Post Graduate Extern and Licensed Therapists

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Liz Zhou, M.A. in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, expected May 2023

Liz (she/her) brings a compassionate and trauma-informed lens to therapeutic work with children, adults, and couples. She incorporates mindfulness training, Gestalt theory, transpersonal psychology, nervous system regulation, and a social justice framework. Her philosophy is that healing arises when we bring body, mind, and spirit into conversation with one another. Through deep presence and curiosity, Liz cultivates a safe space in which the intrinsic wisdom of each individual may naturally emerge.

She draws on a range of experiences in the mental and holistic health fields, including: psychology research, inpatient and outpatient programs, advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, crisis intervention services, ceremony facilitation, yoga instruction, integration coaching, and legal psychedelic guiding. She has lived, studied, and worked abro​ad in various cultures (including India, Nepal, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico), and weaves multicultural awareness into her therapeutic work, to honor the histories and identities within each individual’s being.



Rose Winkler

Rose Winkler (she/they), Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, MA expected 2023. 

Rose is passionate about supporting clients with self-exploration, processing relational-based trauma, and cultivating loving relationships with themselves and others. She is a grounded, warm, and compassionate person who works with individuals, polyamorous & monogamous couples, and relationship constellations.  
 
Rose integrates humanistic, mindfulness-based, transpersonal, and gestalt modalities in her work with clients. She has a sex-positive approach and incorporates attachment-based therapies. Rose views counseling through a social justice lens, acknowledging that our social identities impact our lived experiences. She welcomes people from diverse identities and backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community. 
 
Rose spent many years as a Wilderness Instructor & Educator, and brings her experience teaching communication, listening, and conflict resolution skills to her work as a counselor. She also draws on her studies in nonviolent communication to help clients cultivate self-compassion and navigate challenging external relationships. 
 
In Rose’s free time she likes to play in nature, trail-run, garden, and cook plant-based foods. She also has a daily mindfulness and yoga practice that support her to be present and center through the challenges of life. Rose offers online sessions as well as in-person outdoor sessions in local parks and trails. 

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Dylan Leigh, Naropa Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling, MA expected May 2023

Dylan’s work through his own struggles has given him a deeply rooted empathic and
compassionate orientation towards the therapeutic relationship. Dylan has spent much of the
last decade working with adolescents in organizations that support their social-emotional
learning. As a research assistant in a cognitive and affective science lab, Dylan has helped
publish academic research on mediation practices and emotion regulation. His clinical approach
is thus informed by neuroscience and empirically grounded thinking. Dylan is a certified
mindfulness and meditation instructor and has taught meditation in various organizational
settings. Mindfulness-based strategies are an important part of Dylan’s therapy. He has also
been trained in Gestalt techniques, and uses attachment theory. Dylan is pursuing training in
equine assisted psychotherapy, which aligns with his personal connection to the healing power
of the natural world.



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Bridgid Lupetin, Mindfulness Based Transpersonal Counseling at Naropa, M.A expected May 2023

Bridgid (she/her) approaches therapy with an open-hearted and genuine interest in helping individuals, couples and children feel supported and empowered in every facet of life.

As a lifelong artist, she possesses a creative and eclectic style that is grounded in mindfulness and informed by theories including Humanistic, Gestalt, Transpersonal and Jungian Psychology. She has a present-centered style that is both relational and collaborative and strives to help people connect to their unique and inherent wisdom.

Bridgid’s integrated, trauma-informed approach is non-judgmental and inclusive of all identities. She has a strong desire to facilitate healing for individuals during challenging life transitions and times of grief and loss.

Outside of therapy, Bridgid enjoys playing with her dog at the park, riding bikes and skiing in the
mountains, painting and spending quality time with family and friends.
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Seth Tolbert,Transpersonal Wilderness Therapy at Naropa, M.A. expected May 2023

Seth (he/him) is committed to aiding adult individuals and couples to finding happiness and healing through genuine curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and compassion. He uses cognitive, emotional, somatic, and spiritual approaches to explore ways for clients to reconnect with their own innate wisdom, as well as using mindfulness techniques for nervous system regulation and drawing upon the natural world as a guide for exploring ones own internal wilderness. Seth honors each individual’s struggles, passions, culture, and background, and works to create a supportive environment and relationship within therapy to nurture each client’s unique ability to grow from trauma, stress, addiction, depression, anxiety, and relationship troubles. When not practicing therapy, Seth enjoys writing and playing music, gardening, biking, skiing, backpacking, and playing with his dog, Georgia.



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Alyssa Mullen (she/her) M.A. in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, expected May 2023

My therapeutic approach is influenced by Gestalt Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy, Mindfulness, Somatic Integration, Authentic Relating, Narrative Therapy, Neuroscience, Social Justice, Trauma-Informed Care and Transpersonal Psychology. Sessions will be unique to the relationship that is created with each client and each client’s needs. I work with kiddos, teens, adults, and couples/relationships.

