Web of Life Counseling, LLC
Compassionate Counseling in Colorado Springs
"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." Chief Si'ahl, Duwamish Tribe
Counseling in Colorado Springs
Why go to counseling?
Perhaps you've exhausted your friendship circles, are coming back to the same problems, and just can't seem to get a handle on how to change things. Maybe you just don't have someone to really talk to who has the skillset to do more than listen, and listening is just not enough anymore. Suffering can be a strong motivating force to reach out for help. Will you accept the challenge? Will you choose yourself? Often in our society we are not supported through the tough times, and there can be stigma and shame in reaching out. There are lots of good people out there, just like you, who suffer from anxiety and stress, depression, grief, and trauma. It could be the result of something that happened to you, or a behavior or pattern you would like to change within yourself. Starting therapy is a great first step toward healing and creating the life that you want to live!
My methods
Choosing a counselor is personal. There are as many different styles of therapy as there are types of people. This is great in that there are many more choices than there used to be; however, it can be daunting to know how to choose! A "goodness of fit" is the best predictor of success in therapy, not a particular theoretical orientation. It is important that you, as the client, to feel seen, heard, and respected. It is important that you feel your counselor "gets you." I will not "uh huh" you for an hour and let you sit in a session wondering "what are we doing here?" or "how do I actually change my life with this?" We will establish clear goals and a treatment plan that provides a "road map" to create a shared understanding of how we will acheive your goals.
I utilize cognitive and body mind therapies. These are often referred to "top down and bottom up" approaches and are not soley "talk therapy." I utilize body mind/mindfulness based techniques and skills, somatic interventions, and ecotherapy interventions that incorporate interaction with the natural world, as well as cognitive therapy approaches such as psychoeducation of psychoneurobiology, dialectical behavior therapy skills and dialects. I do not practice manualized DBT, as my clients are most often high functioning and an individualized apporoach with a diversity of therapy skills is most beneficial and appreciated by my clients. I find some clients gravitate to one aspect of the differing types of therapy described, some to a couple, and some to all. The choice is yours! We will be partners in discovering what works for you to create the changes you would like to see in your life.
Perhaps you've exhausted your friendship circles, are coming back to the same problems, and just can't seem to get a handle on how to change things. Maybe you just don't have someone to really talk to who has the skillset to do more than listen, and listening is just not enough anymore. Suffering can be a strong motivating force to reach out for help. Will you accept the challenge? Will you choose yourself? Often in our society we are not supported through the tough times, and there can be stigma and shame in reaching out. There are lots of good people out there, just like you, who suffer from anxiety and stress, depression, grief, and trauma. It could be the result of something that happened to you, or a behavior or pattern you would like to change within yourself. Starting therapy is a great first step toward healing and creating the life that you want to live!
My methods
Choosing a counselor is personal. There are as many different styles of therapy as there are types of people. This is great in that there are many more choices than there used to be; however, it can be daunting to know how to choose! A "goodness of fit" is the best predictor of success in therapy, not a particular theoretical orientation. It is important that you, as the client, to feel seen, heard, and respected. It is important that you feel your counselor "gets you." I will not "uh huh" you for an hour and let you sit in a session wondering "what are we doing here?" or "how do I actually change my life with this?" We will establish clear goals and a treatment plan that provides a "road map" to create a shared understanding of how we will acheive your goals.
I utilize cognitive and body mind therapies. These are often referred to "top down and bottom up" approaches and are not soley "talk therapy." I utilize body mind/mindfulness based techniques and skills, somatic interventions, and ecotherapy interventions that incorporate interaction with the natural world, as well as cognitive therapy approaches such as psychoeducation of psychoneurobiology, dialectical behavior therapy skills and dialects. I do not practice manualized DBT, as my clients are most often high functioning and an individualized apporoach with a diversity of therapy skills is most beneficial and appreciated by my clients. I find some clients gravitate to one aspect of the differing types of therapy described, some to a couple, and some to all. The choice is yours! We will be partners in discovering what works for you to create the changes you would like to see in your life.
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
I am passionate about supporting victims of domestic violence, particularly survivors of narcissistic and psychopathic abuse. If you have felt diminished by your partner, felt that "getting along" involves concessions that affect your integrity, that a kind act given by your partner comes with "strings attached," or asserting personal needs are difficult and strategized because there may be retribution, you may be in a psychologically abusive relationship.
I have extensive education and experience working with domestic violence and sexual assault clients at a community domestic violence center providing individual and group therapy, working domestic violence hotlines, prior certification as a Confidential Victim Advocate in the state of Colorado, as well as my current work in private practice. I can walk through the journey of healing with you at your pace. With this in mind, I offer a sliding scale for payment and discounted rates for victims with financial difficulties. I understand that when you are transitioning out of, or have recently left a domestic violence relationship, therapy costs are difficult to manage... just when you may need support the most. I provide compassionate, non-judgmental, and comprehensive care to victims. I utilize many resources and advanced skills to care for victims. These evidence based, transtheoretical models serve to non-judgmentally provide a solid foundation for overcoming trauma and breaking the cycle of violence. I highly recommend Dr. Ramani Durvasala's books for bibliotherapy and self-empowerment.
