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CCA 2026 Annual Conference

About this event

Join us on September 23rd - 25th, 2026 in the heart of downtown Denver for the 2026 Colorado Counseling Association Annual Conference—three days of learning, connection, and professional renewal. This year’s conference brings together counselors, counselor educators, students, and mental health professionals from across Colorado to explore emerging topics in the field, share research, and engage in meaningful conversations that strengthen our profession.

Hosted at the Hyatt Regency Denver, the event will feature a compelling keynote presentation, diverse breakout sessions, expanded networking opportunities, and a vibrant exhibitor hall highlighting innovative tools and resources that support clinical and professional growth. The CCA is committed to cultivating a high-quality speaker lineup featuring topics that meaningfully benefit conference attendees. All proposals should directly support the training, development, and continued learning of mental health professionals across the field. Proposals for the 2026 Annual Conference are now being accepted through April 13th, 2026. To submit a proposal, please see our proposals page.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your clinical skills, broaden your professional network, or find renewed energy among peers who share your passion for helping others, the 2026 CCA Annual Conference is an experience you won’t want to miss.

The conference will take place at:
Hyatt Regency Denver
650 15th St, Denver, CO 80202

With its central location in downtown Denver, attendees will have easy access to a wide range of dining, cultural attractions, and entertainment—all within walking distance. You can explore nearby offerings and local recommendations on the Hyatt’s event and attractions page.

Whether you’re seeking to deepen your clinical skills, expand your professional network, or simply be refreshed among peers who share your passion for helping others—the 2026 CCA Annual Conference is a gathering you won’t want to miss.

Sponsor

Sponsors

The 2026 CCA Annual Conference is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors. These organizations have made a meaningful investment in the counseling community, and their partnership is what allows us to bring together mental health professionals from across Colorado for three days of learning, connection, and professional renewal. As a nonprofit, the CCA relies on the generosity of sponsors to fulfill its mission of equipping and empowering Colorado's professional counselors. We encourage all attendees to visit our sponsors throughout the conference. Connecting with sponsors is a valuable opportunity to discover tools, resources, and services designed specifically to support your clinical work and professional growth. Whether you are looking to expand your practice, explore new treatment approaches, or find partners who understand the unique demands of the counseling profession, our sponsors are here to help. 

To each of our sponsors, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your commitment to this profession and to the people it serves is truly appreciated.


