Sean Scott - Intern Therapist (May 2019 - May 2020)

Carin was with us from May 2021 to August 2022. She will be dearly missed and we excited for her to have a bit of a break before taking on the journey again of being a therapist. We hope to hear from her soon as we imagine she will popping as well to say hello.

Her past bio for more information:

Carin Rodenborn Wohadlo, (she/her/hers), is a candidate in the MA in Counseling program at Northwestern University. Carin is a visual artist and writer who believes in the power of creative expression as a way to engage the healing process. Before attending Northwestern she spent fifteen years teaching studio art and cultural studies courses at colleges and universities across the United States. Her current research focuses on the various mental health and well being needs of artists and creative folks. Carin draws on psychodynamic and humanistic approaches to therapy in her work with clients.

She is inspired by the expansiveness of the human experience and identity, and celebrates the curiosity and strength that is an innate part of the therapeutic process.

Chelsea Augusto (She/hers) was an intern with us that will be missed for her compassion and care of her clients. She leaves to begin working at a Nuero Diverse Counseling with another ex-intern Lila LB. We hope to connect more and see her growth in the coming years

Lila (she/her) was an intern with us that will be dearly missed. She has now working at a group practice, Nuero Diverse Counseling another ex-intern, Chelsea Augusto, soon to be taking insurance as well

Leah (she/her/hers) works from a place of non-judgmental discernment. This means that she encourages individuals not to judge their actions and behaviors, but rather to openly notice the impact of behaviors, in order to help individuals move towards increased harmony in their lives. Leah’s background is in education, and she believes that both learning and personal growth happen within the context of supportive relationships. Her goal is to create therapeutic relationships which help individuals to create positive shifts in their lives. Leah is earning her Master’s in Social Work from Colorado State University. She appreciates the focus social workers have on social justice, and she examines how individuals, families and communities are impacted by wider societal issues. Leah is a certified Mindfulness teacher for youth. She defines mindfulness as noticing what is happening right now. Leah supports individuals to bring awareness to their experiences, so that they can break patterns which no longer serve them. She enjoys working with people of all ages, as well as with groups.

Dustin received his Master’s of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Naropa University, specializing in body-based methods of psychotherapy. He has worked with children, adolescents, as well as middle-aged and older adults, as teacher, tutor, and consultant—amongst other roles. He works in an eclectic, integrity-oriented manner informed by his multifaceted professional and academic background to support and foster clients’ potential for inherent health and embodied vibrancy. Such experiences have led him to engage with issues of community well-being and sustainability, collective memory, imagination, and the role of language in our lives.

Through his work, he continually explores how to realize increasingly inclusive therapeutic practices that invite personal- and social-level healing. As a Registered Psychotherapist (NLC), Dustin offers a wide range of collaborative methods for challenging old patterns and creating new opportunities. He appreciates the depths of our many life challenges as well as our arising hunger for change and growth. He seeks to affirm strength and wisdom alike in each of his clients. To do so, he draws from Integral Theory, existential traditions, attachment theory, trauma awareness, and nonverbal behavior, as well as an array of various life experiences to inform his work as a therapist. He reveres the transformational capacities of relationship, empathy, vulnerability, curiosity, imagination, story, metaphor, and affirmative humor. Dustin also identifies himself as a life-long student of paradox, creativity, spiritual traditions, and the dynamic wisdom of embodiment.

Kathleen (she/her/hers) is finishing her MA in Body Psychotherapy at Naropa’s Somatic Counseling Program. She focuses on supporting clients to build nourishing relationships, whether that be refining their relationship with their own thoughts/emotions/and bodily realities or helping them navigate the challenges of intimacy with others. Her clinical work for the past year at Boulder Center for Conscious Community has focused on how emotions manifest physically in the body; by paying attention to the tensions, tinglings, temperatures, and movements of the body, we can build tolerance to be with emotions as they occur, support them moving through us, and receive the deeper messages they contain. Kathleen uses a trauma-informed approach that aims to equip clients in navigating and regulating their nervous system’s reactions to stress. She incorporates a social justice lens by holding many layers of perspective as she works with clients, from individual identity locations to familial impact to cultural realities. In addition to her work as a body-centered counselor, she brings eight years of experience working with groups and individuals in Colorado and New York City as a yoga and movement educator as a Laban/Bartenieff Certified Movement Analyst. With her expertise in experiential anatomy, Kathleen is also a lead trainer for Breathe for Change, an organization that provides 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Trainings for K-12 educators.

