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My Approach

Figuring out what actually works

I’ve had the privilege of working with people from all walks of life, with about as many different challenges as you can imagine. Throughout my journey as a therapist, I’ve kept one question in mind “what helps people make the change they want to see?”. Early in my practice, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was sold to therapists and clients as the “one-size-fits-all approach”. Don’t get me wrong, CBT has helped many people, and as a tool it deserves respect. However, it doesn’t work for everyone. Many of my clients come to me after having worked with a CBT-based therapist in the past. They may have seen some improvements, but ultimately end up still struggling with intrusive thoughts, and feeling frozen in their lives.

I work from a different approach, my theory of practice focuses on two main areas, what I call the “why” and the “how”. The “why” is about working together to get a deeper understanding of where your concerns started. The way we grew up, our adolescent experiences, and the messages we received often continue to impact our lives years down the road. The “how” is about what we do with that knowledge, and how we move forward. Some of my clients come to me looking for either one, but many are looking to integrate both, to feel a sense of self-acceptance, and to feel more whole.

~ Kelsey Piller, M.A., Licensed Professional Counselor & Licensed Addiction Counselor

MY SPECIALTIES

  • All of us do something to help us get through tough times. Unfortunately, sometimes the ways we learned to cope early on are no longer serving us. Learn effective ways to manage your emotions, and calm your body.

  • Trouble connecting, asking for what you want, setting boundaries, or communicating effectively without pulling back or lashing out. Relationships skills aren’t intuitive for most people, let’s explore how to get you what you want in a healthy way.

  • If you have experiences connected to a religious belief, practice, or structure which have undermined your sense of safety, autonomy and/or negatively impacted your physical, social, emotional, relational, sexual, or psychological well-being - you may have had an adverse religious experience.

    Learn more

  • Some traumas are easily recognizable - a single life threatening or altering event. For other people, trauma is a more consistent experience. Both present their own unique symptoms and challenges.

  • Change is challenging for most people - whether it’s positive (moving in with someone you love, getting the job you’ve always wanted, the arrival of a new baby) or negative (job loss, divorce, grief and loss).

In order to best serve my clients, I specialize in and work with people hoping to see change in the above areas. If your current challenges fall outside of these categories but you still believe we would be a good fit, please feel free to reach out!

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What do you stand to gain from therapy?

Unfortunately, mental health concerns pull us away from the things that really matter to us. Anxiety keeps us a prisoner in our own minds, constantly over-analyzing the smallest issues. Depression tells us that nothing is worth fighting for anymore, so we might as well not even try. Trauma can leave a person feeling unsafe, questioning their beliefs about themselves, others, and the world.

However, just because we’ve been pulled away from something important to us, doesn’t mean that it stops mattering. A socially anxious person still desires connection, and a depressed person still wishes they had a clear sense of meaning and purpose in their life. Someone who has experienced trauma wishes they could feel secure and confident that the world is an alright place to live in.

So what do you stand to gain? The opportunity to re-engage with what really matters to you. When the intrusive thoughts, the constant doubt, and the fear is no longer in the driver’s seat - you have to opportunity to reconnect with a life worth living.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addictions Counselor in Colorado

Masters in Counseling and Human Services, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Bachelors in Psychology, Regis University

Trained in and utilizes the following modalities: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Yoga-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Y-CBT).

my therapeutic values

  • “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty”

    Our minds, relationships, and past - these can all be challenging to navigate. You need someone who is not afraid to walk along side you through this process.

  • “A ready capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements”

    I utilize several different therapeutic styles, so you get the chance to try a variety of techniques and pick what connects most for you.

  • “The action of working with someone to produce or create something”

    I always start by taking the time to understand your unique challenges and strengths, to help you create a plan that meets your needs.

  • Your identity is an important part of who you are, and I’d like you to be able to come to into therapy as your whole self.

    The services I provide are secular, racial justice allied, gender-affirming and LGBTQIA+ allied, and body positive. If you have any questions about how this affects my approach, please feel free to ask.
    If you’re looking for more affirming healthcare providers, please checkout OutCare (linked below).

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