Gabriel Atherton

** Notice: In-person office location will be changing from Littleton to Lafayette, CO, September 2026 **

I am a summa cum laude graduate from the University of Central Oklahoma with a M.A. in Counseling Psychology who is passionate about supporting adults, teenagers, and children who struggle with the effects of trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other variations of anxiety (e.g. specific phobias, panic, social anxiety, etc.). I have worked as a therapist with the Child Trauma Services Program within the OU Health Sciences Center where I supported youth diagnosed with PTSD, have accrued ample specialized training and experience in guiding individuals through personalized OCD treatment, and presently operate within private practice which affords the opportunity to be most flexible in working with client's of all ages toward achieving their goals. I am passionate about helping others learn to overcome fears which are holding them back from what is most important, and am an outspoken advocate for using treatment protocols which have been researched to show they are effective.

Committed to utilizing evidence-based therapy practices and recognizing each client as deserving of individualized care, I possess a strong therapeutic foundation rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and commonly use components of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support my clients. Relevant to OCD, I have received abundant specialized training in Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), empirically understood to be the gold standard treatment modality for those struggling with this disorder. Notably, I am trained in effective trauma-focused treatments for PTSD including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Written Exposure Therapy (WET), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Additionally, I have received training in I-CBT for OCD, EMDR for PTSD, and play therapy for children struggling with anxiety and/or stressful life changes.

I believe each person has the right to effective mental health care, strive toward cultural competence, am a vocal advocate for marginalized groups, and embrace versatility in meeting each of my client’s needs. I takes great pride in supporting my clients through understanding, navigating, and overcoming fear at a pace which best fits each person. An initial intake session primarily consists on information gathering as both an opportunity for myself to get to know you and to better understand your concerns, as well as an opportunity for you to get to know me and to ask any questions which may come to mind!