Stephen (he/him/his) is in his final year in Naropa University’s Contemplative Psychotherapy Masters program, and is thrilled to be joining the team at Whole Connection. He is passionate about fostering connection—to one’s self, to loved ones, and to the embodied experience of being a human being living on this messy, beautiful planet in this very particular time. Stephen believes that therapy should be based on trust and non-judgment, and is a fundamentally relational process. He believes that by acknowledging one’s experiences in the presence of a supportive person, one might begin to “wake up,” and begin to access the seeds of healing within. Some of the most profound growth and healing come from our most painful, hopeless places. He believes that therapy should be crafted to suit each individual, but finds inspiration in humanistic, contemplative, existential, and somatic approaches as well as attachment theory, Internal Family Systems, and ecopsychology. Stephen believes deeply that joy can emerge from sorrow, that hope can arise from despair, and that yearning for connection and love can be found in our angriest, most isolated, most fearful places within. When not in school or internship, Stephen can be found trying to find the right balance in his own life— between solitude and connection, rest and activity, work and play, seriousness and laughter. He is a lover of the outdoors as well as the indoors, and tries to savor the richness of every moment; or, sometimes he’d prefer to take a nap.

Sarah (she/her/hers) has a BA in Psychology and Communication at Elon University and is currently working towards her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Naropa University. As a mindfulness-based psychotherapist, Sarah incorporates mind-body practices and holistic approaches in her work. Her passion is to help others discover their strengths and reshape their connection to others and themselves. What drives Sarah’s work in this field is her belief that we are continually learning and healing throughout life and therapy is a chance to grow in this process together. Sarah has experience working individually and in group with addiction, anxiety, depression, life-transition, and grief in young adults and adults. Other aspects that define Sarah’s practice are compliments of Gestalt, Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment therapy, Nonviolent Communication, and other empirically-based modalities held in a trauma-informed framework.

Max (They/Them/Theirs) was a great surprise for us as they joined us in January after losing their internship site. They brought a wonderful different perspective using art with their clients and reminding us that therapy comes through creation too. Although the time was short, we already feel the loss of Max not being with us and hope they find another wonderful place to be a therapist soon!

Sean was a wonderful addition to our team. He brought humor, compassion, and surprise to our team always. We will miss his ability to always bring some lightness and of course his wonderful contribution to our clinical team. Although he will be taking some time off, we know that wherever he ends up will be a better place because he will be joining them.

Jack was an intern with us for a year and made incredible impacts on our team and others. We are going to miss his engagement, venerability, and wonderful clinical skills. He will be joining Queer Asterisk as a clinical therapist. They will grow with his expertise and ability to bring people together.

Brittney Reney was an intern with us for the 2019-2020 year. Sadly her internship cut short due to COVID-19. We appreciated all the work Brittney did with kids, teens, and adults. She will be finishing her last semester of school at Smith College School of Social Work this summer and graduating in August 2020 with her MSW. We wish Brittney the best going forward and hope to hear from her in the future.

Abby Howard was a supervisor here training and supporting our interns. She also helped with our community outreach and marketing. She is now in private practice and teaching and Denver University’s School of Social Work.

Maura Huebl was one of our first interns here at Whole Connection. She then stay with use to become our first Fellow, specializing in Somatic Cultural Trauma work. Although she is still here as a part time therapist, she has started her full time job working as a therapist at a high school in Denver.

Marcia Warren-Edelman was one of our trainer and educators for our fellowship program here at Whole Connection. She led the Somatic Cultural Trauma fellowship, which Maura Huebl was the first fellow for. Although we still might have this fellowship in the future, currently Marcia is not training anyone in the program. Although she does continue to have he own practice, which you can learn more about at her website here

Tina Collins was our first Office Manager here. She was worked alongside us always helping us to remember to be human as well as therapists. Tina was not only important in helping with out intakes and fielding all our incoming calls and requests, she also helped support the on-going creation of our space together. Tina now is in retirement enjoying more free time with her husband. We sometimes get the lucky chance to see here when she stops in to see how we are doing.

Katherine Klumb was our second therapist here at Whole Connection. She was also helpful in fostering our training program our second year and supporting new interns in their process here. She has since gone into private practice and you can learn more about her work at her psychology today profile here.

