Existential Therapists in Fort Collins, CO

“My partner and I are having a hard time connecting with each other...” “I am struggling to accept change...” “I want to learn more about myself...” “I feel confused and lost in my own life...” Struggling with where to start? I see you. I am here for you. You are worthy. Choosing to start therapy can be overwhelming, and I believe one of the bravest things you can do is begin to understand your story. My hope is to create a space of safety to foster vulnerability and healing where you can take risks, try new skills and strategies, and attend to parts of yourself that need nurturing.

We are all on our own path to find meaning in our lives, but life can cause us to stumble on that path. Zac McInerney believes that we all have the ability, potential, and courage to stand back up and continue along the path toward the meaningful experience of life. Zac is passionate about helping provide a safe, supportive, encouraging, and caring environment for each client to find their own change and growth. He is dedicated to helping clients find their unique potential and meaning, and strongly believes in the therapeutic relationship to provide an environment for growth.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist who seeks to help people feel seen and understood, particularly when they are asking the question, "Who am I?" This is a question that comes from a lost place, but allows for growth. I strive to work from a place of cultural humility in therapy as I acknowledge my own identities and integrate social justice values into my clinical work and personal life. I identify as a Queer, white cis female and an athlete in recovery. In therapy, I utilize an interpersonal process and existential-humanistic approach to enact change and help clients actualize their goals.

I am passionate about working with individuals, couples and groups and will work with you to increase your felt sense of self-acceptance and self-esteem while challenging you to experiment, in the spirit of play, with new ways of seeing and being in the world. We will collaborate in creating a safe and trusting space where you can show up with greater authenticity, reclaim disowned parts of yourself, and be free to make new choices around old habitual patterns.

Connection to ourselves and others is essential to our mental health and well-being. Also, feeling like we’ve lost connection to ourselves or others (or both) at points in our lives is common. When this happens we may experience sadness, anxiety, grief, shame, and a range of other emotions. Our relationships may suffer and the cycle continues. Personally and professionally, I believe in the power of connection, relationships, and community. From this lens, I work with a variety of concerns including depression, anxiety, isolation, grief, shame, identity concerns, relationship difficulties, existential concerns, and men's issues.

Fifteen years ago, in my late 20s, I faced an existential crisis. The pain and shame of knowing I was meant for more—more happiness, meaning, and purpose—without knowing how to get there was overwhelming. At times, terrifying. With the help of others, I discovered my unique path to an authentic, self-led life. My mission as a therapist is to return that gift. I believe we all have an innate ability to heal from past wounds, rewrite our inner story, and reunite with a sense of self that feels whole, connected, and fulfilled.

Figuring out what we're thinking and feeling is an important task that can help us figure out how to go after what we really value. I help people, especially men, identify their thoughts and feelings so they can pursue what they value and communicate more effectively with the important people in their life. I have almost 10 years of experience working with people to figure out what's important and pursue it in a way that builds confidence and improves well-being.

Life is full of difficulties, disappointments, and pain, as well as growth, joy, healing, and adventure, and sometimes we need help bridging those two things in our life. In sessions with clients, I am committed to creating a safe and supportive space to collaborate on healing and self discovery together. Within sessions, I meet clients with curiosity and without judgment as I invite them to be vulnerable, experiment, and take risks. Having experienced therapy personally, I know of the importance of gaining a strong, safe, and empowering relationship between therapist and client, and this is one of my biggest priorities in my work.

Overthinking? Overwhelmed? Panicking? Avoiding the never-ending expectations and responsibilities that keep piling up in relationships, work, and life like the plague and feeling ashamed, scared, angry, confused, or lost because of it? These experiences can be caused by anxiety and/or trauma, and since sometimes it can be difficult to determine which is which, as a therapist I specialize in both to help clear the waters to provide direction, treatment, and relief.

Welcome. I often support active adults, nature-lovers, and mountain athletes (weekend warriors to professionals) through experiences with big transitions, stress, anxiety, authenticity, self worth tied to achievement, grief, injury, or backcountry accidents/ trauma. While I don’t yet know why you may be seeking support, I do hold hope that together we can create doorways to insight, growth, healing, and lasting change.

