blomst

ABOUT ME

I’m a Denver native, I graduated from the University of Oregon, and I’ve worked in the mental health field since 2012 and I’ve seen a lot. My work has been primarily in residential eating disorder treatment but I have also worked with individuals and couples, men in addiction recovery, families transitioning out of homelessness, refugees and kids. Treating eating disorders and body image concerns is my passion and I love helping people live into recovery. 

Currently I’m working on my PhD, learning equine and animal assisted therapies, and supporting master’s counseling students through their internships. My research interests include the mental health impact of GLP-1 medication use for weight loss, weight stigma and diet culture, and eating disorders in male and low SES populations. 

When I’m not working or studying I’m usually hanging out with my dog, watching football, F1, baseball, or cycling with my husband, quilting, riding my bike, hanging out with my friends or my friends kids, and tending to my sourdough starter. I also enjoy reading, gardening, and all things flowers.

I’M THE GAL FOR YOU IF…

• You feel shamed or confused about your body and body image.

• You think about food or exercise most of the time and feel overwhelmed by it.

• You’ve tried for years to lose weight and “nothing works.”

• You’re thinking about, or have started, your own GLP-1 journey.

• You want a quick fix (hint, there are none). 

• You think you have an eating disorder.

• You know you have an eating disorder.

• You don’t have food issues but just want to be challenged. 

• You think you struggle with boundaries.

• You feel depressed or anxious a lot of the time. Sometimes both. 

• You’re therapy curious.

• You don’t know what your goals are.

MY TAKE ON THERAPY:

The feedback I hear most often in consultations with new clients is “my last counselor didn’t really help me, they just listened to me vent,” and that is not my understanding of how counseling works. While it’s true that good things take time, and life is a marathon and not a sprint, I do not want to be your therapist for life. My goal with you is always to work myself out of a job. Therapy is not meant to be a long term relationship and I want to give you the tools to empower you to make the changes you need to achieve your goals. I will be your biggest cheerleader as you challenge yourself and am there to support you when things don’t quite go as planned.

HOW I WORK:

It’s common to ask “what kind of therapy do you provide,” and I like to think I provide therapy that works! Believing that past impacts present, I utilize Gestalt techniques to bring awareness to the intersection of then and now. Similarly, how we think about things impacts how we experience them and the choices we make. I often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help make sense of what we become aware of. Lastly, I know that knowledge is power and I want to help empower all of my clients to use the knowledge they have to make the best choices for themselves- this is rooted in Feminist Theory. Working with me WILL challenge you- to step outside of your comfort zone, try something different, and engage with curiosity. It’s also important to know that I take a Health at Every Size weight neutral approach- I’m not here to help you lose weight, I want to help you be who you are. 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:

I’ll take a couple of sessions to get to know you and help you set your goals. In the first few sessions we will work together to develop a plan- something that will work for you. We’ll decide how often to meet and when, set a timeline, and get to work. You can expect to have homework: some fun, some will be tedious, and some will be hard. After 8-12 sessions together we’ll take a break and evaluate. How is it going? What have you learned? How does that make you feel? What’s coming up for you right now? Then we’ll adjust our goals, timeline, and plan to make sure you keep making progress. While my goal is to work myself out of your routine, I know the therapeutic process can take some time. Depending on your goals, needs, and personalized plan, you can expect to spend anywhere from two to twelve months working with me. 

e-mail counseling@wildblomst.com text 303.630.9655

Blomst Counseling Services LTD runs and operates as a separate entity from Wild Blomst LLC