About Alicia
Why I am A therapist:
I am a therapist because I have an insatiable curiosity about what it means to be human, and an unwavering hope in our ability as humans to find meaning, joy and connection in life. Being able to step into someone else’s world with compassionate curiosity is a great privilege and joy to me, and I cannot imagine myself doing anything else.
Education and Clinical Experience:
I completed my bachelor’s degree in Contemplative Psychology at Naropa University in 2006. I went on to earn my Masters of Social Work from the University of Denver in 2011, with a focus in adolescent and family therapy.
I have worked in a variety of clinical settings, including: working with teen moms in Denver Public Schools; with children and teenagers in a medical setting; and with women at an inpatient substance abuse treatment center. I spent four years at the Denver Family Therapy Center providing individual, family and group therapy primarily with adolescents and young adults. I have been in private practice since 2016.
I love learning new therapeutic approaches, and work hard to keep current with new research and best practices. I have post-graduate training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, systems based family therapy, EMDR, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and I am certified in Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach.
My Approach
As a therapist, I strive to provide a safe, welcoming, and empathetic presence. Research shows that the quality of the client-therapist relationship is more important than the technique a therapist uses or philosophical approach she has. Nurturing trust and safety in the relationship allows us to show up as our most authentic selves, so that together we can delve into what can sometimes be difficult terrain.
Within this context, I may use a variety of well-researched and powerful therapeutic techniques, based on the your needs and interests. I specialize in the following types of therapy:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a powerful, evidence based modality that is primarily used in treating trauma and PTSD. It can also be used to treat depression, anxiety, phobias, cravings, and for performance enhancement. EMDR offers powerful tools to process disturbing experiences, regulate your nervous system and feel more present and embodied in your life. You can find more information here.
Here is what one client said about her experience completing EMDR with me:
“EMDR helped me understand my own life experiences in a wholly different way than I had before. Beliefs and memories that I had thought were set in stone have transformed in a holistic and profound way. Before participating in EMDR I did not think that my own self-perception could fundamentally shift, but I was proved wrong: the way I conceive of my own life story and place in the world has truly been changed. Further, this change has helped me to live with more self-compassion and empowerment.”
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is rooted in the perspective that eliminating negative emotional experiences or thoughts is both impossible and unnecessary for living a fulfilling, rich life. ACT therapy supports clients in developing the capacity to be with these difficult experiences with compassion, clarity and a commitment to one’s values. In ACT we teach mindfulness skills and powerful experiential exercises that help client’s separate from uncomfortable thoughts and emotions and find more freedom and flexibility in their lives. ACT is effective in treating a variety of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and OCD, as well as providing powerful tools for personal growth.
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is often used in conjunction with ACT. It is a powerful relationship based therapy that supports clients in noticing habituated behaviors and the impact these behaviors have in the present moment. FAP is an experiential and simple approach that helps provide more freedom of choice in how we show up in the world, how we react to our experiences and how we form connections with others.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a deceptively simple approach that is primarily used in the treatment of addictions. It is an method of influencing positive behavioral change in an effective and non-judgmental way. The MI spirit is described as collaborative, evocative, compassionate and accepting. This means we work in partnership with our clients to find and support their intrinsic strengths and motivations, in a deeply respectful and empathetic way. Motivational interviewing is the gold standard therapeutic approach for the treatment of addiction and other behavioral challenges.
Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach
I am fully certified in Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA), which is a structured behavioral approach to treating substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders in teenagers. A-CRA helps substance-abusing teenagers identify the underlying purpose of their substance abuse and establish new, healthy ways to get their needs met and cope with adversity. In this form of therapy we teach concrete skills for establishing and maintaining sobriety as well as ways to access vital support, or reinforcement, within client’s relationships and communities. This approach has been thoroughly research and proven to be effective.
If you have any questions about my practice or these forms of therapy, please contact me.