My philosophical lens for therapy is rooted in the idea that every nervous system is brilliant and is always working toward equilibrium. I carry a belief that our nervous systems are always communicating and that, through this relationship, we can show one another how to modulate the impacts of life. I am passionate about supporting individuals struggling with grief, loss, existential stress and confusion, self-expression, spiritual emergency, adjustment challenges, life transitions, sexuality, and spirituality. I am also knowledgeable in working with individuals in polyamorous/non-monogamous relationships.

In my freetime, I enjoy listening to podcasts, hanging with my cats, studying astrological traditions, engaging with paranormal content and conversation, reading books, watching comedy and sci-fi/fantasy, listening to music, dancing, movement/mindfulness practice, exploring new places, trying new food, and drinking tea. I’m also a co-facilitator for a student-led organization at Naropa University, the Naropa Alliance for Psychedelic Studies.



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Lili Gahagan, Contemplative Psychotherapy, M.A. expected 2023

Lili (she/her/hers) is a third-year graduate student pursuing her masters’ degree in counseling at Naropa University. Lili offers holistic, trauma-informed, multiculturally and socially sensitive counseling for adults, couples, and teens. She believes deeply in the human capacity to heal, and the power of uncovering and building trust in the innate wisdom that exists within each of us.

Lili has spent the last six years studying the mind body connection. She draws on her experience as a certified integrative nutrition coach, life coach, yoga and meditation instructor, and breathwork facilitator in her therapeutic work with clients.

Lili’s intention is to create a space for her clients to identify, understand, reprocess, and heal the root issues and experiences that are playing a role in their current behavioral and emotional challenges. She utilizes a unique approach that blends evidence-based practices with her own creativity, to align and create balance within the mind, body, and spirit. Lili strives to foster a strong, trusting, and safe therapeutic alliance with her clients, to create a powerful foundation for the work that will be done together. Lili is deeply dedicated to serving others to create lives and relationships they love.

Alex Artio, (she/hers), J.D., M.B.A., Naropa Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA 2021

Four Elements Counseling LLC

303-225-1028 – alex@4elementscounseling.com  – Website: 4elementscounseling.com

Alex brings optimism and passion for working with adults, teens, and children to her multiculturally-informed, strengths-based practice of psychotherapy. She is committed to social justice and deep ecology, and maintains an awareness of the impacts of privilege, including her own, and systems of oppression on diverse identities and social locations. After 20 years of practicing law and five years of study with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Alex gave herself permission to begin again. She graduated from Naropa University with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and then established Four Elements Counseling LLC. Alex collaborates with clients to meet their desired outcomes or goals, which might range from a wish to simply feel better, to addressing and healing a broad range of complex issues that entail relationships, careers, attachment styles, sexual diversity, self-empowerment, identities, eating behaviors, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma, such as that caused by sexual abuse, systems of oppression, domestic violence, and high-conflict divorce. Alex is fully certified in Synergetic Play Therapy and has trained in EMDR and other therapeutic modalities. As a long-term volunteer, Alex has worked with first through sixth graders at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver and facilitated support groups for the Eating Disorder Foundation. Please see Alex’s webpage for more information.

 
 

 

 

 

Holly Trienens, Naropa MA 2021
 
Holly is a registered psychotherapist. She has been training as a therapist at Naropa University since 2017. Her style is rooted in Gestalt therapy with an emphasis on mindfulness and body centered techniques. Her authenticity and ability to be present with another person’s experience helps her to create a safe and non-judgmental space for clients. She enjoys working with both individuals and couples. Before pursuing the field of therapy, Holly worked as a special education teacher for seven years with children with learning and behavioral needs. In addition, Holly is also a mother of two young children.

 

 

 

Rex Tse, Naropa MA 2021
 

Rex has worked from a relational approach with domestic violence survivors and individuals with attachment trauma. Having trained at Naropa University and worked in domestic violence advocacy, he strives to be multiculturally sensitive, strength-based, and client-centered.

He approaches depression, anxiety, and emotional crisis with compassion and acceptance. With experience in the social justice scope, he brings the complexities of culture, systems, and identities into personal relationship impacts.

Fundamentally, finding ease in relationships takes tenderness and understanding. It is possible for any of us to find the wellness we are seeking. Rex welcomes anyone who wants to deepen relationships with self and others.

 
Eric Remza, Naropa Transpersonal Counseling, MA 2021
 
Eric (he/him/his) offers a body-centered approach foundational in the modality of Gestalt Therapy with a focus on Mindfulness techniques. Eric creates a therapeutic container of safety, presence, and trust to allow for transformation to happen. Before Eric’s pursuit into therapy, he spent the last 25 years working as a professional international mountaineering guide. Eric contributes his safety and success in the mountains to the deep interpersonal relationships he
cultivated with his participants. This high level of awareness continues within Eric’s therapeutic practice, and it offers the participant a unique experience of navigating their journey of self- discovery with confidence. Eric is a registered psychotherapist in Colorado and specializes in his practice with individuals, couples, teens, and child populations. He offers a developmental
trauma-informed care approach that can support the participant suffering from depression, anxiety, and any other challenging impasses to one’s life.