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  • Leslie Alder, First-year Graduate Student
    Leslie Alder (she/her) is a First-year graduate student at the University of Colorado-Denver Counseling Program, Clinical Mental Health Track within the School of Education and Human Development. She has special interest in identity development of women raised within high demand religious groups post deconstruction.
    Sessions
    • P5 : Counseling Considerations for Afghan Refugee Women
  • Soontae An
    Soontae An is a Professor in the Division of Communication and Media and an Adjunct Professor of Big Data Analytics at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Asian Communication Research. She previously served as President of the Korean Health Communication Association, as well as Chief Communication Officer and Associate Vice President for International Affairs at Ewha Womans University. She received the Minister’s Exemplary Service Medal from the Ministry of Health and Welfare in recognition of her contributions to national suicide prevention efforts in Korea. She is the author of multiple books, including Suicide Prevention and Health Communication, Children and Advertising in the Digital Age and has published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles. Her research has appeared in leading journals such as Psychiatry Research, Archives of Suicide Research, Death Studies, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Communication Law and Policy, The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Media Economics, Journal of Health Communication, and Health Communication.
    Sessions
    • P8 : When Clients Turn to AI: Understanding the Role of Generative AI in Mental Health Coping Soontae An1, Nayoung Oh1, Gaeun Lee1, Hannah Lee2
  • Suzanne Carter
    Suzanne Carter, MA, LPC, DD is a psychotherapist of 45+ years and Unity minister of 40 years. Founder of The Harmony Relationship Center, she integrates psychology, spirituality, and trauma-informed care to help people heal, reconnect with their true self, and live their gifts.
    Sessions
    • S56 : Power, Shame, and the Path to Relational Equality
  • Reka K Farago, PhD, LPC (CO)
    Dr. Reka Farago is a Counselor Educator, Supervisor, and has been a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) for nearly 20 years. Additionally, she is a Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Couples Therapist, with additional training in Gottman I-II and Emotion Focused Therapy. She is also an Internship Supervisor and a Dissertation Chair. Dr. Farago has taught counselor professional identity in the context of individual and group supervision, and in multiple graduate level courses in Clinical Mental Health and Counselor Education. Dr. Farago received her PhD. From the University of Northern Colorado. She has experience working with families, couples and adolescence in schools, residential treatment, and private practice in multiple states. She specializes in couples work in her practice. Her approach is centered in Relational Cultural Theory, and emotion focused methods. Her research interests include supervision, human sexuality, and cultural diversity issues, and Counselor Professional Identity.
    Sessions
    • P4 : STEP INTO MY SHOES: A Multicultural Perspective
  • Deb Felio, LPC
    Deb Felio, LPC, is a private practice therapist /consultant with 30 years experience specializing in attachment issues, ADHD support groups for parents, neurodiversity across the lifespan, educational advocacy, and grief and loss , with in person, and telehealth sessions. She serves as Chapter and Clinical Director for the Colorado A Home Within- providing counseling to youth and adults who are currently in or have ever been in foster care. Deb has presented at local ( including Colorado Counseling Association) and National conferences where she enjoys sharing her humor, experiences and expertise of former lives as as a high school teacher, a foster parent, dog owner, and younger ( and now aging) adult. She often brings a thought provoking alternative approach that can challenge and support forward thinking and practice. In her off times she enjoys geeking on psychological research, Netflix ( or Apple TV) bingeing, reading and writing poetry, essays and non fiction.
    Sessions
    • S42 : When Grief Has No Closure - Working with Ambiguous Loss
  • Emma Guzman, LMHC
    Emma Guzman, LMHC, is a trauma-focused clinician with a background in neuroscience and forensic psychology. Her clinical and scholarly interests center on relational outcomes of childhood emotional neglect, affect integration, and shame-mediated repair processes.
    Sessions
    • P10 : The Omission Of Relational Repair Model of Childhood Emotional Neglect: A Conceptual Framework
  • Desiree Jackson, LPC (AZ)
    Desiree Jackson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Arizona and a doctoral graduate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Grand Canyon University. She offers a calm, compassionate space where clients and students can feel genuinely seen, heard, and supported as they engage in meaningful personal growth and healing. Grounded in compassion, humility, and authentic human connection, Desiree is deeply committed to multiculturalism and inclusivity. She approaches her work with respect and empathy, striving to foster understanding and collaboration across diverse communities. Her clinical work is rooted in trauma-informed care and integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills for emotional regulation, along with Gottman-based interventions to strengthen communication and deepen relational connection. She specializes in working with neurodivergent individuals and couples, providing tailored, affirming care that honors each client’s unique experiences. In addition to her clinical practice at Chapter & Page Counseling, Desiree serves as a clinical mental health faculty member at GCU, where she teaches and mentors students in the clinical mental health program. As a scholar-practitioner, Desiree contributes to the counseling profession through research, publication, and professional presentations. Her work has focused on multicultural competencies, counselor professional identity development, and navigating microaggressions within counseling and supervision. She is a published author in the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Teaching Practice Briefs and has presented at both the ACES Annual Conference and the American Counseling Association Clinical Supervision Virtual Summit.
    Sessions
    • P4 : STEP INTO MY SHOES: A Multicultural Perspective
  • Stephanie Jaramillo
    Stephanie Jaramillo is a therapist with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field and 5 years specializing in neurofeedback. She is passionate about helping individuals achieve meaningful, lasting change by integrating evidence-based talk therapy with brain-based interventions. As a clinician and neurofeedback provider at Brightwave Neurofeedback, Stephanie takes a data-driven, client-centered approach to care, using both clinical insight and objective measures to guide treatment and track progress. Her work focuses on supporting clients with anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, emotional dysregulation, and attention challenges. In addition to her professional work, Stephanie is a dedicated mother of three, which deeply informs her compassionate, practical, and real-world approach to supporting individuals and families. Stephanie has championed causes that impact her son with a genetic condition and disabilities. She is committed to advancing innovative, effective mental health care and empowering clients to reach their full potential and advocating for those unable to use their voices.
    Sessions
    • P1 : A Data-Driven Integrative Approach: Combining Talk Therapy and Neurofeedback to Improve Client Outcomes
  • Jean Miller, PhD, LPC, LMHC
    Dr. Jean Miller is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington, a Clinical Supervisor, an educator, and a researcher. She utilizes a person-centered, strengths-based approach, focusing on the holistic wellness of mind, body, and spirit. Life is a journey of self-discovery, learning, and developing into our truest selves, and she truly feels that it is an honor to walk alongside others on their journey. She runs her own private practice and is also a professor in counselor education. Her background includes working with clients in private practice, community mental health, telemental health startups, and higher education settings. In private practice, she provides counseling, coaching, and consulting services to individuals, couples, groups, and organizations. As an experienced educator and researcher, she also facilitates webinars, training, and professional development workshops. Her research focuses on the areas of counseling, mindfulness, holistic wellness, and transformational healing in grief and loss. She is actively involved in mental health advocacy in her role as President of the Board of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and women's advocacy work in her role as previous Research Director for MWC (Modern Widows Club). Jean is passionate about music, spirituality, yoga, travel, lifelong learning, and most importantly, spending time with her loving support network of family and friends. Her biggest pride and joy is her family and her two incredible kids who are both changing the world through their creative talents and social justice advocacy work.
    Sessions
    • P6 : Reclaiming Wholeness: An Integrative Approach to Midlife Loss, Grief, and Renewal
  • Leah Papke
    Leah Papke is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s student at Regis University and a psychometrist within a private practice. Her background includes person centered and behavioral support with neurodivergent and trauma-affected populations. Her research and professional interests center on trauma-informed assessment, differential diagnosis, and the ethical integration of research into counseling practice.
    Sessions
    • P9 : Differentiating Trauma-Adaptive Divergence from Autism Spectrum Traits: A Psychometric Comparison
  • Andrew Rath
    Andrew Charles Rath, MA Candidate Wake Forest University | Director of Adult Diversion, Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office Andrew Rath is a graduate-level clinical mental health counseling student at Wake Forest University (expected August 2026) and Director of Adult Diversion for the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Trinidad, Colorado. His work sits at the intersection of behavioral health, forensic systems, and rural justice, areas shaped by over two decades of experience as a U.S. Army infantryman, narcotics K9 officer, and criminal investigator. He currently provides individual and group counseling services to justice-involved populations. His research examines structural barriers to behavioral health interventions in forensic contexts, with a focus on rural provider access, strain on competency restoration systems, and misclassification of cumulative risk. He holds memberships in the American Counseling Association, Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society, and the Colorado Counseling Association.
    Sessions
    • P7 : Domestic Violence Provider Deserts as a Forensic Systems Failure: Rural Risk Amplification and Workforce Attrition in Colorado
  • Addison Sayre-Adona, LPC (CO), LAC (CO), LPCC (KY)
    Addison is a PhD student at Liberty University and currently owns and operates the practice DIALECTICAL PATHWAYS TO WELLNESS® here in Colorado. He is currently a member of CSI. He is currently the CO-SAIGE President and a member of the Legislative Committee for CCA. Addison is a dedicated professional for advocacy and development of the counseling profession. His practice serves individuals experiencing trauma, crisis, and his research agendas focus on sense of self, identity, and connections to military service.
    Sessions
    • S21 : Creatively Taking Care of Yourself- A Space of Queer Affirming and Intentionality
  • Angela Tapp, LPC
    Angela Tapp, LPC is a doctoral student in Transpersonal and Positive Psychology at the California Institute of Human Science, where she studies under the advisement of Dr. Glenn Hartilus. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling/Marriage & Family Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Edward's University (Summa Cum Laude, 2004). A Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada, Tapp brings over two decades of clinical experience spanning grief and hospice work, trauma-informed care, adolescent and family systems, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Her scholarly interests sit at the intersection of transpersonal psychology, consciousness studies, and meaning reconstruction following spiritual and institutional rupture. She draws on contemplative wisdom traditions, altered states research, and existential frameworks to inform both her clinical practice and emerging scholarship. Tapp previously served as Full-Time Faculty in the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling program at Naropa University, where she taught transpersonal psychology, human development, family systems, and supervised graduate practicum students. Her current research examines the application of the Circumplex Model to adopted family systems. She is an authorized facilitator and instructor in the PrePare/Enrich model, and holds advanced training in EMDR, clinical hypnotherapy, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
