The approach of CPC therapists vary based on their unique training and life experiences.  Leif Peterson, and therapists he hires and supervises, value a person-centered approach to therapy.  This therapeutic orientation emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and inherent worth of the client and the belief that people are inherently motivated toward achieving the best possible life for themselves.  It is the job of the therapist to create an environment and relationship through which the client can reach this best possible life, however they define it.  Qualities our therapists strive to exhibit include authenticity, empathy, nonjudgment and acceptance.  Leif’s unique training includes EMDR (a treatment shown to be effective to reduce disturbance from trauma or adverse experiences) and motivational interviewing (a treatment approach for helping people work through the stages of recovering from addiction.  He also used IFS (Internal Family Systems) which reframes “negative” thoughts and feelings as internal parts or characters, each of which are trying to do something good for the person but may have gotten stuck in an extreme role due to previous unresolved experiences.

Leif’s individual sessions are $130, couples and family sessions are $140 for 50-60 min sessions, $70 for 30 min or less. He takes most major private insurers. He maintains 3 slots for sliding scale clients who cannot afford the full self-pay rate and would like to request a reduced rate. 

• Interns’ individual sessions are $60, couples and family sessions are $70. They can negotiate sliding scale.
• Pre-licensed clinicians (have their graduate degrees and are pursuing their post-degree hours for licensure): $100 for individual, $110 for couples and family.

Are you in pain and want to heal and/or feel stuck and want to maximize your potential, create stronger relationships and feel more meaning in your life? Then therapy is right for you.  This does not mean any therapist is right for you.  Like other relationships, compatibility is a factor.  We hope to be a good match with you, but if we are not the right fit we will happily refer you to another provider.  Our goal is to find you the best/most appropriate level of care, whether that is with us or with another provider or pactice.

For now, the best way to schedule an appointment is to call the office at 719-331-5463, or email Leif (Leif@calmingpresencecounseling.com) or our administrative assistant (admin@calmingpresencecounseling.com).  We are working on integrating direct scheduling on the website soon.

Our providers want to understand the history of the issues bringing into counseling, and your vision (as much as you can verbalize) for healing and creating your ideal life.

(at least 1 in 4 people will experience mental health issues in their lifetime, but some families don’t talk openly about these issues so they may have appeared as anger, conflict, disconnection, excessive substance use, frequent divorce/separation)

(Many people don’t know how to answer this because they have never been to therapy or have not had a good experience with therapy. But generally we are looking to understand if you want a more challenging/direct approach or softer/gentler approach, or if you are looking for a specific treatment approach, e.g., EMDR, CBT) Are you having, or have you had, suicidal thoughts or attempts? How safe do you feel in your environment?

Yes, with legal exceptions: imminent risk of harm to yourself (suicidal, out of touch with reality to the point that you are imminently going to bring harm to yourself), harm to others (having plans to hurt or kill others, talk about ongoing child abuse, elder abuse or threat to national security). If you are concerned that a legal exception may risk your right to confidentiality, please ask us more detailed questions. We want to help people who have harmed, or are harming, others due to anger, fear, confusion, overwhelm, or unprocessed abuse.

Ideally, we would like at least 4-6 sessions to get an idea of how effective therapy is for you. This doesn’t mean all your problems will be solved by then, but with a good therapeutic relationships you should start to feel more comfortable sharing and expressing deeper emotions and have clear goals and objectives for the changes you would like to see in your life.

We do! Therapynotes, the electronic records program we use, offers a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.

We do not provide emergency or crisis services outside of regular business hours/availability. The providers need to have time outside of work to take care of their own self-care and mental health in order to provide you with the empathetic, calm counseling we strive to afford. You may request an additional session, outside of your regularly scheduled session, if you have experienced a recent stressor or an escalation in symptoms. Your provider can speak with you about their availability. If you need immediate care outside of scheduled appointments, please call 911 or Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255.

Absolutely! We see the best results when counseling is provided alongside other support, including other mental health professionals. If you might benefit from psychotropic medication, we can refer you to a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. If you need a psychological assessment, we can refer to a psychologist. If you need crisis services we can refer you to inpatient or intensive outpatient facilities. If you need community support for addiction, we can help you find an appropriate support group. If you need practice connecting your mind and body, we can refer you to yoga, massage, physical therapy, etc. Let’s get you a team!

For individual and couples’ therapy, the initial intake session typically lasts 60 minutes, with subsequent sessions lasting around 50 minutes each. For family therapy, the intake session is typically conducted together and lasts approximately 60 minutes, though the duration may vary depending on the specific issues being addressed. Additionally, your therapist may schedule individual meetings with members of your family, which typically range from 30 to 45 minutes each.

The frequency of sessions depends on the level of challenge presented by the issue and its impact on daily functioning. This decision is made collaboratively between you and your therapist. Sessions typically occur on a weekly or bi-weekly basis

The duration of therapy depends on the complexity of the presented by the issue and its impact on daily functioning. This decision is made collaboratively between you and your therapist. On average, a therapy case spans from 3 to 6 months. However, therapy can continue beyond this timeframe if preferred by the client. Additionally, previous clients are welcome to return for refresher sessions as needed.

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