Therapy for Therapists

Where does a therapist go for therapy?

Being a therapist is hard work. You hold space for so many people, which means that you might often find yourself neglecting your own emotional well-being. It’s also hard to trust that the therapist you are sitting with is capable, compassionate and curious rather than judgmental that you “don’t have it all together”.

You want to find a safe, comfortable and compassionate place to focus on your own emotional work. You know that to work effectively with clients, you need to be regulated and confident that you can show up as your True Self. Whatever is happening for you right now, I offer a safe, comfortable space for your deep healing as a clinician.

One of the hardest challenges we can face as therapists is to look for someone who we can trust and who feels competent and compassionate. Whether you have been a therapist for 1 year or 20 years, I offer a therapeutic experience that is uniquely designed with you as clinician and real-life person in mind.

Therapists Deserve Quality Care

It’s a challenge to find a therapist who offers a safe place that honors your professional experience as well as your personal needs for supportive, compassionate therapy. How do you trust another therapist to listen deeply and let you let go of your “therapist self”? This is a common challenge for therapists who find themselves ready to return to therapy.

Maybe you found a great therapist and they are retiring or leaving the field. Maybe you haven’t been to therapy since grad school because life and your practice took over your calendar, but now you recognize your need to find a safe, non-judgmental place to work on a specific issue or some deeper issues that have been placed aside while you have been busy in your life,

 It’s so hard to take the time to make an appointment, create a relationship with a new therapist and then commit to your own care through a deep therapeutic relationship. I get it.

It can also be challenging to recognize burn out during a busy week. You are struggling to find the energy to meet your clients with the level of compassion that usually comes so easily. You are exhausted and find yourself using old, ineffective habits to self soothe after a long week with clients. Your own relationships are difficult to balance because you just can’t find the time or energy to reflect and release on what you’re holding from your work and your own emotional story.

Your unique needs as a mental health provider are understood and welcomed at enCOURAGE Counseling. I offer a uniquely supportive space for your emotional needs and therapeutic goals.

Therapy Designed For You as Therapist

One of the unique aspects of my work with therapists is that I design therapy for you. Rather than relying on one therapeutic approach in my work with you, I design therapy that will honor your professional experience and balance that with the best therapeutic experience for your particular story and goals.

If you are coming to therapy because of issues in your current professional and/or personal life, we will work together to design goals to provide insight and restoration. Together we will develop goals that meet your needs, and then monitor how the work we do in session are impacting your life and your vision of what you want in your life.

If you’re coming to therapy because of past and recent past trauma, we will approach this work with curiosity and compassion. I use experiential and somatic therapy (EMDR, IFS, AEDP, and Somatic Experiencing) to process complex and specific events of trauma.

What you will experience is compassionate and responsive care in each session. My job is to create a safe space, and we begin sessions with that intention. We will spend time co-regulating and finding how you are coming into the session. From there, we begin the work at a pace that is supportive and connected to what you’re ready to focus on. You will leave with careful consideration that you are regulated and ready to begin the next part of your day feeling connected and grounded.

Therapists have experienced deep healing when working with me. I offer compassionate care that allows you to heal in places you never imagined. I have worked with therapists throughout Denver and South Denver, offering a safe place to show up however you need to.

Finding a therapist that deeply understands and respects your therapeutic identity is difficult. We often feel like we must maintain a level of “I’m a therapist, I should have this figured out.” But honestly…that’s not fair to you or to your clients. In therapy, we expand our compassion and empathy for ourselves and for those we love and work with.

“Yeah…but….”

It isn’t always as easy as we imagine finding a therapist and trust a new therapist. Some of the fears you may have include:

I'm actually fine...but I'm not...

Kristen Neff PhD has done incredible work focused on self-compassion. She reminds us that to be present and compassionate with others, we begin with ourselves. Therapy is an essential place for compassionate support for therapists. We often notice that our own lives become overwhelming, which can challenge our ability to be fully present for our clients. We can also notice the expectations from others that we should somehow “have it altogether”. The truth is, we are beautiful and complex humans, which means that we have old wounds and current struggles we need to look at in a safe place to heal and grow.

I can’t possibly find the time or resources to begin therapy.

Whether you are in private practice or working within a mental health system, time and money can be a challenge. There are a lot of reasons why we can’t afford the time or the money, AND there are good reasons to invest in yourself so that you can thrive in your life and in your work as a therapist. I offer appointment times with busy professionals in mind, including some Saturdays throughout each month.

When we prioritize our own physical and emotional needs, we begin to increase the margin of energy we can give to others.

What if we are in a similar network of therapists?

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our work as therapists. I’ve worked with several therapists through the years and have found that there is a safety and comfort we share, even when we see each other in other contexts. You will have the deep confidence that you are safe to be a professional in any context we may share.

You are not alone.

Working with therapists is an honor, and I have welcomed many counselors into my office with the open-hearted support all clients at enCOURAGE Counseling receive. I’ve also known the challenge of finding a safe place to do my own emotional healing; it isn’t easy to find that place where I feel that I can leave my professional identity at the door to do the work I want to do. You will feel welcomed and comfortable in this therapeutic relationship; your whole self is invited to come and do the work you know you need to do right now.

Because I know that a good fit is essential for clients to feel safe and comfortable, I offer and encourage a free, no obligation 20-minute consultation appointment. We can meet in my office or virtually; your needs are honored here. During our brief time together, you can ask questions as well as share what you are needing from therapy right now. There will be no pressure to make any decisions about next steps. My job is to support you, so I want you to notice how it feels to talk with me and what feels right for you.

If you would like to schedule a free, no obligation 20-minute consultation, please text or call me at 720-230-3076 or email me at laurie@encouragetherapy.com

I’m honored to meet you soon.