Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in Aurora, CO

Life can feel overwhelming when anxiety, grief, or depression take hold. If you’re feeling stuck, exhausted, or unsure of how to move forward, you don’t have to navigate it alone. I offer a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where you can explore your feelings at your own pace.

I’m a psychiatric nurse practitioner who works from the belief that people are not broken—and that many of the struggles we call “mental illness” make sense when we look at trauma, context, and lived experience. I’m especially attuned to the ways mental health systems, stigma, and labels can unintentionally cause harm, and I aim to practice in a way that feels respectful, collaborative, and deeply human.

My approach is unconventional and trauma-informed, influenced by perspectives like those of Gabor Maté, which emphasize compassion, curiosity, and understanding symptoms as meaningful responses rather than defects. I do not believe in rushing to pathologize the human experience. As Joni Mitchell once reflected about depression, sometimes what we’re feeling is not an illness to be fixed, but a signal—an honest response to pain, loss, or a world that has not been kind.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and thank you for taking the first step in “taking back your life” from a mental illness. I feel that each person possess’ the needed internal mechanisms for success in their life. My goal is to assist you through integrative, lifestyle, and medication management combined with the internal strengths you possess to assist in guiding you through this journey we call life. I have been in the health care field for 12+ years.

Finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve tried therapy before and felt like it didn’t quite click. My approach is active, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that healing happens when we learn new ways of thinking, behaving, and relating to our emotions—not just talking about them.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a trauma-informed lens, specializing in addiction, women’s issues, adolescents, anxiety, and depression. I also have experience supporting parents and individuals impacted by a loved one’s substance use, including navigating boundaries, codependency, burnout, and complicated emotions such as guilt, fear, and grief.

I strive to create a safe, supportive space where clients feel accepted, understood, and gently challenged to grow. Many clients tell me they appreciate that our work goes beyond listening alone—we focus on learning practical skills and applying them to real-life situations.

I also have a background in Christianity and am comfortable integrating faith and spirituality into therapy when desired by the client. I respect each person’s beliefs and values and approach spiritual topics with openness, curiosity, and sensitivity.

Hi, I’m Denae! As a therapist who lives in the neurodivergent world myself, I believe therapy should be both real and lighthearted. With over a decade in behavioral health and dual licenses in counseling and addictions, I bring both clinical training and personal experience. I hold a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University. My goal is to create a safe space where you can show up authentically, free from judgment, with a touch of humor along the way.

As an experiential therapist with a background in the emergency medical field, I use a strengths-based, open approach, primarily drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy techniques. I am also EMDR trained and have 20 years of experience in trauma counseling. I specialize in working with first responders and healthcare professionals.

I began my professional life as an actress and gather learning from that career to use therapeutically. I am creative, playful and eclectic in my approach. I graduated Naropa University MA in Transpersonal Counseling with a focus on Art Therapy. Colorado Counseling for addictions training.