    Sessions
    • P2 : Spiritual Rupture: A Non-Pathological Model of Meaning Reconstruction Beyond Institutional Betrayal
  • Allison Harvey
    Allison founded Benediction Counseling in 2014 and now serves as the Clinical Director as well as continuing work as a therapist. Allison earned a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Sciences) degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 2005, and received her Master's of Arts in Counseling from Denver Seminary in 2010. ​Allison is also passionate about mentoring and serving as a supervisor for newer therapists. She has a strong belief that the community at large is stronger and healthier when therapists befriend and support each other. She loves to train and empower therapists to serve clients with knowledge, sensitivity, cultural awareness and a strong ethical conviction. The other hats Allison wears are wife, adoptive mother, biological mother, daughter, sister and friend. She enjoys a good long walk, quiet music, a good cup of coffee, and slowing down with a good book of poetry.
    Sessions
    • S39 : Moral Injury: Supporting The Mental Health Impact Of Witnessing Societal Harm
  • Alyssa Burnett, LPC, ADDC
    Alyssabeth ‘Alyssa’ Burnett earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Substance Use Disorders from Colorado Christian University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She has been working with clients in the Denver metro area since 2021. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she focuses her clinical work in complex trauma and grief, chronic illness and pain, as well as couples therapy. She is trained and primarily works with Ketamine Assisted Therapy, Relational Life Therapy, PACT, DBT, and Internal Family Systems. Her clinical interests are informed by both professional training and lived experience.
    Sessions
    • S59 : When It Happens: Clinician Grief Preparedness, and Response in Suicide Loss
  • Amy Pickett-Williams, LCSW, RYT
    Amy Pickett-Williams, LCSW, RYT-200, is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and founder of LIGHT Movement, a nonprofit dedicated to somatic healing for grief and loss. With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in working with individuals and families navigating profound loss, including the death of a child, trauma, illness, and identity shifts. Amy integrates neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and body-based practices to support individuals in growing with grief. She is a national speaker and educator, known for bridging clinical practice with somatic and spiritual approaches to grief care.
    Sessions
    • S32 : Embodied Grief: Rethinking Trauma and Loss Beyond Words
  • Anastasia Canfield, DHSc, LPC, NCC, MT-BC, RPT, ASDCS
    Dr. Anastasia Canfield is a professional counselor, music therapist, play therapist, professional musician, author, and health scientist in Aurora, Colorado. She provides creative therapy services, supervises music therapy interns and counseling interns, and speaks on topics related to occupational hazards in music therapy, ethics, and performance anxiety. Dr. Canfield has an extensive background working in numerous settings including, but not limited to juvenile detention, inpatient psychiatric care, intensive outpatient care, partial hospitalization programs, school-based settings, and private practice. She is also active in the Colorado music scene and is known for her activism through her creative medium having been featured by the Colorado Music Hall of Fame for addressing suicide stigma through her song "An Evening In Spring".
    Sessions
    • S28 : Music Therapy Versus The Use Of Music In Therapy
  • Andrew Tessmer, M.Ed, LPC, LPCC, LMHC, QTAP
    To be filled out.
    Sessions
    • S21 : Creatively Taking Care of Yourself- A Space of Queer Affirming and Intentionality
  • Angie Noack, LPC
    Angie Noack is a licensed professional counselor and emerging leader in the field of applied neuroscience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and Music Performance, and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health. Angie focuses her practice on neurofeedback, using advanced brain-training methods to promote healing and peak performance. As a professional keynote speaker on brain health and mental wellness, Angie empowers audiences with practical strategies rooted in neuroscience, biohacking, and personal growth. Her engaging style blends scientific expertise with real-world application, making complex concepts accessible and inspiring. With clinical experience spanning addiction recovery, trauma, anxiety, depression, concussion rehabilitation, and performance optimization, Angie combines her background in science and the arts to help individuals break through limitations and unlock resilience. Outside of her work, Angie fuels her passion for fitness and enjoys adventures.
    Sessions
    • S03 : Rewiring Recovery: How Brain Mapping And Neurofeedback Can Help Unlock Freedom From Addiction
  • Ashley Belcourt, M.S., LPC-Associate, MMH-C
    Ashley brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work as a therapist. Her own experiences with postpartum mental health, along with supporting loved ones through perinatal loss and major life transitions, inspired her to dedicate her career to maternal and paternal mental health. She is passionate about walking alongside clients through seasons of change—whether that’s postpartum depression and anxiety, infertility, perinatal loss, parenting challenges, fostering or adopting, or even life transitions such as becoming an empty nester or re-entering the workforce after raising children. In addition to her work with parents, Ashley finds great meaning in supporting adolescents and young adults as they step into adulthood, independence, higher education, or vocational training. She also works with couples navigating relational stress and identity shifts, helping families grow stronger through life’s changes. Her approach is integrative, blending evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), and Gottman-informed strategies with person-centered care and motivational interviewing. Above all, Ashley believes the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of healing. She prioritizes creating a safe, warm, and collaborative space where clients feel understood, respected, and empowered. Ashley is Maternal Mental Health-Certified (MMH-C) and has completed advanced training with Postpartum Support International (PSI) in perinatal loss, perinatal psychopharmacology, and advanced psychotherapy in perinatal mental health. She has also pursued specialized training in Trauma-Focused CBT, CPT, and Gottman Level 1, and holds certifications including Grief Informed Professional and Youth & Adult Mental Health First Aid. She collaborates with other professionals in the field to advance research and best practices in maternal and perinatal mental health. Outside the therapy room, Ashley enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and dogs, discovering new restaurants, reading, and embracing simple joys like a cold Diet Coke or a good nap. Ashley is committed to meeting clients where they are and helping them navigate difficult transitions with compassion, authenticity, and hope.
    Sessions
    • S43 : Sitting with Maternal Grief When Loss Cannot Be Solved
  • Ben Corley
    I work with individuals who are tired of feeling stuck, disconnected, quietly overwhelmed, or without hope. My approach integrates the narrative and storywork modalities of clinical counseling with the timeless wisdom and guidance of Christian faith architecture to help confront anxiety, depression, burnout, relational conflict, and questions of identity with courage, patience, and grit. My core interests are existential depression, moral injury, resilience, and faith deconstruction/reconstruction.
    Sessions
    • S19 : Roll for Courage: Using Tabletop Roleplaying Games as a Clinical Laboratory for Social Confidence and Moral Agency
  • Blake Robbins, MA, LPC
    Blake is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado. Blake is currently pursuing his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Northern Colorado, with a specialization in educational psychology.
    Sessions
    • S06 : Enhancing Supervision Practices: Implementing Standardized Assessments for Counselors-in-Training While Upholding Best Practices
  • Blake Ruble, LPC ACS
    Blake Ruble is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor. He is the Manager of Clinical Services at Alis Behavioral Health, an IOP/PHP program for adolescents. He is also the owner of Alliance Experiential Counseling in Lakewood Colorado, an outpatient office offering experiential therapy services to neurodiverse clientele. Blake also has experience working in a residential treatment setting, as well as several years of service in mobile crisis response.
    Sessions
    • S57 : From Crisis to Calm: Guiding Clients through Higher Levels of Care
  • Carla D'Agostino-Vigil, MA​, LPC (CO), LPCC (OH) , LAC, ACS, NCC, ACEP
    Carla D’Agostino-Vigil, M.A., LPC, LAC, ACS, NCC, M.A. HRLR is the Founder and Clinical Director of Ignite Counseling Colorado, leading the team in providing accessible, specialized therapy to treat trauma, OCD/Phobias and addictions. Carla is also the Founder and Principal Coach at Ignite Center for Mental Health Leadership. Carla is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), Nationally Credentialed Counselor (NCC) and Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP) with the National Board of Certified Counselors. Prior to beginning her encore career in Mental Health, Carla earned her Master’s Degree in Human Resources and trained as a Master Level Human Resources and Labor Relations professional and was a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR) for over a decade. She received a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University. She is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and Certified Co-Active Coach through the Coaches Training Institute. Carla is a Certified Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist, an Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapist trainer and was the first civilian cohort to be trained by Veteran Affairs’ Center for PTSD for Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Treatment of PTSD.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Caroline Lee, MA, LMFT, LPC
    Caroline Lee is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Colorado, specializing in trauma, religious trauma, and sex therapy. She works with individuals and couples navigating the impact of high-control belief systems, sexual shame, and relational distress. Caroline integrates attachment-based, trauma-informed approaches to support clients in reclaiming autonomy, identity, and embodied connection. In addition to her clinical work, she provides consultation and training for therapists on complex trauma, erotic countertransference, and working with high-conflict couples.
    Sessions
    • S09 : Sacred Harm: Foundation understanding of religious trauma
  • Cassia Hendrickson, MA, LPCC
    Cassia is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in the state of Colorado. She is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Northern Colorado. She works with a diverse range of clients, including BIPOC, LGBQQ, children and adolescents, and clients who have endured sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Her primary therapeutic work includes trauma-focused therapy combined with self-compassion, somatic work, creative arts and mindfulness.
    Sessions
    • S13 : IFS informed EMDR: How these two modalities blend well together to better serve trauma clients.
  • Cassie Krajewski, LCSW, LAC, CST
    Cassie Krajewski, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and clinical consultant in private practice in Denver, Colorado. Her work sits at the intersections of trauma and dissociation, eating disorders and body image, sex and intimacy, and addictive processes. She earned her Master of Social Work degree and an advanced graduate certificate in Sexual Health from the University of Michigan. Before entering the field of psychotherapy, Cassie taught Literature and Writing at the secondary level, and she continues to bring her love of teaching, pedagogy, and meaning making into her clinical and consultation work. A lifelong learner and dedicated clinician, Cassie is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and Certified Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist from American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, Licensed Addiction Counselor with the state of Colorado, and a Certified Body Trust® Practitioner. She also integrates Internal Family Systems Therapy, somatic therapy, clinical hypnosis, and anti-oppressive and liberatory frameworks into her practice. Beyond her work with clients, Cassie is committed to mentoring and training other mental health practitioners. Cassie has facilitated EMDR Basic Trainings and led EMDR Advanced Training topics for many years. Now, she is co-founder of IRIS Training Collective, a professional training group, where she develops and provides integrative trauma-focused trainings and retreats. Cassie also dedicates much of her time to providing clinical consultation to other professionals and creates creative resources that move clinicians beyond mechanics toward more embodied, intuitive, and relational practice. She also hosts Taking Up Space, a podcast exploring themes of embodiment, healing, and body liberation.
