About me
Danielle (she/her/hers)
How I got here
People and their stories fascinate me. I knew from a young age I wanted to be a therapist, but I took a twisting path to get here. After growing up in the rainy Northwest, I headed to the sunny mountains of Arizona to study psychology as an undergraduate. I planned to continue to graduate school, but life offered an unexpected opportunity and I spent the next decade in land conservation, protecting wild places around Crested Butte, Colorado. I learned that mountain people are my people and that rural mountain communities are special places with their own challenges. My work in conservation deeply informed my belief in the restorative power of the natural world and taught me the importance of asking beautiful questions. My love of the outdoors led me to wilderness therapy where I learned to see the humanity in protective behaviors and I reveled in daily ceremonies. When I was ready to return to graduate school, I chose to study social work because I believe in its systemic approach and focus on social justice. Crested Butte Colorado has been my home since 2007.
What I do
As a therapist, I believe in the importance of a person's autonomy, feeling seen without judgment, and that there is no right way to move through the process. From my experience, healing often requires allowing the hard, sticky, revolting, and unwanted emotions to create space for the pleasurable ones. It’s natural to need support through that process. I value joining the body, mind, and emotional realms, incorporating parts work, body-centered approaches, and practical neuroscience. As I learn to take myself less seriously and slow down, I am a big proponent of bringing humor and creative modalities into therapy as well. When I’m not counseling, I obsess over poetry and the power of the written word, and I adventure on my skis, bike, packraft, or feet. I rarely pass up a game of cribbage and I find endless delight in miniature things.