I love helping individual adults and couples who want to make positive changes in their lives! I believe the therapeutic process offers a meaningful opportunity to free ourselves from negative patterns, gain insight and heal from painful past experiences, strengthen important relationships, build skills to foster quality communication and connection with the important others in our lives, and stimulate meaningful growth and life fulfillment. I bring warmth, compassion, good humor, insight, tools, and authentic feedback to our relationship. I will honor your values and work with you to achieve your goals.

I am lucky to be doing what I do. I get to shed light and help people get unstuck so to reveal their authentic selves. For 12 years, my main focus was on helping children as young as 3 years old and parents. I am now open to working with all ages. I have an eclectic approach which includes client-centered, experiential and existential therapy. I allow the person to go at their pace so to address things when ready and with encouragement when needed. I help gain perspective, have accountability, learn about feelings and coping skills, increase self confidence and self esteem and process trauma.

Because of the hurt I have experienced in my life I have become passionate about sitting with people as they sift through the darkest parts of themselves. I received my Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Colorado Christian University and have received formal training in Eye Movement Desensitization/Reprocessing (EMDR) and Motivational Interviewing. I balance kindness and directness as a therapist, while incorporating my sense of humor into the relationship. I primarily work with adolescents and adults, and work with a myriad of struggles including grief, trauma, addiction, and attachment issues.

It is a great honor to be of service to people when they are at their most vulnerable and struggling with life’s challenges. Melinda Smith believes that everyone will face times in life where they need that service with a trusted counselor. She balances truth and grace along with humor in her approach to counseling, and she strives to create an environment of safety and trust so that growth can occur. Melinda is motivated by the connections she makes with clients, building relationships, and seeing transformation.

We all have the innate capacity to unlearn, reclaim our story, and step into our most authentic self. The heart of my practice focuses on LGBTQ+ adolescents and adults, human-beings experiencing depression and/or anxiety, spiritual/existential emergencies, grief and/or life transitions, and men working to develop their emotional intelligence and heal intergenerational wounds. My ideal client is inquisitive about their social locations in the world and is open to exploring somatically, creatively, and existentially. Counseling with me is holistic, trauma-informed, creative, compassionate, and collaborative.

I operate on the belief that self-awareness, questioning our reality, and choosing to create change in our lives, together, are the keys to living vs. surviving. At the risk of sounding very cheesy, you deserve to feel ALIVE and live a life worth living-whatever that looks like for you. Something brought you here and one of the only things I can confidently predict is that change is constant, inevitable, and really uncomfortable. But, we can play a huge role in guiding that change for ourselves. And you don’t have to navigate that alone.

Coffee Talk" $50 Sessions 5 am- 10 am "Direction for Dreamers creates a safe, compassionate, authentic, and caring environment where we act as a guide in helping our clients to make empowered decisions about their individual, family, and professional lives. We assist individuals and families in recognizing their strengths and finding creative ways to utilize these gifts to overcome current issues that prevent them from feeling fully empowered. We know that an individual constantly grows personally, and healing is always happening. Sometimes, each of us needs support and guidance in our journey.

Looking to gain more insight into self? Do you not feel that you fit into the mainstream? Are you tired of therapists asking you “How does that make you feel?” Let me help you find the space to explore your existing thoughts, deepen your connection to those around you or achieve the goals that have been at arm's length. Whether we are talking about severe mental health obstacles, healing traumatic wounds, or wanting to fulfill goals, I will guide you through the pathways to healing. I will support you in tapping into your existing power and insight to engage in the most fulfilling and meaningful life that you deserve.

Hello there! I'm Rae. In my practice as a clinical psychologist, I offer a blend of psychotherapeutic support, LGBTQ+ wellness guidance, and consultative expertise, all carefully crafted to meet your individual journey. My practice is enriched by a diverse range of interests including self-identity exploration, the intricacies of human relationships, the embrace of neurodiversity, navigating trauma, managing existential angst, as well as tackling anxiety, depression, and fostering personal growth. My commitment is to foster an authentic and secure environment that allows you to honor your truest self.