    Sessions
    • S07 : Sex, Intimacy, and Pleasure as Pathways to Trauma Healing: A Sex-Positive Framework for Clinical Practice
  • Cathryn Derman, MS, LPC, LMFT, ACS
    Cathryn Derman, LPC, LMFT, ACS is a mental health professional and group practice owner with over 10 years of experience working with diverse populations. She began her career in adolescent substance use treatment before moving into clinical supervision with the WINGS Foundation. In 2019, she founded Movement Counseling + Wellness, a group practice built on a holistic, client-centered philosophy that asks, “Where have you been and what have you experienced?” rather than “What is wrong with you?” Cathryn leads a team of creative, like-minded clinicians and has developed a multi-faceted practice offering individual, couples, family, and group therapy, along with specialized services including EMDR, animal-assisted therapy, nature-based therapy, play therapy, acupuncture, and academic support. In addition to her clinical work, Cathryn provides consulting services to organizations, supporting the development of Medicaid programs and formal graduate internship training structures.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Charity Mills, LIMHP, LPC
    Charity Mills is a licensed mental health professional and CEO of Colorado Teletherapy Services (CTS) and Grow Your Own Thoughts (GYOT). With over 15 years of executive leadership in the orthopedic and rehabilitation industries, she now integrates evidence-based therapy with psilocybin education, microdosing, and cultivation guidance. Charity has supported hundreds of clients through microdosing protocols and is a nationally recognized speaker on psilocybin-assisted wellness. In 2024, she authored her first microdosing guidebook to make this emerging practice more accessible. Dedicated to safe, ethical, and legally informed psychedelic care, she also trains clinicians navigating the evolving psilocybin regulatory framework.
    Sessions
    • S41 : Psilocybin Microdosing: Clinical Considerations, Mechanisms of Change, and Ethical Implications for Counselors
  • Christina Jurekovic, PhD, NCSC, NCC, LPC
    Christina Jurekovic is the founder of Wellness Associates, LLC, a group practice that provides clinical mental health services via tellahealth. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Licensed Professional School Counselor for K-12. She received a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Adams State University, M.A. in Counseling and Human Services from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, and B.A. in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. Christina worked as a high school counselor, and she teaches and supervises new counselors. Her research interests include wellness, resiliency, suicide prevention, leadership, and post-traumatic growth. She specializes in helping clients who are experiencing grief, career difficulties, and relationship/family concerns.
    Sessions
    • S43 : Sitting with Maternal Grief When Loss Cannot Be Solved
  • Christina Murphy, MA, LPC, NCC, ACS, PhD Candidate
    Christina Murphy, MA, LPC, NCC, ACS, PhD Candidate, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and Counselor Educator with over 20 years of experience in clinical mental health. She is the Founder and Clinical Director of Life’s Hope Therapeutic Services PLLC, where she leads a team of counselors and integrates leadership development, ethical practice, and whole-person care into clinical work. Christina is the co-developer of the Empowerment Model of Clinical Supervision and co-author of The Empowerment Model of Clinical Supervision: A Roadmap Through the Complexities of Community Mental Health. Her clinical and scholarly interests include professional identity development, trauma-informed supervision, counselor self-efficacy, leadership in mental health settings, and resilience among helping professionals. As a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision, Christina’s research focuses on the impact of the Empowerment Model of Clinical Supervision on supervisee growth, including self-efficacy, cultural competence, and readiness for independent practice. She is passionate about developing strong professional identity in counselors and equipping leaders to build sustainable, ethically grounded mental health organizations. Christina brings both academic insight and real-world leadership experience to her work and is committed to advancing the counseling profession through supervision, scholarship, and servant leadership.
    Sessions
    • S15 : Moving Counselor Wellness Beyond Burnout: Moral Injury, Meaning Making, and Professional Identity Development
  • Claire Critchlow, PhD, LPC, NCC
    To be filled out.
    Sessions
    • S10 : Ethically Counseling Polyamorous Clients: Addressing Mononormative Bias
    • S21 : Creatively Taking Care of Yourself- A Space of Queer Affirming and Intentionality
  • Daniel Meyer
    Dan Meyer, a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) serving the Arvada, Colorado community at 70 West Counseling. I apply my undergraduate education in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), alongside additional emphasis in physiology and anatomy, bringing a highly specialized, neuroscience-informed perspective to mental health and trauma recovery. Trained in both EMDR and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), I deeply integrate IPNB's scientific principles into my clinical work. I view the mind/soul, what Dr. Dan Seigal calls the “embodied brain”, and human relationships as fundamentally interconnected. I work passionately with adolescents and adults, addressing complex trauma, anxiety, depression, and grief, helping clients process distressing memories while helping them repair deep dissonance between body, brain, and spirit. However, my dual focus on trauma lies in treating Moral Injury: a deep existential and spiritual wound rooted in broken trust, profound shame and guilt, brought about by a violation of deeply held personal beliefs and values. Early in my graduate studies, I devoted additional time to this complex field, not merely for academic reasons, but for deeply personal ones. In my youth, my deeply personal experiences of trauma included a fatal automobile accident and, later, an incident in which two teenage girls died by suicide after deliberately using my vehicle on a dark highway, followed by the devastating loss of my daughter to cancer. I intimately understand the isolating depths of psychological pain, and know firsthand how Moral Injury can anchor PTSD, leading to a cycle of self-betrayal and a distorted belief that one deserves their emotional/physical pain and is unworthy of healing or forgiveness. Bridging Science and Compassion, I recognize that traditional trauma therapies fall short when addressing the blocking soul-wounding nature of Moral Injury. To counter this, I integrate EMDR and IPNB within a compassionate therapeutic narrative. Often missed by therapists is the validation of the impossible situations clients have endured. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to heal. I help clients simultaneously process the fear-based responses of PTSD alongside the deep shame that feeds Moral Injury, helping them to rebuild self-trust and repair the interconnected dissonance associated with MI, helping my clients ground in genuine hope.
    Sessions
    • S31 : Shattered Spirit: Unblocking Trauma Healing Through The Lens Of Moral Injury And IPNB
  • Daniel Schellenger LAC, LPCC
    Daniel Schellenger is a Licensed Addictions Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate whose work bridges the intersections of mental health, addiction, and justice-involved care. As an Outpatient Therapist with Advantage Treatment Center, Daniel specializes in person-centered, trauma-informed treatment for individuals navigating substance use and re-entry. His curriculum designs and speaking engagements highlight innovative approaches to identity reconstruction, restorative recovery, and family engagement in addiction treatment. Daniel’s passion lies in building recovery ecosystems that treat people, not pathologies. His work redefines community integration by promoting accountability, connection, and sustainable systems of care that bridge treatment and long-term wellness. When not presenting or counseling, Daniel contributes regularly to the Colorado Counseling Association Newsletter and serves on the state’s Mental Health Advisory Board for Service Standards and Regulations. His message to professionals is simple yet profound: Recovery isn’t a solo act—it’s a community performance.
    Sessions
    • S36 : FAMILY-CENTERED RECOVERY: Strategies for supporting clients and their families through Substance-Use addiction
  • Danielle Likvan Swanson, M.Ed, LPC, LSC, NCC
    Danielle Likvan Swanson, LSC, LPC, NCC, is a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist at a middle school in the Jefferson County School District, the second-largest school district in Colorado. In this role, she collaborates with students, staff, families, and community partners to foster a positive, inclusive school climate by providing individual counseling and crisis support, facilitating small groups, developing data-driven and research-based SEL lessons, coaching teachers on effective SEL instruction, supporting school-wide MTSS implementation, and building partnerships that connect families to critical resources. Danielle’s professional practice is grounded in advancing social justice within educational systems and integrates counseling practice with research examining disparities in public schools and the ways race and gender experiences shape student well-being and educational equity. She was recently appointed as a voting member to her county’s Commission on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. Prior to entering the counseling field, Danielle built a career in design, customer service, and leadership after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, experiences that strengthened her skills in problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation. She also served as a Girl Scout troop leader for five years, fostering confidence, teamwork, and resilience in young girls. These diverse experiences inform her holistic approach, blending creativity, leadership, humor, and compassion in her work with students and school communities.
    Sessions
    • S54 : Advocating For Clients During Political Unrest
  • Daria White, PhD, LPC
    Dr. Daria White is an associate professor in counseling education at Liberty University. She received the Women and Gender Studies Feminist Scholarship Award at James Madison University for her research with Bulgarian elderly women and the Outstanding Scholarship Award from the Department of Graduate Psychology at James Madison University for her dissertation on joy and awe in four countries. Dr. White has 20 years of experience in the fields of mental health counseling, social work, and peacebuilding. She has worked in the past with undergraduate students in need of mental health services; church leaders seeking direction for their congregations; domestic violence and sexual assault victims; refugees. A lot of Dr. White’s work has been focused on individuals who have experienced personal and communal, current and transgenerational trauma, understanding cultural and individual barriers to, and resources for resilience.
    Sessions
    • S24 : Role Drift and Reflective Practice: Using the Discrimination Model to Navigate Value Conflict in Supervision
  • Dr. Gregory Elliott, Ph.D., LPC-CO, LMHC-IA, ACS
    Dr. Gregory M. Elliott is a faculty member in the School of Counseling at Colorado Christian University. He is a past president of the Colorado Counseling Association and a Past Chair of the American Counseling Association Western Region. Dr. Elliott has been a licensed professional counselor since 2003. His clinical experiences include directing a university counseling center, working in partial hospitalization and inpatient settings, and working with at-risk youth and families. His areas of expertise are clinical supervision and working with suicidal clients. Dr. Elliott maintains a supervision practice for counselors obtaining their supervised hours for licensure in the state of Colorado.
    Sessions
    • S23 : The Ethical And Legal Complexities Of Counseling Children & Adolescents In Colorado
