, mental, social, and spiritual well being. I believe that we can do our best work together when we come to a shared understanding of your specific challenges and find helpful ways to work on them.

My specialty is with Individuals and Couples working through their relational and intimacy issues. I am passionate about helping couples and individuals find or re-discover their fire in their relationship. Do you have trouble in relationships? Do you have conflict in your marriage? Does one partner have a different libido or desire than another? Do you want to open up your relationship and explore different polyamorous lifestyle options? Do you or your partner have different fantasies or desires you would like to explore? Is there shame or pain related to sex? These are all areas where I specialize in treatment.

Do you feel stuck and overwhelmed? Or all alone in your pain? I love working with women who are ready to heal, grow, and discover their authentic self. Trauma, substance use, and difficult relationships can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves and others. Through our work together, we will transform your suffering into meaning, change, and growth. You can shift your old ways of relating to others into new and healthy connections. I really believe that you can build the life you have longed for.

Life’s journey can be tumultuous at times depending on the road you are on at any particular moment.Perhaps your road was difficult to begin with.No matter the journey the need for support at times is invaluable.When I work with my clients I will take the time to understand their history, their family, and in general their world that has made them unique.Our past and the way in which we have lived it can define who we are today.I treat the whole person or the whole family through the integration of evidence based therapies and customize each treatment to fit the needs of my clients.

My straightforward approach allows me to present in an honest way so I can encourage others to do the same in their journeys. I focus on recognizing patterns of behaviors, then working to understand and alter those perceptions and behaviors to allow for healthy connections and growth. While recognizing the influences that family and community have on overall well-being and happiness.

Counseling is about launching you into a new, better chapter. You want to show up more authentically and have deeper fulfillment in your relationships. A part of you knows how you want to live, but something's in the way: hesitation, anger, shame, obsessions, comfort-seeking habits. You don't want to dwell on the past, and you don't want it dictating the years ahead. Imagine genuinely being your own best friend. Picture what it's like to have an inner world that knows peace, clarity, and hope even in the face of conflict and uncertainty. Does that sound better than what you have now? That's what I want for you.

Are you hoping to improve your relationship? Are you worried you may be "too much" for your partner? Maybe you want to be a better partner but don't know how to? I am trained in PACT Therapy (Psychobiological Approach to Couple's Therapy), and Gottman Therapy, two specialized approaches to couples therapy. I have found that integrating these two styles of therapy quickly gives couples insight to the causes of their conflict or disconnection, and tangible ways to fix it. This allows each partner to understand themselves and their partner, improving connectedness and relationship satisfaction and decreasing conflict intensity.

I have a passion for working with individuals who want to see positive change in their lives. Struggles with mood, anxiety, trauma, or addiction symptoms often get in the way of making these positive changes. I want to work with you to develop a plan to address these issues and develop strategies that work for you to reach your goals.

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there." - Rumi. It's by looking at what is behind our emotions and choices, that leads to freedom. When we understand what drives us in unhelpful ways, we have a choice. By engaging our lives in meaningful ways through self-expression and creativity, we find our voice and authenticity. We'll unpack those unhealed places so they no longer control our actions and beliefs. Together we can help you feel seen, valued, heard, and accepted, which is so often at the heart of inner and outer conflict.

I have worked in Early Childhood Education for 25 years, which has given me the opportunity to help young children develop social-emotional skills. I look forward to utilizing these skills I've learned to help my clients strengthen their areas of need within the field of mental health.

Do you often find yourself struggling with wondering if it is ok to feel the way you do about things? Perhaps part of you thinks it is time to set some boundaries (with family, work, your partner) but you aren't sure how or if you're even entitled to do so? You want things to be different, but it feels like there's something in your way. In my work with clients, we focus on two main areas, what I call the “why” and the “how”. The “why” is about working together to gain a deeper understanding of where your concerns began. The “how” is about what you do with that knowledge to move toward a life you'd enjoy living more.

I believe wholeheartedly in the power of families and relationships. When our relationships are thriving we can feel at our best, but when there is tension, loss of trust, trouble communicating, or just something missing we can feel lost, angry, or hopeless. My hope is to help you find joy, strength, and healing and am committed to helping you reach your potential.