Melissa Utz was out first therapist here at Whole Connection. She was instrumental in helping us get off the ground and put lots of working in also helping with our marketing. On top of being a therapist she also was a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher and trainer. Melissa Utz moved in September, we do miss her and can only imagine she is continuing to be a great therapist.

Gabriela Pineda was part of our intern cohort and started in the Winter of 2019. She was specializing in couples therapy and had extra supervision by Kat Austin. After leaving our internship program she started working as a school therapist in Denver with Community Reach Center focusing on K-8.

Brianna Valenzuela was part of our first team of interns here at Whole Connection. She ended up staying on longer as a therapist before moving away. We know where ever she goes she will leave lasting impressions on her clients and make meaningful impacts!

Erica Brann was a clinical supervisor here at Whole Connection during the first year of interns. She helped guide many of our first group of clinicians into the clinicians who they are now. After a year she was offered a clinical director position and went into private practice. She now provides DBT skills for individual therapy, couples and families and works with people 12-85 years of age. She continues to supervise interns and new graduates and specializes in substance and alcohol use disorders. Learn more about Erica and what she is doing now here at her psychology today profile.

Collin worked primarily with individual adults and older teens, as well as some relationship counseling. He offered services in English or Spanish for both the Boulder and Denver offices.

Linna Shih, Intern Therapist, (she/her)

I am a graduate student at Smith College School of Social Work and a long-time resident of Boulder. I grew up in China and immigrated to Colorado at age 17. After working two careers, one in tech and one as a stay-at-home mom, I decided to pursue my passion of supporting my “fellow travelers” on their life’s journey. I am drawn to this work because I have been there. I know what it is like to struggle with self-doubt, experience anxiety, and long for connection. After years of my own therapy, I also know it is absolutely possible to build confidence, move through fear, and repair meaningful relationships.

I view therapy as a collaborative process that honors the clients’ wisdom and insight into their own lives and their innate ability to heal and grow.  My job is to provide a non-judgemental, compassionate, and safe space in which they can access this wisdom by exploring their feelings and thoughts, their identities and relationships, their family and culture. I guide clients with intentionality and discernment using evidence-based therapeutic framework towards their goals. 

I am thrilled to join Whole Connection. I have experience supporting adults struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, grief, and relationship issues using Motivational Interviewing (MI), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-based therapy, Mindfulness and Self-compassion. My clients describe me as “warm”, “authentic” and “good at what you do.” I want to work with people of all ages and from all walks of life, especially those who are immigrants, BIPOC and AAPI. I am fluent in Mandarin. 

Outside of school and work, I enjoy reading, journaling, and traveling. I love the outdoors and have been on many memorable backpacking and canoeing trips with friends and family.  Staying connected to the Chinese community is important to me and I devote a large amount of time volunteering at a local weekend Chinese school.

Alexa Owen, Intern Therapist, (she/her)

My name is Alexa Owen (She/her) and I am currently completing my master’s degree in clinical social work at Smith College School for Social Work. Passionate about supporting individuals in their processes of growth, healing, and transformation, I believe that a core of therapeutic work is getting to know oneself better—understanding with curiosity and care one’s values, thoughts, actions, experiences, and patterns to create space for acceptance and change. My approach in therapy is rooted in self-compassion, relationship, and centering dignity and worth of the person to take practical steps toward personal and collective healing. As an emerging clinical social worker, I am committed to exploring with clients systems and structures that may be impacting their experience and using a holistic approach to change that feels empowering and compassionate.

With a background in yoga therapy, contemplative science, and meditation, I have a continued interest in bio-psycho-social-spiritual wellbeing and how these various aspects of self impact our lived experiences. I have supported adolescents and adults through challenges related to life transitions, grief, disordered eating, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic illness and pain, caregiver burnout, and relationship challenges. Some approaches I’ve used with clients include cognitive- and acceptance-based therapies, motivational interviewing, parts work, psychodynamic psychotherapy, liberation health model, and skill building in mindfulness and compassion. I deeply value building rapport with clients and believe that the therapeutic alliance can also be a vehicle for healing and change. 