Burnout and Compassion fatigue
Specialized counseling for caregivers, healthcare workers and teachers
Being a caregiver is rewarding and it is demanding. It can be difficult to reach out for support due to the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" culture in careers of service. Often, finding a counselor who really understands the demands of being a caregiver can be frustrating. I have been in healthcare since 1996 in a wide variety of roles and settings; I really get it! I provide compassionate and deep listening, as well as practical skills, to heal from and move beyond compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. Let's put that wisdom you have cultivated to use for you, regain your passion, and explore what's next for you as a teacher, caregiver, or healthcare provider.
Being a caregiver is rewarding and it is demanding. It can be difficult to reach out for support due to the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" culture in careers of service. Often, finding a counselor who really understands the demands of being a caregiver can be frustrating. I have been in healthcare since 1996 in a wide variety of roles and settings; I really get it! I provide compassionate and deep listening, as well as practical skills, to heal from and move beyond compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. Let's put that wisdom you have cultivated to use for you, regain your passion, and explore what's next for you as a teacher, caregiver, or healthcare provider.
Ecotherapy
Do you feel the disconnection in our society? Do you imagine a life with meaning beyond consumerism and "the rat race?" Do you drive by a place that you once held as safe, beautiful, or sacred and grieve that it has been destroyed by urban sprawl? With the constant barrage of political oppression and disenfranchisement that create feelings of fear and scarcity, thinking of ecological issues may feel like a luxury. With the continuous threat of catastrophe, it is a wonder any of us can get out of bed in the morning. There is only so much we can deal with until we shut down.
Unfortunately, shutting down prevents us from finding and strengthening true connections with others and making positive changes in our own lives. Integrating ecotherapy into therapy sessions affirms our interconnectedness during the healing process. Explore and strengthen your connections to nature, to others, and re-connect with yourself. Create resilience and find your most authentic way of being.
All humans share a history in which our ancestors were connected to Spirit and held their natural environment as sacred. Although western culture has forgotten this, we can remember our sacred and authentic connection to the natural world.
Establishing, maintaining, and strengthening our connections to Nature is resistance! Ecotherapy is rooted in climate and social justice. It is an empowering approach to address: eco-grief and eco-depression, burnout from activism, addressing social justice issues that are related to a minoritized or oppressed identity you may hold, decolonizing and desettling work, re-indignization, and/or addressing privilege and colonization. Ecotherapy facillitates a sacred space to explore beliefs, identity and relationships with the self, others, and the natural world. This work supports those with earth based religions, spiritualities, and those with deep ecological values. In a safe and non-judgemental setting, you are free to explore your culture, spirituality and relationship with Nature.
Coping with Medical Conditions
Whether you have a terminal diagnosis, a chronic disease that affects your ability, or a medical condition that changes how you live your life, I provide compassionate support and assistance coping with the feelings and challenges that arise. There are practical realities of getting sick like losing a job, being unable to care for others as you once did, and grief for activities you can no longer do. There is not time and space to process information, address the emotions, let alone grieve for what may be lost in a western medicine setting. When the body needs help, often the mind and spirit are left behind. We want to be whole and complete even if that looks different from the way we had planned. Counseling provides support to navigate challenges, process trauma, and may mean find meaning and joy in life again, or coming to terms with death and dying.
About Sara Simpson
A little bit about me
My own health crisis was a catalyst for change. I had the opportunity to reflect on my own life and make a career shift in which I could both continue to provide direct patient care, and flourish and grow despite my physical limitations. After over twenty years in healthcare with multiple degrees and national board certifications in medical and psychiatric nursing, holistic healthcare, and indigenous healing practices, I received my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA). I am a Nationally Board Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
I have specialized post-graduate training in: dialectical behavior therapy, somatic modalities, body mind and mindfulness based modalities, ecopsychology, burnout/ vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue, domestic abuse and violence, personality disorders, and grief and loss. Through counseling, I weave together my diverse skills and years of experience in patient care to provide trauma-informed, safe, client-centered, and compassionate counseling services.
My own health crisis was a catalyst for change. I had the opportunity to reflect on my own life and make a career shift in which I could both continue to provide direct patient care, and flourish and grow despite my physical limitations. After over twenty years in healthcare with multiple degrees and national board certifications in medical and psychiatric nursing, holistic healthcare, and indigenous healing practices, I received my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA). I am a Nationally Board Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
I have specialized post-graduate training in: dialectical behavior therapy, somatic modalities, body mind and mindfulness based modalities, ecopsychology, burnout/ vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue, domestic abuse and violence, personality disorders, and grief and loss. Through counseling, I weave together my diverse skills and years of experience in patient care to provide trauma-informed, safe, client-centered, and compassionate counseling services.
Why I don't take insurance
I am private pay only, which means I do not take insurance. I am not required by insurance companies to give a diagnosis or limit the amount of sessions necessary. Thus, your therapy record is completely private. I take client care very seriously and currently, my professional ethics do not align with insurance companies, who require a formal mental health diagnosis to cover the cost of therapy as "necessary." While I do believe that an accurate mental health diagnosis can be crucial to understanding and coping with a true mental illness, handing out "trash can" diagnoses to be covered by insurance is unethical and can have far reaching negative repercussions. Victims and people who reach out for support counseling services have real, legitimate, and normal feelings about and reactions to life events. When victims and those who do not have a mental illness are covered without being pathologized, I will re-negotiate my stance on taking insurance. People should feel free to make their own decisions about their care, explore their emotions, create goals at their own pace, and utilize the methods that resonate for them... without being pathologized. As a private pay client, you are responsible for your own path to wellness and are empowered to make decisions that are right for you.
Ecotherapy in Colorado Springs
"There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Leonard Cohen