 

Niccole Fortunato, Naropa Contemplative Counseling, MA 2021
 

Niccole is a graduate student in Naropa University’s Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology program. Her life experiences have brought her to the therapeutic path. She approaches therapy from a place of compassion and understanding for the human experience.  Her aim is to be with clients in whatever state(s) they may be in or bring into each session.  She understands clients are uniquely their own being.  Allowing her to approach each client from their individual experience, which may require approaching each therapeutic relationship differently.

Her passion and drive to be with others in their joys and suffering stems from an extensive background in trauma.  She hopes to show her clients they do not have to face whatever has brought them to therapy alone. Her time at Naropa has allowed her to uncover one of the most effective therapeutic techniques, learning to be present with what is arising in the moment.   Learning just to be has opened her up to being present with others during their therapeutic journey.

Sarah Haggerty, Naropa Transpersonal Counseling, MA 2021 
 

Sarah helps her clients to find their inherent wisdom and agency through integrative and body centered therapies. Sarah’s work is based on building strong relationships with clients – through authenticity, presence and synergistic connection. She is adept at working with issues such as spiritual development, personal growth, grief and loss and life transition, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. Also serving as a life coach since 2018 and a mentor for teens and adults in wilderness settings since 2000, Sarah supports a wide variety of clients through a nature-based approach. Sarah helps her clients to find meaning in challenging circumstances and to seek the hidden values and gifts that help them thrive. Sarah is a registered psychotherapist working with eclectic modalities including depth psychology and mindfulness based transpersonal counseling. She offers holistic, trauma informed care for teens, adults and couples.

Bree Bessette, Naropa Transpersonal, MA expected 2020
 
Bree Bessette
Chis Cannon, Naropa Transpersonal, MA expected 2020
 
Chris is a registered psychotherapist who has been working in the mental health field since 2014. He approaches therapy in a client-directed and mindfulness-based way. This means he lets the client choose the direction of exploration and aids them in becoming more aware of their experience than they might alone. He uses the power of relationship and reparative experiences, and his therapy tends to be gentle, body-based, and precise. He has extra training in addiction, attachment theory, and trauma resolution. He especially enjoys working with people struggling with intimacy issues, depression, addiction, spiritual issues, and adoptees and their parents.
Chris Engler, Naropa Transpersonal, MA expected 2020
 

With over five years training as a therapist at Naropa University, Chris offers a rich, extensive background in contemplative practice and therapy. His professional and clinical methodology is rooted in Gestalt Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), multicultural counseling, and body-centered psychotherapy. Chris’ primary therapeutic belief, is every individual holds an innate brilliance to transform and heal their lives through enough discernment, attention, and self-attuned awareness. Chris has a fervor for working with those who have struggled with compulsive behaviors, discrimination, spiritual/religious concerns, grief and loss, and the LGBTQ+ population. His gentle, non-judgmental demeanor is coupled with a fierce commitment to guide his clients past comfort, and into a liberated state of radical growth. He cultivates therapeutic space that welcomes inclusivity, encourages individual and creative expression, and provides opportunity for spiritual and contemplative self-inquiry.

Alec Farbman, Naropa Transpersonal, MA expected 2020
 
Alec has been working in the mental health field for since 2016. He has worked with a diverse clientele and has a passion for approaching each individual specific to their unique needs and strengths. In his work, Alec is excited to fuse together his spiritual and professional paths in service of personal values such as empowerment, interpersonal connection, compassion, and helping people find increased freedom from suffering. Mindfulness-based and body-centered practices informs his life and enhances his work. Alec’s goal is to support and serve all clients in identifying and processing any barriers to living their most authentic and full lives. His work and schooling have supported his choice to focus on the intersection of human development along the pathways of attachment and spiritual growth. He is dedicated to elevating the lives of clients by identifying and moving past old patterns and unresolved emotional issues.
  
  
Riese Rose, Naropa Wilderness Therapy, MA expected 2020, Colorado Registered Psychotherapist #110253 
 

Riese (Pronouns: she/her/hers or they/them/theirs) has been working therapeutically since 2015 to help people holistically (re)connect with their inherent wisdom and to (re)orient to the nature of themselves and their environment. Through collaboration and gentle guidance, Riese takes a transpersonal, eco-social-justice, and strengths-based approach to helping people find their own authentic path to healing. This approach helps to illuminate the belonging and importance of diverse identities and experiences within one’s self and their community. Riese has developed an embodied understanding of how the human-nature relationship can reduce feelings of isolation, nervous system dysregulation, depression, and anxiety through both their professional and personal experiences. They are most drawn to work with couples and individuals, the LGBTQIA+ community, sexual assault survivors, those struggling spiritually, with self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and those moving through difficult life transitions.

 
 
  
Claire Phillips
Claire Phillips, Naropa Contemplative, MA 2019
 
Claire is committed to helping people discover their innate strength and wisdom through strength-based, mindfulness approaches that increase self-awareness, promote a sense of well-being, and respect each individual journey. Claire welcomes whatever arises for a client, listening compassionately, remaining present and steady, and integrating her experiences of motherhood, living abroad, and teaching art education into the session. She creates bonds rooted in kindness and patience, creating a safe environment to grow at one’s own pace, while inviting exploration of external and internal experiences. Claire recognizes the therapeutic relationship’s ability to empower clients to move toward recovery and healing.