    • S59 : When It Happens: Clinician Grief Preparedness, and Response in Suicide Loss
  • Dr. Kathryn Dziekan
    Dr. Kathryn Dziekan has her Ph.D. in rehabilitation counseling with an emphasis in psychology. She is on faculty at New Mexico Highlands University for over 10 years. She teaches and has designed several addiction courses as well as teaching mental health and rehabilitation counseling courses. Kathryn has Clinical Mental Health licenses in New Mexico and Alaska. She has counseled individuals with co-occurring individuals who have mental health and substance abuse challenges across the United States for over 10 years. She currently provides telehealth to individuals who have co-occurring conditions in Alaska. She is a crisis counselor for R3 Continuum providing crisis intervention in the four corners (Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona) residing in Mancos, Colorado.
    Sessions
    • S16 : Negotiating Ethical Considerations of Counseling via Telehealth and On-line Counselor Education
  • Dr. Krystyne Mendoza, PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS, RPT-S
    Dr. Krystyne Mendoza is a full-time counselor educator and director of the online CMHC program at Marquette University in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Mendoza is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist supervisor with 10 years of teaching experience and almost 8 years of clinical experience. Dr. Mendoza has published and presented at State, Regional, and National Counseling Conferences on a variety of topics. She serves on two editorial boards for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling and for the International Journal of Play Therapy. Dr. Mendoza specializes in early childhood trauma and neurodivergence in children and teens and maintains a supervision and professional counseling practice in Louisville, Colorado.
    Sessions
    • S23 : The Ethical And Legal Complexities Of Counseling Children & Adolescents In Colorado
    • S52 : Guarding the Playroom: Power, Boundaries, and Overinvolved Parents in Play Therapy
  • Dr. Michell L Temple, PhD, EdD, NCC, CRC, LPC
    Michell L. Temple, PhD, EdD, LPC, NCC, CRC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Associate Professor of Counseling at Denver Seminary, where she teaches in both the master’s and doctoral counseling programs. She also serves as teaching faculty in the trauma therapy certificate program at the International Institute of Postgraduate Education in Kyiv, Ukraine. Dr. Temple brings over two decades of clinical experience in mental health and vocational rehabilitation counseling, working with adults navigating trauma, life transitions, spiritual and religious concerns, racial and ethnic identity, and career development. Her clinical work integrates evidence-based and manualized approaches, including EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy, within a wellness and resilience-oriented framework . Her research and scholarship focus on resilience, stress, well-being, spiritually integrated therapies, and counselor identity development. Dr. Temple research demonstrates a commitment to fostering compassionate, ethically grounded, and relationally attuned counseling practices that support growth, healing, and meaningful transformation across diverse populations.
    Sessions
    • S55 : From Positionality to Relational Engagement: Integrating Humility, Compassion, and Power-Aware Processes in Counseling and Supervision
  • Dr. Renee Sunday
    Dr. Renee Sunday is a physician, speaker, and stress management strategist who equips high-responsibility professionals with practical tools to prevent burnout and sustain long-term effectiveness. With 26 years in healthcare, she has worked in high-stakes environments where decision clarity, emotional regulation, and cognitive endurance are essential. She is the creator of the REST Framework, a structured methodology that helps professionals recognize stress signals, examine cognitive overload, strengthen support systems, and implement sustainable action. Her work focuses on preventing decision fatigue, reducing burnout risk, and restoring clarity in demanding roles. Dr. Sunday teaches leaders, clinicians, and educators how to maintain high standards of care without sacrificing mental well-being. Her sessions combine neuroscience, lived clinical experience, and practical implementation strategies that can be applied immediately in counseling and supervisory settings.
    Sessions
    • S01 : Burnout Is Not a Badge of Honor: A Structured Framework for Sustainable Clinical Practice
  • ELIZABETH WARSON
    Elizabeth Warson, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, NCC, EMDR III, EXAT, EAP II, is a trailblazing force in the integration of equine-assisted therapy and expressive arts. As the founder of American Indian Art Therapy, her work stems from extensive faculty research at George Washington University and Eastern Virginia Medical School. Currently based in northern Colorado, Elizabeth operates Healing Pathways LLC, where she combines EMDR with art and horses, drawing on her expertise as a certified EMDR practitioner and consultant, Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified, certified Eagala professional and an EquiLateral trained equine-assisted EMDR therapist. As a faculty member at the Trauma-Informed Practices & Expressive Arts Therapy Institute, Elizabeth teaches both in-person and online courses focused on polyvagal-informed, equine-assisted, nature-based, bilateral stimulation, and sensorimotor-informed expressive arts therapy. Her research interests span stress and pain reduction interventions for Native American cancer survivors, culturally responsive practices, and trauma-informed methods. Her significant contributions include receiving a 2010 National Endowment for the Arts grant for her community-driven Coharie Heritage Empowerment Project, emphasizing cultural preservation. Elizabeth’s academic journey includes a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, an MA in Art Therapy from Vermont College, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from Colorado State University. She has presented extensively at regional and national conferences, focusing on medical art therapy and culturally-responsive interventions, and has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Recently, she co-authored E.Qi: Equine & Expressive Arts Inspired Qigong with collaborator Sifu Kurtis Tilley. In addition to her therapeutic work, Elizabeth is a professional artist whose sculptural pieces have been exhibited both nationally and internationally, earning her an Ohio Arts Council fellowship award. Her multifaceted approach bridges art, counseling, and equine therapy, creating impactful experiences for individuals and communities alike.
    Sessions
    • S08 : The Nervous System in Motion: Trauma Healing Through Multimodal Bilateral Movement, Equine-Assisted, Nature-Based, and Expressive Arts Therapy
  • Elizabeth Kraft
    Elizabeth Kraft is a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Counseling program at Regis University and holds an undergraduate degree in music therapy. She currently serves as a principal at Ascent Strategies, a lobbying and political consulting firm focused on state-level policy in Denver. Her professional background includes advocacy and community organizing related to environmental sustainability and children’s health issues, and she is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Urban Homesteading.
    Sessions
    • S10 : Ethically Counseling Polyamorous Clients: Addressing Mononormative Bias
  • Elizabeth Power
    Elizabeth power has been featured in Successful Meetings Magazine, and has been a guest on more than 113 talk shows or podcasts taking about change, resilience, “quiet cracking,”and trauma informed processes. Her work in trauma-informed processes, is used on every continent (except Antarctica!) in corporate, healthcare, and faith communities. Power brings evidence-informed, field-tested practical wisdom, tools that work, and easy to access information. She speaks to combined audiences of thousands of people annually and is sought after as a facilitator online and on site. This Vanderbilt graduate is an Adjunct instructor in Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center, and a Fulbright Specialist in Trauma Informed Care. Her clients include the National Center for PTSD, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Japan’s national research project creating a culturally relevant national model of trauma informed care, Indian Health Services, MHealth Fairview and many more. Power is a prolific writer, and frequently sought-after facilitator.
    Sessions
    • S51 : The Role of Emotional Intelligence Skills in Addressing Trauma and Reducing the Risk of Substance Abuse
  • Elsa Colopy
    Elsa Kok Colopy is an author, speaker and an expert on multiple DVD curriculums (Single & Parenting, Griefshare, Surviving the Holidays, DivorceCare). A former editor for Thriving Family magazine, Elsa has authored hundreds of articles and is the author of seven books. A former single parent, Elsa has now been married to Brian for 20 years. Together they are the proud parents of four adult children and four adopted littles (three from Haiti, one adopted domestically). Elsa is humorous and inspirational, and has served as a speaker in conferences, retreats and workshops around the world. Elsa is currently working on her masters degree through CCU for Marriage and Family Therapy and will graduate in December. She and her husband, Brian, live, love and adventure together with their family in Colorado Springs, CO.
    Sessions
    • S53 : Attach to Detach: Building Attachment with Older Adoptees While Nurturing Independence
  • Emily Wheeler, MA, LPC
    Emily Wheeler is a therapist, business owner, and passionate advocate in the behavioral health field, known for her work in trauma, attachment, and neurodiversity. An experienced conference presenter, she blends research with real-life application, drawing from both her professional background and lived experience as an adoptive parent. Emily has trained future foster and adoptive parents through TIPS-MAPP and actively supports youth and families navigating complex systems, with a focus on connection, safety, and sustainable change.
    Sessions
    • S04 : Good Girls Don’t Get Diagnosed: The Hidden Development of Neurodivergent Women
    • S35 : Reignite Your Why: Values-Driven Practice for Sustainable Care
  • Eric Gibbs, BA
    Eric Gibbs is the Director of Business Development at Peak View Behavioral Health, Colorado’s largest standalone inpatient psychiatric hospital serving adolescents and adults. With over 15 years in behavioral health, Eric is passionate about increasing access to care, reducing barriers, and advancing trauma-informed, person-centered treatment. He brings extensive experience in driving growth and implementing innovative strategies across the full continuum of care, including IOP, PHP, and outpatient services for mental health, substance use, and dual diagnosis. Eric serves on the board of Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention and actively collaborates across systems to advance education, reduce stigma, and strengthen community impact. His work focuses on building strategic partnerships, delivering trainings, and fostering environments that support sustainable, compassionate care.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Erica Lisby, MA, LPC, NCC, NATC
    Erica Lisby (MA, LPC, NCC, NATC) primarily serves clients experiencing the pain of narcissistic abuse, recognizing this dynamic can occur in intimate relationships, family of origin, workplaces, religious settings, and more. She is a certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician (NATC), and has 5 years of clinical experience treating this demographic. She combines her unique training with existential and multicultural theories to help clients reclaim identity and thrive.
    Sessions
    • S25 : Clinical Indicators Of Narcissistic Abuse: How To Recognize And Treat Symptoms In Non-Disclosing Clients
  • Harriet Doyle
    Harriet is a behavioral health professional focused on clinical outreach, admissions, and building meaningful connections that help individuals and families access the care they need when they need it most. In her role as Director of Clinical Outreach at Alis Behavioral Health, she oversees outreach and admissions strategy, working closely with referral partners, providers, and families to create a clear and supportive pathway to care. Her work sits at the intersection of clinical understanding and relationship-building, ensuring that access to treatment is efficient, compassionate, and responsive to barriers. Harriet is especially passionate about community and family engagement in treatment, suicide prevention, and challenging traditional approaches to suicidality while working to reduce stigma and encourage open, informed conversations around the topic.
    Sessions
    • S57 : From Crisis to Calm: Guiding Clients through Higher Levels of Care
  • J.D. Neubauer, PhD, LMFT
