Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Colorado

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Addictions Counselor. I am committed to helping people navigate through their struggles, whether it be with past trauma, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, depression, or sobriety. I would like to help find a collaborative way to start the healing process. Life can be so overwhelming at times that we lose our way. I can help lighten the load with the different modalities that I use. Let me help you navigate recovery and relapse prevention. If you want to heal from the past and move forward positively, you’ve come to the right place.

I offer virtual or in-person therapy sessions in Castle Rock, Colorado. I know what it's like to struggle with depression, addiction, and narcissistic abuse. I became a therapist and an energy healer after going through my own "dark night of the soul." Many clients tell me that they relate to me because I have been though similar experiences and know what it's like to push through depression, and overcome addiction and trauma. My goal isn't to help you merely mask symptoms, but to help you navigate through them while healing the underlying roots, staying grounded, and discovering your most authentic self and a life of fulfillment and thriving.

If you're feeling stretched thin—anxious, exhausted, or stuck in patterns you can't quite name—you don't have to keep pushing through it alone. I'm Risa, an LCSW with over 10 years of experience helping adults move from overwhelmed to grounded.

I work with people navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma and PTSD, grief, anger, relationship strain, identity questions, and difficult life transitions. Many of my clients look high-functioning on the outside while struggling underneath—racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, burnout, or a quiet sense that something needs to change.

Over my career I've supported clients in community mental health, geriatric care, veterans' health, and corrections—settings that taught me to meet people across very different circumstances without judgment. I earned my Master's in 2012 and have practiced ever since, with particular experience supporting women and the LGBTQIA+ and transgender community around identity, relationships, and self-worth.

Whatever brought you here, my aim is for you to feel understood from our very first conversation.

I have experience working with clients across the life-span on a number of issues including life transitions, anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ concerns, etc. I specialize in grief/loss and suicidality as these are topics that I feel often get pushed to the side. I especially enjoy working with teens and folks in the LGBTQ+ community.

Accepting new clients today - starting where you are! We can: navigate life with more balance, access resources with self-compassion. Specializing in older adults & caregivers for 15 years. Focus: aging, adjustment issues, cognitive/health issues, depression and anxiety while honoring your strengths. I also support younger adults, trauma, & reclaiming personal power to be your best self. Graduated DU's Graduate School of Social Work with honors in 2008, working in myriad health settings, mainly serving older adults.

My priority is to provide a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where you feel heard, respected, and supported. With over 40 years in healthcare—including service as a former Navy Nurse Corps Officer and retired military veteran—I bring values of resilience, trust, and teamwork into every therapeutic relationship. I view care as a partnership and work to empower you to take an active role in your mental health.

Clinical Focus & Services

I provide pharmacotherapy (medication management) motivational interviewing, and other therapeutic modalities. We can assess during the first meeting if your treatment requires additional therapeutic support. I will provide a referral to a licensed therapist to ensure you receive comprehensive care. My practice supports:

• ADHD (I am an ADHD Certified Clinical Support Provider)
• College students with focus/concentration concerns,school overload, or interrelationship difficulties
• OCD
• Anxiety & Stress
• Panic Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Trauma
• Mild to Moderate Depression
• Interrelationship issues
• Smoking cessation
• Gambling addiction
• Shop lifting addiction
• Smoking Cessation
• Alcohol Addiction

With an extensive background spanning the full continuum of care—from outpatient services to long-term inpatient mental health—I have dedicated my career to supporting individuals across a vast spectrum of life experiences. My professional journey has been shaped by the guidance of exceptional mentors and supervisors who have instilled in me a commitment to continuous growth as a provider.

I have had the privilege of serving a wide range of populations, including:

• Adolescent mothers and youth in the foster care system
• Individuals within youth corrections
• Military veterans and those navigating the complexities of post-service life
• Survivors of domestic violence in recovery
• The geriatric population and adults navigating significant life transitions

I believe that true healing and growth begin with authenticity. Long before it became a trending term, I sought to show up as my authentic self in every room—whether presenting to a leadership team in a government agency or sitting one-on-one with a client late into the evening.

My style is rooted in transparency. I recognize my own strengths and deficits, a practice that keeps me grounded and humble while giving me the confidence to face life’s most daunting challenges alongside my clients. I don’t believe in a "one-size-fits-all" approach; instead, I meet my clients exactly where they are, viewing them as the true experts of their own lives.