coeo

(she/her)

 who exactly is this colleen character?

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a counselor and industrial organizational psychologist by education. a human aspiring to find wholeness by experience. she prides herself on the ability to think (then re-think) outside the box and challenge the status quo. a therapist who goes beyond “here is a problem” to “here is what is wrong, but how did we get here, what happens if we don’t change, what is possible and how do we get there?” a systems-thinker who recognizes at the heart of every process is a human and who is energized by the belief that less certainty leads to more inquiry.

you should consider chatting with colleen if...

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you would describe your relationship with food as tumultuous at best, laugh when emotional things hit too close to home, or use your intelligence and sarcasm to skirt emotional intimacy. or if you've been thinking about how you want to express your sexuality or gender differently than you are now. or maybe if you're an athlete who is struggling with your sport, or an ex-athlete who is struggling as a narp (non-athletic regular person). or you're in high school and not sure if college is the right choice. or in college and unsure "what you want to do when you grow up." or if you know exactly where you want to go, but you need some help getting out of your own way in order to get there.

whether this is your first time thinking about therapy, or you are a seasoned client looking for a new therapist, she's here, she gets it, so it's time to get started.

one book for the rest of your life, go.

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 4000 weeks : time management for mortals 

by oliver burkeman

colleen, give us some words of wisdom.​

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humans adapt.

i am a human.

i will adapt.

how did colleen end up at coeo?​

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great question. like a good millennial, colleen's career path more closely resembled a child’s crayon scribble than a homework assignment from linear algebra. her therapeutic career started at a small liberal arts college where she worked with students struggling with substance use/abuse as well as those dealing with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and navigating difficult life-transitions. she then went on to work at a drug and alcohol detox facility, transitioned back to a university setting, and now works as a consultant doing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility work. while the surface looked chaotic, there was a strong and steady undercurrent that guided her - a desire to aid in change. she began with individuals in one-on-one counseling settings, but as she grew in her personal and professional life, her focus expanded. she loved thinking critically about the multitude of internal and external systems which dictate the decisions that individuals are able to make. that is where she found her passion, meshing systems-thinking with helping individuals change. this passion led her to co-founding coeo, and now, stepping back into the counseling role.

five things you will not find on colleen's psychology today profile.

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one. i’m a counselor who treats eating disorders, addiction, and identity issues, along with some career counseling. i see teenagers and adults (15+) of all kinds. if you are a human, i’m in.  

two. my goal is not to make you feel better. my goal is to help you feel the tough emotions, process them together, and gain some insight into why these feelings are surfacing so intensely.

three. i struggled going to therapy for the first time and if you would have told me i’d eventually go on to get a counseling degree, i would’ve laughed in your face. but here we are. you never know how you are going to surprise yourself.

four. i take a non-judgemental, non-bullshit approach to therapy. i’m compassionate, while still holding you accountable to the goals we set together.

five. i think i’m better at taking care of plants than i actually am. but i love having them around. still over here learning about how much water is too much water.