    Dr. J.D. Neubauer, a proud neurodivergent, is an Adjunct Professor in the Couples and Family Therapy program at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. They earned a B.S. in Psychology from Iowa Wesleyan College and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mount Mercy University. They are an AAMFT-approved supervisor candidate and Clinical Fellow. They work in private practice at Insight Therapy Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dr. J.D. Neubauer’s clinical and research interests are in integrating innovative approaches into therapeutic work, such as the application of tabletop role-playing games, and the expectation of their work on the internal relational illustration mapping process. Their clinical interests also include exploring anxiety related to identity formation within LGBTQ+ communities and understanding how neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals experience and relate to their internal parts. In addition, they are committed to developing group therapy experiences that center on tabletop role-playing games as a vehicle for connection, growth, and self-exploration. My clinical specialties focus on supporting LGBTQ+ adolescents and adults. I work with individuals and couples using a person-centered approach tailored to each client’s unique needs. I incorporate neuroscience and modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO) to help clients explore their experiences with depth, curiosity, and compassion. My goal is always to meet people where they are and provide interventions that honor their identities, relationships, and inner worlds.
    Sessions
    • S38 : Therapeutic Application of Role Play Games
  • J.J. Hedden
    I am a therapist and business owner based in Denver. For over 16 years, I have led Peak to Peak Roofing and Exteriors, growing it into a multi-million-dollar company. Along the way, I realized something unexpected: the same principles that build a strong business such as clarity, resilience, and trust are the same ones that help heal people and relationships. A few years ago, I started applying therapeutic frameworks directly into leadership. This one simple shift changed everything. Instead of solving problems first, I learned to name the emotional process in the room. Instead of pushing for outcomes, I focused on creating safety and clarity. Instead of separating roles, I began integrating who I am across all contexts. This resulted in stronger teams, clearer decisions, and conversations that actually move things forward. Clinically, I am trained in experiential and attachment-based approaches, drawing from Gestalt and Emotionally Focused Therapy. I hold a master’s in clinical Mental Health Counseling from Colorado Christian University, and I bring that lens into everything I do. This experience led me to found Global Healing Counselors, a nonprofit focused on meeting mental health needs around the world through counseling, training, and partnership with local communities. I have had the opportunity to present at the Colorado Counseling Association conferences in 2023 and 2024, where I focused on bridging theory and practice, especially around emotional risk taking and integrating personal and professional identity.
    Sessions
    • S49 : Trauma Informed Gestalt And Reconsolidation: A Neurobiological Framework For Case Conceptualization And Treatment Planning
  • Jessica Downs, LCSW
    Jessica Downs, LCSW is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and Advanced Training Provider in Grand Junction, Colorado. She specializes in the treatment of C-PTSD and dissociative disorders, integrating EMDR and Ego States Therapy. Jessica has years of experience as an EMDR Basic Trainer and provides advanced training on C-PTSD and dissociation, expanding awareness and expertise within the therapeutic community. As founder of Live Well Counseling Center, she leads a team dedicated to compassionate, high-quality care. As co-founder of Iris Training Collective, she is passionate about equipping clinicians with the skills, confidence, and depth needed to provide effective, authentic trauma treatment.
    Sessions
    • S58 : Beyond Risk Management: A Parts-Informed Approach to Suicidality and Despair
  • Jessica Gonzalez, M.A., LPC, LMHC, PhD Candidate
    Jessica Gonzalez, M.A., LPC, LMHC, is a licensed professional counselor and doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Colorado Christian University. She has extensive experience in trauma-informed counseling, forensic psychological evaluation, multicultural behavioral health, and counselor development. She provides bilingual mental health services across diverse clinical settings and works with complex trauma, immigrant populations, and individuals facing significant psychosocial stressors. Her professional interests include counselor wellness, professional identity development, ethics, supervision, trauma-informed practice, and culturally responsive care for underserved communities.
    Sessions
    • S15 : Moving Counselor Wellness Beyond Burnout: Moral Injury, Meaning Making, and Professional Identity Development
  • Julie Reichenberger, MA, LPC, ACS
    Julie is the founder of Denver Metro Counseling, a group practice in Denver, Colorado. She started her therapist career working inpatient and for an outpatient clinic in Chicago suburbs after graduating from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2007. When she moved to Denver in 2012 Julie worked in public health and for a local community mental health center transitioning full time into private practice in 2016. In 2019, she hired her first employee. Throughout her career, Julie has sought coaching and mentoring from others in and outside of the field while making choices that felt aligned for her in growing her private and eventual, group practice in Denver. Julie values training, mentoring and understanding the nuances of running a business including marketing and SEO, legal representation, contracts, and having a good CPA and financial advisor as part of your team. She is part of business development groups and has worked with business coaches since 2014 to help her along the way and she values sharing her learnings of business strategy and development along the way with other clinicians in the field. She leads others in their own exploration of career and development as a therapist through the lens of self-reflection, values, exploring "your why", and internal drivers that can both support someone and get in the way. She loves supporting other clinicians whether they are part of her group practice or in the broader community.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Kathryn Raley
    After 14 years of wonderful practice, I know two things deeply; I love promoting mental health primarily by addressing access and stigma, and I love fostering this work in future counselors by teaching, presenting and supervising. I am passionate about my own practice as a Feminist informed play therapist and supervisor in Lafayette Colorado. I believe in cultivating community! My own life includes writing, gardening, fur-babies and lots of getting outside for the really big lessons in life.
    Sessions
    • S47 : When Toys Do The Talking, Identifying Themes In Play Therapy
  • Katie Mattei, PsyD
    Dr. Katie Mattei, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience supporting individuals and families through grief, trauma, and life transitions. She specializes in child loss while working with all forms of grief and loss across the lifespan. Katie integrates clinical expertise with a compassionate, relational approach that honors the emotional, psychological, and embodied impact of loss. Within LIGHT Movement, she contributes to trainings, workshops, and community programming that bring accessible, somatic-informed grief support to both individuals and professionals.
    Sessions
    • S32 : Embodied Grief: Rethinking Trauma and Loss Beyond Words
  • Kimberly Hernandez, MA, LPCC, ADDC, EMDR
    Kimberly Hernandez, MA, LPCC, ADDC specializes in the treatment of substance use disorders and trauma and is the owner and primary clinician of 12:2 Counseling in Colorado. Her work focuses on helping people understand why a hard past continues to shape their present—and, more importantly, how to change that. Kimberly speaks to individuals and professionals who are tired of surviving and ready for practical answers. Drawing from evidence-based modalities including EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic approaches, and motivational interviewing, she translates complex clinical concepts into clear, usable skills. Her approach challenges the idea that pain is something people must simply learn to tolerate, emphasizing instead that healing is a learnable skill set. In addition to her clinical work, Kimberly speaks to groups of clients and clinicians on trauma, substance use, and personal agency. Her style is direct, grounded, and deeply human—balancing clinical rigor with honesty, responsibility, and respect for lived experience. Kimberly’s writing has been published on ROTR.org, and she is a member of the Colorado Counseling Association, the American Counseling Association, and the EMDR International Association. She lives and practices in Colorado, where she continues to advocate for evidence-based and skills-based healing that moves people from survival to intentional living.
    Sessions
    • S02 : Honoring Survival While Building Change: A Practical Framework for Trauma-Informed Treatment
  • Laura Rivas, MA, LPC
    Laura is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Northern Colorado.
    Sessions
    • S06 : Enhancing Supervision Practices: Implementing Standardized Assessments for Counselors-in-Training While Upholding Best Practices
  • Lauren Prior, LPC, MS
    Lauren is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 15 years of clinical experience across diverse counseling settings. Throughout her career, she has worked with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, providing compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to each client’s unique needs. She specializes in trauma treatment and is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), with a strong commitment to helping clients process and heal from complex experiences. In addition to her clinical work, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, further deepening her dedication to advancing the counseling profession through teaching, research, and mentorship. Based in Colorado, she enjoys spending time outdoors and values the balance that nature brings to both personal well-being and professional sustainability.
    Sessions
    • S13 : IFS informed EMDR: How these two modalities blend well together to better serve trauma clients.
  • MA, LPC, BC-DMT, ACS
    Francisca Mix is the founder of Francisca Consulting and Counseling, a practice providing psychotherapy, clinical supervision, leadership consultation, and training for mental health professionals. With over 20 years of experience, she is a guiding force in talent development and professional growth, particularly in private practice development, supervision, and leadership. Francisca has shaped clinician development across Colorado and beyond. She is a featured trainer for the Colorado Counseling Association’s Clinical Supervision Series, a former Advisory Board Member and Adjunct Professor, and currently serves as Private Practice Liaison for the Colorado Counseling Association.
    Sessions
    • S11 : If It’s Not Documented, It Didn’t Happen: What Every Clinical Supervisor Must Know
    • S18 : Experiential Clinical Supervision: Moving Beyond Narrative Self-Reporting and Case Presentation
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
    • S48 : Marketing That Works: Ethical Visibility Strategies for the Growing Private Practice
  • Marc Azoulay
    Marc Azoulay LPC, LAC, CGP, ACS is the founder of Men’s Therapy Online, a community and healing hub for men who want to get back on their feet or take their lives to the next level. With the help of his team of licensed clinicians he provides in ongoing men’s groups, individual and couples counseling. With a background in psychoanalysis, neuroscience, and Buddhism, Marc is able help men uncover and destroy the unconscious barriers that hold them back. His mission is to help men become the best versions of themselves and truly show up for their lives, relationships, and community.
    Sessions
    • S44 : Why Therapy Often Fails Men: Gender, power, desire, and the mistakes well-intentioned therapists make
  • Marina Buswell, MA, LPC, BCN
    Marina Buswell, MA, LPC, BCN, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board-Certified Neurotherapist based in Colorado and the founder of Golden Counseling Center. For the past decade, she has poured herself into building a growing group practice focused on providing high-quality mental health services to individuals, couples, and families. Marina is passionate about advancing effective care and supporting the development of clinicians within private practice settings. Her professional interests include integrating emerging approaches in mental health like neurofeedback and biofeedback, expanding community education, and continuing to grow a practice that supports both client outcomes and clinician sustainability.
