Meet Vanessa!

Hi! I’m Vanessa.

  • She/her.

  • Queer identifying

  • Fluent in sarcasm

  • Washington and Wyoming grown; I'm a transplant to Colorado by way of Wisconsin

  • Learning to recover from perfectionism (creating art and baking bread has taught me a lot)

  • Another cottagecore enthusiast here: "Put a mushroom on it!"

  • When nothing feels good in the world, I know I can always turn to the women in my life

  • Have dabbled in like a bajillion hobbies, some of which stuck

  • Obsessed with all things Real Housewives; you'll often find me listening to a Bravo or Therapy-related podcast!

  • Singing is my first love and best form of self-care

  • Did I mention I like coffee??

You're on your couch, feeling nowhere near ready to click the "schedule meeting" button for our intro session.

You picked a time…

Oh man... here we go. Maybe I should just say something came up.
Do I really need this?
Actually... I think my dog has a hangnail, I should handle that instead.

But deep down, you know you need this.
You feel it in your bones.

And then, five minutes into our meeting, you're thinking,
Hey, Vanessa isn't so bad!

Before you know it, you're actually looking forward to our sessions (no joke!) because after each meeting, you feel heard, understood, and a whole lot lighter (even on those days when you feel like a total trainwreck!).

Week by week, you start noticing real changes.
The work is hard, but it's HAPPENING.
It feels amazing to have me in your corner, cheering you on, challenging you, and reminding you,
"You’ve got this!"

Here’s the best part of working together:

That nagging worry, sadness, anger, and frustration?
They’ll start to fade into the background.

You’ll experience “aha” moments in our sessions that make you feel empowered again.

You’ll notice small changes each week that help you rediscover your true self.

You are the one making all these amazing changes in your life.

You did the hard work.

You showed up every session, ready to dive deep.

I’m just your sidekick, helping to spark your superpowers and cracking a few corny jokes along the way.

This is about YOU

The clients I work best with:

This isn’t your first rodeo, but you’re still feeling stuck.
You’re ready to do the hard work and understand that I don’t have a magic wand (though, wouldn’t that be amazing if someone invented one?).

You’re seeking a genuine and down-to-earth therapist. You’re prepared to show up, put in the effort, and meet me halfway to see your desired results.

I enjoy working with folks who are feeling overwhelmed or impacted by worries, uncertainty about life transitions, managing and navigating commitments and responsibilities while also trying to care for themselves, and folks who are working to gain insight into past experiences and the ongoing impact of those experiences on their lives now.

I treat clients and families with various mental health concerns. These concerns include depression, anxiety, ADHD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, substance use, and family systems issues. As a compassionate provider to people from all walks of life, I particularly enjoy working with patients touched by adoption as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

What makes me qualified

  • Master of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies

  • Trained in

    • Eye Movement Reprocessing & Desensitization (EMDR)

    • Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT)

    • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

    • Seeking Safety

My previous experience includes working with individuals and groups as they navigate the only guarantee in life. . .change.

Whether searching for purpose, identifying personal values and goals, or if the demands of modern day life have left you feeling anxious and unproductive, I believe there is a way forward.

Through authentic connection and a strong foundation of trust, we can work together to address challenges and celebrations that are unique to each individual.

My approach to therapy is warm, compassionate, and affirming.

I am committed to creating a space to explore the impact of past wounds and trauma, identity, values, and life transitions, and develop (and maintain) new skills that center your personal growth in the work. 

Let’s do the
dang thing.