Before arriving at Whole Connection, I grew up in New England and spent a decade after college working, studying, and living in various places across North America and Asia. I love being in nature, hiking, dance, baking, and spending quality time with family and friends. I am a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) and graduate of the 3-year contemplative psychotherapy program at Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, where I also completed my teacher training in Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT). I look forward to supporting you in your therapy process!

Kiaya Franklin, Intern Therapist, (she/her)

I am a Current Master’s student of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Denver. Before moving to Colorado, I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where I obtained my BA in both Psychology and Global Gender Studies at the University at Buffalo. As an undergraduate, I discovered my passion for being a listener and advocator.

Therapy is a safe space to build and foster deeper connections by exploring one’s intersectionality. Through the interconnection of social identities such as race, class, gender, sexuality, etc., together, I want to work with you to understand the totality of personal experiences that make up the whole of you.

I am dedicated to working within the community to diminish mental health stereotypes and provide community resources. I am also excited to work with individuals from different backgrounds and prepared to engage continuously in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Outside the therapy room, I love walking, exercising, and playing with my dog. I’m an avid reader, so all book recommendations are welcome. The most crucial part of successful therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client, so If you feel like we are a good fit, please reach out.

I look forward to helping you on your mental health journey.

Breen Cardinal, Therapist, LPCC (they/them)

Breen holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University. As a non binary, queer, indigenous therapist, Breen is passionate about decolonization and liberation on individual, relational, and collective levels. Breen believes that interconnectedness is one of the pathways towards liberation, and is committed to helping people build deep relationship with themselves, their bodies, their loved ones, and their communities. With a wide range of emotional, cognitive, attachment-based, creative, and nervous system regulating modalities, Breen applies a social justice lens to therapeutic approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and somatic therapy. Through their work, Breen transforms personal and intergenerational trauma in collaboration and partnership with clients, holding up a mirror so clients can see their own strength and worthiness in the reflection. 

Breen has served individuals of all identities and backgrounds but has specialized in working with the QTBIPOC community, exploring the complex impacts of oppression and bringing humanness into the container through authentic connection. Outside of their one-on-one therapeutic work, Breen serves as a wilderness rights of passage guide and ceremonial leader in Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and multicultural spaces. 

While there is no way to avoid suffering, we can empower ourselves to relate to our wounds in a new way. That’s the transformational process that Breen is honored to join their clients on.

Brad Cole, Therapist, LPCC (he/him)

Brad (he/him/his) has his MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Colorado Denver and is delighted to remain a part of the Whole Connection team. Bringing the mind, body, and spirit into session, Brad cultivates a peaceful space for holistic healing to begin as he believes this is the first step towards living a joyful life! Brad meets all clients where they are at with kindness, compassion, and acceptance, viewing them as the true experts of their own lives. His approach is humanistic and collaborative, meaning he believes in the human tendency towards self-actualization and works together with each client to guide them to the light that shines within.

Meaningful healing, in Brad’s opinion, comes from providing a space free from shame and judgment, and establishing a relationship safe enough for clients to begin exploring the roots of their current challenges and becoming the most complete, authentic version of themselves. As clients begin to explore who they truly are and uncover the dynamics that have led to troubles in their lives, Brad believes they deserve an inquisitive, intentional companion who cares deeply about connection and transformation. Brad also utilizes Gestalt, attachment-based, emotion-focused, relational, cognitive, and systemic approaches in his work.

By exploring lived experience and the ways in which a client’s environment has impacted their ability to connect and live a fulfilling life, Brad guides his clients to insight into the development of presenting problems and works with them to examine the ways of living and beliefs about self that are no longer serving them.

Brad is honored to be of service to individuals from all backgrounds, identities, and walks of life, specializing in working with individuals in the LGTBQ+ community. 

Yen (Melissa) La, Intern Therapist, (she/her)

I am currently a master's student at Regis University. I discovered my passion for psychology and therapy when I was a sophomore in high school when I took a psychology class. Ever since then, I have been fascinated by human connection and the stories that each individual holds.

When I think about therapy, I envision it as a tool that can help someone gain new perspectives about themselves and utilize those insights to help your healing process. It provides a safe space where you can freely share your thoughts and feelings without the fear of judgment. Each story carries its own value and meaning, influenced by an individual's culture and background.

I want to collaborate with you to understand the different aspects that contribute to your identity and work towards healing using methods that suit you best. I am excited about the opportunity to work together, fostering growth and help your journey towards healing.