    Sessions
    • S29 : Transforming Stress into Resilience: Applying Brain + Autonomic Science for Improved Outcomes
  • Mark Blakeley, LAC, LPC, CSAT
    Mark Blakeley, MA, LPC, LAC, CSAT: Mark’s journey began with an impressive 25-year career as a dedicated paramedic, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to serving others. As an Army Veteran, he embodies a strong sense of discipline and integrity. After graduating with a Masters of Science in Counseling/Marriage, Child and Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix in 2008, Mark's passion for helping others led him to venture into the mental health industry, where he has excelled in various roles. Mark's dedication to professional growth is evident in his impressive array of licenses and certifications. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor, he brings a comprehensive approach to his counseling practice, ensuring that he can address a wide range of mental health and addiction issues. Additionally, Mark is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), equipped with specialized knowledge to provide support and guidance in this challenging area of therapy. Not content with stopping there, Mark has pursued additional training, including Brainspotting and Level 2 Internal Family Systems, further enhancing his therapeutic skills. Furthermore, Mark's versatility extends to being a skilled interventionist, capable of guiding individuals and families towards healing and positive change. Mark currently serves as the Clinical Director for Sobriety House, Colorado's oldest treatment program.
    Sessions
    • S20 : Working with the Whole System: Integrating IFS with CBT, DBT and Polyvagal Theory to address complex client needs
  • Matt Bennett, MA, MBA
    Matt Bennett is a founder of Optimal HRV and president of the nonprofit Optimal Innovation Group. He is an innovator in psychology and mental health counseling, known for his book Connecting Paradigms, which integrates evidence-based counseling with psychophysiology and self-regulation science to improve clinical outcomes. A committed advocate for trauma-informed care, he equips counselors with practical, client-centered strategies to build resilience and support nervous system regulation, including heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. He holds master’s degrees in counseling psychology and business administration, is the author of Heart Rate Variability: The Future of Trauma-Informed Care and The Heart(beat) of Business, and hosts the Heart Rate Variability Podcast.
    Sessions
    • S29 : Transforming Stress into Resilience: Applying Brain + Autonomic Science for Improved Outcomes
  • Melanie Morris
    Melanie E. Morris is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor in Colorado with more than a decade of experience helping individuals and families work through trauma, anxiety, and addiction. She holds dual master’s degrees in Addiction Counseling and Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University and is currently completing her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. In private practice, Melanie works with high-functioning individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, stress, and life transitions so they can move forward with greater clarity and confidence. Her approach is both compassionate and practical, integrating evidence-based therapies including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Choice Theory to support insight, resilience, and meaningful change. Melanie works with teens, adults, and couples and specializes in trauma-informed care, addiction recovery, and professional development. She believes therapy is a collaborative process that helps clients better understand their experiences, strengthen emotional resilience, and reconnect with their sense of direction and purpose. In addition to her clinical work, Melanie provides clinical supervision to pre-licensed counselors and peer recovery professionals. Her supervision approach emphasizes clinical reasoning, case conceptualization, and the development of professional identity in emerging clinicians. Outside of her professional work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her family and exploring Colorado’s outdoors.
    Sessions
    • S37 : Beyond Techniques: Strengthening Clinical Reasoning in Supervision
  • Michele M. Mahr, PhD, CRC
    Dr. Michele Mahr is an assistant professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at Texas Tech University, Health Sciences Center. Her research interests include health promotion, addiction, substance use, and positive psychology. Dr. Mahr has published 3 counselor educator textbooks and has over 20 peer-reviewed publications within the counseling profession. She is currently a principal investigator for a research study on Earthing and is a Co-principal investigator on 3 other research projects at Texas Tech University, Health Sciences Center.
    Sessions
    • S26 : The Shifting Landscape: Evolving Attitudes Towards Therapeutic Psychedelics
  • Michelle Kelley Shuler PhD., LPC, LAC, LCDC, CPAT
    Dr. Michelle Shuler is an assistant professor of Addiction Counseling at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She is currently a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist and working toward the Psilocybin Facilitation Licensure in Colorado. Her research focuses on the integration of psychedelic therapy in counselor education and training.
    Sessions
    • S26 : The Shifting Landscape: Evolving Attitudes Towards Therapeutic Psychedelics
  • Nicholas Mancini, LMFT, LPC
    Nicholas Mancini, LMFT, LPC, is a Denver-based therapist and the CEO of Collective Counseling Solutions. Nicholas is known for his dynamic clinical approach, utilizing humor, metaphors, and experiential activities to help clients engage in the present moment and align their behaviors with their core values. Beyond his clinical work, he is deeply committed to the professional empowerment of his peers; he works to help licensed therapists actualize their dreams of building thriving, ethical, and quality-focused private practices. With extensive experience in outpatient and day-treatment settings, Nicholas is a firm believer in collaborative care and passionate about fostering the psychological flexibility needed for both clients and clinicians to reach their full potential.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Nicole Knorr, BA, CMHC Intern
    Nicole Knorr is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor Intern at Advantage Treatment Centers in Sterling, Colorado. My professional background includes work in education, healthcare, and law enforcement, each of which has shaped my perspective and approach to counseling. I’m currently completing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Military Culture. With both personal and professional experience navigating the complexities faced by military and first responder families, I recognize the importance of including family systems in the recovery process.
    Sessions
    • S36 : FAMILY-CENTERED RECOVERY: Strategies for supporting clients and their families through Substance-Use addiction
  • Nicole Wallace
    Nicole is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a National Board Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She specializes in helping women heal from anxiety, depression, trauma, and deal with life transitions. She has over 20 years of experience in counseling. She has worked in public school settings, community agencies, non-profits, and private practices. In 2020, she founded Transformation Counseling and Consulting, PLLC (TC&C), a mental health group practice. Nicole scaled TC&C from a solo practice to a thriving, multistate, fully staffed practice within 3 years. Being a United States Army veteran is one of the things Nicole is most proud of in her career. She is also a military spouse, military mom, and the child of a service member. Nicole’s husband and son both served in the Army. Her father was a decorated 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Nicole obtained her Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on counseling from North Carolina State University. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Psychology and a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut State University. She has a certification in Perinatal Mental Health and is a Postpartum Support International (PSI) Regional Liaison for PSI-NC and a member of the Florida PSI Alliance. Nicole has lived experience with postpartum depression. She is also certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and trained in EMDR. Nicole provides public speaking services and workshops on mental health issues to organizations across the United States. She frequently provides workshops on business development and individual business coaching for other mental health professionals. Nicole is the 2026 President-Elect for the Military and Government Counseling Association Committee for the North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA). Nicole was recognized for advocating for women’s mental health with the Seven Starlings Mental Health Advocate Award in 2024. In November 2025, she received the ‘CUSE50 recognition award from Syracuse University for TC&C being one of the fastest-growing businesses in the university alumni program.
    Sessions
    • S34 : Perinatal Grief and Loss: Assessment and Treatment
  • Nina Carter Cohen, MA, LPC
    Nina Carter Cohen, MA, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor in private practice in Colorado. With over two decades in helping professions, she works with adults navigating grief and loss, faith transitions and religious harm, relationship challenge and couples work, and major life transitions. Nina integrates person-centered therapy with somatic awareness, parts-oriented work, mindfulness, and narrative approaches to support deep emotional healing. She was part of the first cohort to complete Megan Devine’s Grief Care Professional Certificate Program and recently completed advanced clinical training in neurodiversity-affirming therapy. A certified spiritual director, Nina spent over 40 years in church leadership before transitioning into secular counseling. She is increasingly interested in how counselors can sustain presence and well-being in clinical practice through nervous system awareness and rethinking the role of time.
    Sessions
    • S14 : The Time-Less Reset: Unhooking from the Clock for Counselor Presence and Well-Being
  • Olivia Wedel, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, PMH-C,
    I'm an Assistant Professor of Counseling and I also work as the Internship Director of Clinical Mental Health Graduate Counseling at the University of Mary. I have extensive private practice experience, where I specialize in perinatal mental health. I live in the DFW area of Texas with my husband and son. We love travel and hiking together.
    Sessions
    • S43 : Sitting with Maternal Grief When Loss Cannot Be Solved
  • Priscila Nogueira Barber, Esq
    Priscila Nogueira Barber, Esq. is the Owner and Principal Attorney of FIDA Law, where she is dedicated to supporting therapists who play a vital role in safeguarding Colorado’s mental health. Having experienced firsthand the profound impact a skilled therapist can have on the trajectory of a person’s life, Priscila is deeply committed to serving this community. She views therapists as a deserving and essential clientele and intentionally focuses her work on counseling, advocating for, and protecting mental health professionals through her legal expertise.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
    • S40 : FIDA Law
  • R David Johns PhD, LPC, LAC, NCC
    R. David Johns (pronouns: he, him, his) is an instructor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services in the College of Education at UCCS. He completed his PhD in Counseling Education and Supervision at the University of Northern Colorado with a clinical focus on couples and family counseling and a research focus on counselor educators and religion and spirituality. His master’s degree is from Idaho State University and the clinical focus was mental health counseling. Dr. Johns is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in the state of Colorado. He is an approved trainer through the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) for the Clinical Training Program for addiction counselors.  He is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC). In addition, Dr. Johns practices as a substance use counselor, and has advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). He is an EMDR Certified Therapist
    Sessions
    • S33 : Broaching the Queer Soul: Spirituality Uncovered with Ethical and Research-Based Practices
  • Rebecca Lynne Ray, MA, LPC
