I am Carema (she, her) and Center for Compassion Couple Counseling is my Denver counseling practice. I offer couple therapy and individual therapy for adults in my Sunnyside office or online.
Me
I am grateful to call Denver home where I grew up with my four siblings and parents, and where I lovingly parent my five children. I attended both Metro State and University of Colorado Denver on Auraria Campus, and now nourish my thriving private therapy practice in northwest Denver. My family and friends bridge ethnicities, cultures and generations. We are continually learning from each other and creating meaningful bonds.
My General Philosophy
We need each other! We all have a driving need for human connection in safe, secure and nurturing relationships where we can give and receive love, care and compassion.
Emotions matter! Our emotions are simply the traffic lights of our observations, thoughts and actions. Emotions cue us to our inner and outer experiences. When we pay attention to our emotional experience, they guide us to our needs and help us to be intentional in our thoughts, actions and interactions.
Culture matters! Our race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, ability, spirituality and cultural identities interact with our temperament, self concept and how we relate to others. Our cultures organize the meanings we make of our emotional experiences and universal needs.
My Way of Counseling
I am an Emotion Focused therapist, which takes an Attachment Based, Experiential Approach to encourage present moment awareness of emotions, thoughts and actions.
That means we will pay attention to the emotions you experience in the moment and the meaning you make of those emotions, thoughts and actions whether they are defensive or connecting. We will also explore your history of past and current relations and how that affects how you currently connect in relationship to yourself and the people in your life.
Through compassionate, unconditional regard, we will create a secure counseling relationship where you will be fully seen and fully heard. We will work together to facilitate deeper meanings of your emotional experiences along with mindful awareness of your authentic needs. By becoming more aware of how you respond to your emotions and needs, you will create a more intentional life at home, with friends and at work. You will be better connected with yourself and nurture compassionate connections with your intimate partner, family and friends.
My Credentials
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado, and have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). I have an MA in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education specializing in couple and family, multicultural and youth counseling from the University of Colorado Denver. My BA is in Psychology and Special Education from Metro State. I have over twenty years of experience working with couples, families, and adults who seek fulfilling relationships, meaningful lives and general well-being.
My Guiding Beliefs:
- We are all compassionate by nature and share the same basic human needs to sustain life
- We are all resilient having innate motivation and ability to gain well-being and compassionate relationships
- Secure attachments create health and well-being
- Awareness of emotions and basic human needs creates informed choices and connected strategies
- Gaining awareness of and intentionally shifting away from defensive judgment and blame of self and others frees us from being “stuck” in anxiety, guilt and shame
- Gaining awareness of inhibitory anxiety, guilt and shame will free us from “stuck” defensive thoughts and actions and contribute to well-being, meaningful relationships and authentic living
- Therapy is collaborative relationship between the person seeking therapy and the therapist
- The person seeking therapy is the expert of their life and is capable of self-motivated growth
- The role of the therapist is a supportive guide to walk alongside the person seeking therapy
- People have a right to therapists who act with justice, beneficence (to do good), non-malfeasance (to do no harm), and fidelity (trustworthiness)
- People have a right to a safe, compassionate therapy experience regardless of (and not limited to) ethnicity, race, immigration status, faith, sexual/affection orientation, gender expression, family status, age, ability, and size