What is your style/approach to therapy?
I help people understand repetitive patterns that cause disruption to personal, occupational, and relationship success. As we proceed in therapy, you’ll learn about your own patterns, so you can develop newer, healthier ways to approach life challenges. I’m especially aware of how many people come to therapy hoping to feel better right away, but instead struggle for a period of time. Sometimes people in the middle of therapy find that they do better in daily functioning before they feel better emotionally. But as therapy progresses into its later stage, we will work together for a happier, more hopeful future.
What would be important for someone to know about working with you?
No matter your ethnicity, religious or cultural background, sexual orientation or gender identity, you are welcome to my therapy practice. I also welcome those who have had prior difficulties with therapy.
Is there any research-based work you’ve done that you found particularly exciting, and how has that informed your practice today?
I am also an expert and national speaker on bipolar disorder. My book, Owning Bipolar: How Patients and Families Can Take Control of Bipolar Disorder is widely regarded as an important work in the field of bipolar treatment.
Specialties
Addiction
Regular involvement with a substance or activity in a compulsive, hard to control way that often has harmful consequences. Often refers to substance use, but can include compulsive behaviors such as sex, gambling, or shopping.
Abuse/Survivors of abuse
Abuse includes any significant mistreatment along the lines of psychical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Survivors of abuse may experience negative thoughts and feelings, flashbacks, distrust of others, social withdrawal, self-harm, and increased likelihood of developing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Adolescent mental health
Adolescent mental health focuses on adolescent-specific experiences including physical and cognitive development, social and environmental factors, sex, sexual identification and orientation, emotional processing, and substance use. Given the influence that parents/guardians have on adolescents, home life is a particularly important consideration.
Bipolar disorder
Characterized by alternating symptoms of depression and mania. During more extreme episodes, depression may lead to the point of suicidal ideation and attempts while extreme bouts of mania are marked by impulsive behavior, lack of sleep, elevated esteem, and even psychosis.
Chronic illness
Persisting health conditions causing significant barriers to daily functioning as well as discrepancies in how society responds to disabilities. Can impact people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and lead to feelings of isolation, uncertainty, and helplessness.
General Expertise
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Work Stress
Workplace issues are a common source of stress and can include interpersonal conflict, communication problems, gossip, harassment, discrimination, low motivation and job satisfaction, performance issues, and poor job fit.
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
Loss/Grief
Grief is a reaction to an emotionally significant loss and often comes with symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can remain intense and last for a long time after a loss, making it difficult to move forward with a healthy lifestyle.
Fees
$315
First Session
$210
Couples Therapy
$315
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Couples Session
Family Session
Group Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Adolescents (13-17)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Existential Therapy
Forensic Therapy
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Licensure
CO, LMFT, 0000744
Education
M.S. clinical/community psychology, California State University, Fullerton
B.S. Psychology, Loyola Marymount University.
Work History
2019-present, The Colorado Center for Clinical Excellence, a group practice specializing in Feedback-Informed Treatment, evaluating and providing psychotherapy for adults and adolescents in individual and family formats. 1989-2019, Michael Pipich, LMFT, a private practice specializing in psychotherapy, evaluations and forensic services.
Location
8000 E. Prentice Ave., Suite D-12, Greenwood Village, 80111, CO