    The presenter is a Missouri-licensed and Colorado-licensed professional counselor and suicide prevention educator. She’s been a crisis worker on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988). She is trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), plus others. She served on American Association of Suicidology’s Crisis Services committee, supporting the 988 roll-out; the Steering Committee of the St. Louis Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition, and served as a lifeguard/volunteer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Missouri. She’s led suicide-prevention training at state, regional and local levels, for groups including the Missouri Behavioral Health Council, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Mental Health Counselors Association, and other agencies in the St. Louis metro area. In 2021, she completed post-master’s training at University of Plymouth in emergency mental health assessment (EMHA) and perinatal mental health (PMH) emergencies for expectant and new mothers. While there, she met with UK-based organizers on the National Health Service’s suicide-prevention initiatives. She relocated to Colorado and continues consulting and presenting on suicide prevention topics.
    Sessions
    • S17 : New Insights On Safety Planning & Reducing Persistent Suicidal Ideation (PSI)
  • Riley Cochran
    Riley Cochran is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor with over a decade of experience treating high-risk, trauma-impacted, and system-involved youth and families across residential, outpatient, and community-based settings. As Executive Director of Resolute Counseling Center in Colorado, he leads a multidisciplinary team specializing in adolescent mental health, trauma, addiction, and co-occurring disorders. Riley’s clinical work centers on the intersection of trauma, attachment, and behavior—developing evidence-based, field-tested treatment models that strengthen engagement, improve treatment retention, and reduce high-risk behaviors in youth navigating mental health and substance use challenges. His experience includes intensive in-home therapy, dual-diagnosis programming, crisis intervention, family systems work, and collaborative treatment planning with juvenile justice, schools, and child welfare. Known for his grounded, relational approach, Riley trains clinicians nationwide on trauma-informed engagement, attachment-based intervention, and strategies for re-engaging youth and caregivers who struggle with trust, treatment resistance, or behavioral dysregulation. He is also the founder of The Guardian’s Guide, a clinical education and coaching platform supporting professionals and families in fostering sustainable, relationship-driven change. Riley brings a human, hopeful, and deeply practical style to every training—helping professionals move from reactivity and burnout to clarity, confidence, and connection in their work with complex youth and families.
    Sessions
    • S12 : Beyond the Behavior: Attachment, Trauma, and Treatment Engagement with High-Risk Youth
  • Ron Welch
    Dr. Ron Welch earned the Psy.D. and M.A. degrees in Clinical Psychology from Central Michigan University and has worked in the fields of clinical psychology and counselor education for over 25 years, having been a licensed clinical psychologist since 1997. Dr. Welch recently rejoined the faculty of Colorado Christian University in October of 2024, having previously served on the faculty of CCU from August 2003 through June 2008. During that time, he initially held the role of Assistant/Associate Professor and later became the Chair of the Psychology Department. Dr. Welch transitioned to Denver Seminary in 2008, where he served until 2024. During this time, he served in several roles, including Associate Dean of the Counseling Division, Co-Chair of the Counseling Division, and Professor of Counseling. He had previously also taught at Crichton College. Dr. Welch is the author of 10 Choices Successful Couples Make (Baker/Revell, 2019) and The Controlling Husband (Baker/Revell, 2014). Dr. Welch began his postdoctoral career in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he worked for seven years as a clinical psychologist. Since 2004, Dr. Welch has served the local community through offering counseling services. Since 2011, he has owned and operated his own private counseling practice in clinical psychology.
    Sessions
    • S27 : Power and Control in Marriage: 10 Challenges Therapists can help Couples Overcome
  • Ryan Kennedy, PsyD, LP, LAC, LMFT, LPC, RN
    Ryan Kennedy, PsyD, is the founder and executive director of Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute in Denver, Colorado, and serves as the training director and senior faculty with the Noeticus Center for Professional Development and the Noeticus Addiction Counselor Clinical Training Program. He has practiced as a psychotherapist in a broad range of settings since 1993 and contributed as a counselor educator and clinical supervisor since 1996. He served as core faculty for 18 years at Naropa University in the Graduate School of Counseling and Psychology and as adjunct faculty at Front Range Community College, Prescott College, Regis University, University of Colorado Denver, and Walden University. In addition to being a licensed psychologist, he is also licensed in addiction counseling, professional counseling, and marriage and family therapy, as well as being a registered nurse and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. He has been approved by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration to teach all 20 courses required for credentialing in addiction treatment and is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and a certified MI trainer. Dr. Kennedy has an extensive background in expressive arts therapies, somatic and body-centered approaches, movement observation and developmental patterning, experiential learning, clinical assessment, complex trauma, addiction recovery, systemic therapy, and organizational change. His clinical approach is deeply rooted in developmental, humanistic, existential, and transpersonal principles and practices.
    Sessions
    • S18 : Experiential Clinical Supervision: Moving Beyond Narrative Self-Reporting and Case Presentation
    • S22 : Cunning, Baffling, and Powerful: What Professional Counselors Can Learn from the Addiction Counselor Curriculum
  • Sasha (Alexandra) Reydel, LPCC
    I am a dedicated and passionate Licensed Professional Counseling Candidate (LPCC) with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in Nature-Based Therapy. I have four years of outdoor therapeutic group facilitation experience, working primarily with adolescents and young adults to support their transition into independence. Holding a profound belief in the therapeutic potential of integrating connection with nature into psychological interventions, I am committed to fostering holistic well-being, resilience and self-discovery through individual and group-based eco-therapy practices.
    Sessions
    • S60 : Cracks In Concrete: Roots, Resilience And Embodied Safety For Urban Adolescents
  • Shawnna Jantz, LPCC, MA
    Shawnna Jantz (she/her), MA, LPCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate and a doctoral student in Counselor Education and Supervision at Denver Seminary. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Colorado Christian University. As the Clinical Director and founder of Apex Counseling Services, Shawnna provides clinical leadership, supervision, and mentorship to emerging counselors. Her work focuses on relational processes, cultural humility, and belonging across difference, integrating clinical practice, research, and advocacy to support healing and meaningful connection.
    Sessions
    • S55 : From Positionality to Relational Engagement: Integrating Humility, Compassion, and Power-Aware Processes in Counseling and Supervision
  • Stacy Rush, LMHC-QS, PhD Candidate
    Stacy Rush, LMHC-QS, PhD Candidate is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in Florida, as well as the founder of Trauma Solutions Counseling, a trauma-focused group practice serving veterans, high performers, and military families. She specializes in working with Special Operations Forces (SOF) veterans navigating trauma, moral injury, and identity reconstruction, integrating narrative identity theory, attachment science, and parts-based approaches into her clinical and supervisory work. As a PhD candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Colorado Christian University, Stacy’s research examines how moral injury and adverse childhood experiences intersect with identity development and reintegration after service. She is passionate about equipping supervisors to recognize and address moral injury within both clients and counselors-in-training, fostering reflective, ethical, and meaning-centered clinical practice.
    Sessions
    • S15 : Moving Counselor Wellness Beyond Burnout: Moral Injury, Meaning Making, and Professional Identity Development
  • Stephanie Diaz, LPC
    Stephanie Diaz, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, private practice therapist, and the owner of Humanly Aurora. With over two decades of experience in the mental health field, Stephanie is passionate about supporting therapists in building sustainable and thriving private practices. Through Humanly, she creates beautifully curated professional spaces that foster connection, community, and strong referral networks so clinicians can grow their practices without doing it alone.
    Sessions
    • S30 : Ask the Experts: Questions You Never Thought to Ask in Private Practice
  • Stephanie Tatum, LPC, ADDC, NCC
    Stephanie Tatum, LPC, ADDC, NCC, is the Founder and Clinical Director of Still I Rise Counseling Services, a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive group practice based in Colorado. After spending over 25 years in the financial industry, Stephanie made the courageous decision to follow her calling in mental health, opening her practice just days before graduating from her counseling program. What began as a solo private practice has since grown into an evolving group practice, now supported by a team of nine, including six therapists. Through this growth, Stephanie has intentionally cultivated a collaborative, learning-centered environment grounded in trauma-informed care, anti-oppressive values, and clinical excellence. Stephanie specializes in working with individuals, couples, and families navigating trauma, substance use, relational challenges, anxiety, depression, grief, and racial trauma. Her clinical approach is rooted in an anti-oppressive and culturally responsive framework, integrating modalities such as EMDR, Liberation Psychology, and other evidence-based, research-informed practices. She is deeply committed to creating spaces where individuals, particularly those from BIPOC and historically marginalized communities, feel seen, heard, and empowered. In addition to her clinical work, Stephanie provides clinical supervision and consultation to emerging therapists, focusing on supporting clinicians in developing their clinical identity and business acumen. She is passionate about bridging gaps in therapist training by equipping clinicians with practical tools to integrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices into their work. Through her leadership, speaking, and mentorship, Stephanie continues to advocate for equity in mental health care while fostering environments that support both client healing and clinician growth.
    Sessions
    • S50 : Bridging the Gap: From Graduate Training to Clinical Practice
  • Stevie White, LPCC (CO)
    To be filled out.
    Sessions
    • S21 : Creatively Taking Care of Yourself- A Space of Queer Affirming and Intentionality
  • Vasti Holstun, PhD, LPC, CSC (CO, TN), NCC, NCSC
    Dr. Vasti Holstun is an associate professor at Liberty University, a CACREP accredited counseling program. She is also the Past President of the Colorado Counseling Association. Prior to becoming a counselor educator, Dr. Holstun was a school counselor for 16 years. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, where she continues to provide counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Holstun publishes and presents at state and national conferences on the following topics: burnout, compassion satisfaction, and self-care for counselor educators, integrating spirituality in counseling, mental health in schools, and counseling supervision. She is an associate editor for the Journal of Humanistic Counseling.
    Sessions
    • S24 : Role Drift and Reflective Practice: Using the Discrimination Model to Navigate Value Conflict in Supervision
  • Brianna Christensen, MA, LMFT
    Sessions
    • S09 : Sacred Harm: Foundation understanding of religious trauma

CE Info

Continuing Education Credit Hours are available from the following organizations

In-Person

National Board for Certified Counselors
The Colorado Counseling Association has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2095. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Colorado Counseling Association is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
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CCA 2026 Annual Conference
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  • Type
    In-Person Event
  • Location
    Hyatt Regency Denver (650 15th Street, Denver, CO 80202)
  • Date
    September 23 - 25, 2026
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