Meet our Collective of Therapists and Administrative Staff.
Our Team
THERAPY, Clinical Supervision
Gertie Breffle, LPC
Gertie provides Clinical Supervision, as well as psychotherapy for individuals, teens, families, and couples. She brings in humor, storytelling, attachment work weaving in neuroscience, polyvagal skill acquisition, somatic based interventions, using the relationship with self, others, and nature as a vehicle for healing and growth.
THERAPY, Trauma Resolution and EMDR
Jana Stone, LPCC
One way Jana helps clients find relief is through mindfulness practices combined with somatic work. This helps to access present moment awareness and allows us to carefully notice current emotions and how they register as bodily sensations. This is but one of the many ways that can help us to identify and move through difficult emotions far more efficiently, aiding us in healing disregulation and bringing us to the place of peace and contentment which is our birthright.
Jana’s personal experience utilizing EMDR for her own healing inspired her to further her education by attending the Maiberger Institute and gaining the crucial knowledge of this trauma resolution therapy which brings relief to so many. Now recognized for its usefulness for many mental health disturbances beyond PTSD alone, Jana’s skillful use of EMDR can provide the sort of relief which can allow troublesome symptoms to begin to abate more quickly than talk therapy alone.
THERAPY, Trauma Resolution and EMDR
Taylor Diltz, LPC
Taylor is passionate and dedicated to connecting with people to assist them through any challenges they may be facing. She applies the Humanistic theory to sessions, and utilizes various therapeutic approaches such as EMDR, Mindfulness, Person-Centered, Nonviolent Communication, Solution Focused Therapy, and various others. She offers a safe, caring, and compassionate environment for all individuals seeking support surrounding self-exploration, trauma, substance use, depression, anxiety, career, and other challenges. Taylor enjoys adding humor and unconditional positive regard into my sessions to add to the sense of connection, lightness, and support that make up healing. She believes that through a therapeutic counseling relationship, every individual can unlock resolutions to issues they are facing in their life.
THERAPY, Trauma Resolution, Adults, Teens and Children
Gardiner Turner, LPCC
My name is Gardiner Turner and I am a therapist here at Healing Connections. The passion for the work that I do comes from my deep conviction that each of us as human beings can benefit from, and in fact deserve, a safe space in which we can truly allow ourselves to be seen, heard, and understood. A space in which we are met without expectations or agendas, but with acceptance, compassion, and an open heart and mind. I believe that this is true for ALL of us, regardless of whether we are actively struggling in life or not.
I enjoy working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and have experience and training in supporting clients struggling with a wide range of issues pertaining to mental health including depression, anxiety, substance use, grief, shame, trauma/PTSD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.
THERAPY, Couples, Teens and Children
Sabrina Sherman, LCSW
I am passionate about creating a safe space for my clients to discover their own inner strength. I have learned from my own experience and from working with my clients that the most important thing we can do is be gentle with ourselves and not set a timeline for when we have to be “a success” or “cure.” Healing is never linear and often doesn’t happen in the time frame we initially want but the kinder we are to ourselves the easier the process becomes. I have found that so much of our healing comes from within but having the tools to help guide ourselves back to our true self makes a world of difference. I enjoy working with children, teenagers, adults and couples. In my work I use a mixture of mind body practices, cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, experiential therapy and emotionally focused therapy.
I also am a big proponent of offering my clients coping tools that can help support them in between sessions when times are particularly challenging. I hold a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Denver. I am a Certified Animal Assisted Social Worker. In my past professional life, I worked as an actress and earned my bachelor’s in film from the University of Southern California. In my personal life, I love running, rock climbing and going on outdoor adventures. I am very interested in learning about different cultures, learning about various healing modalities and exploring my spirituality I also am a huge animal advocate and am always excited to talk about ways animals serve as emotional supports in our lives.
THERAPY, Individuals & Couples Work
Diana Calvo, LPCC, PACT level 2
Diana Calvo (she/her) works with individuals and couples who are wanting to make sense of their life experiences, navigate significant life transitions, and thrive in an increasingly complex world. Diana has a special interest in developmental trauma, family estrangement, relationship challenges, and depression.
When working with individuals, Diana supports adults to reconnect with their inner wisdom and guidance. She believes each client is the ultimate expert on their own life. Diana encourages a collaborative relationship, open dialogue, and a kind and gentle atmosphere. She is trained in Contemplative Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Somatic Experiencing (SE). Her therapeutic approach is influenced by her study of Buddhist Psychology.
In couples work, Diana works with couples in real-time to address relationship challenges using the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT). She supports the couple to understand themselves and each other more deeply. Through guided scenarios, each person learns effective strategies for a more satisfying relationship.
Diana identifies as white, heterosexual, monogamous, and a cisgender woman. She can support interested clients to explore how identity, social location, power, and systems impact their individual experience. Additionally, Diana studies Buddhist teachings and has a regular meditation practice. Her theoretical orientation to understanding the human experience is largely shaped by her study of family systems theory, attachment theory, and social justice theory.
This is Diana’s second career. Previously, she worked in management consulting for 20 years in New York City. Her hobbies include easy cooking, knitting, and tending to a handful of indoor plants. Her favorite food is coffee.
Modalities: PACT, Gottman, Imago, The Developmental Model, DBT, Somatic Experiencing, Contemplative Psychotherapy
Populations: Adults, Couples.
THERAPY, Mindfulness & Contemplative Practices
Orrin Johnson, LPCC
I work with adults of all backgrounds and identities, with an emphasis on mindfulness and the healing power of the therapeutic relationship. I welcome people struggling with anxiety, depression, excessive worry, relationship issues, in spiritual crisis, or weighed down by the general heaviness of existence. I view therapy as an explorative process into the self, a journey that client and therapist traverse together. I place emphasis on the therapeutic relationship, using it as a lens by which to learn about how we exist in relationship with, and to others.
I am an advocate of taking a slow, cautious, and curious approach to looking at the nature of thoughts and emotions, and how they manifest into our behavior and actions. With practice and familiarity, focused by the strength of the therapeutic alliance, it becomes possible to accommodate a greater range of distressing mental states or disturbing emotions.
In my experience, joy and wisdom are inherent qualities of the mind at rest. Like clouds drifting across the sun, the intensity of emotions and habitual patterns can obscure these qualities. I am here to support the process of turning inwards to learn about the nature of thoughts and emotions, and a companion on the journey towards self-discovery.
THERAPY, Trauma Resolution, Relationship Challenges, Addictions
Benjamin Keating, LPCC
Hello, my name is Ben Keating, and I am here because I have always wanted to help people and always been fascinated by human psychology! It would be my honor to help you work with your heart and mind as you brave your way through this thing we call “life”. I work with adults of all backgrounds, mental states, and social locations, using techniques, philosophies, and practices from around the world. My life experiences - including recovery of my own mental health, varied financial status, complex social identities, chronic health issues, and some eclectic hobbies & interests - allow me to relate to a wide range of other people's experiences, both negative and positive. It is my intention to offer a curious, compassionate, and totally accepting space to every person I work with.
My education includes a Bachelor’s Degree from McDaniel College in Philosophy, and a Master’s Degree from Naropa University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology. I currently hold a Colorado LPCC (Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate) as well as a CPRP (Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner) credential. I’ve also received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Evidence-Based Trauma Treatments and Interventions, Smoking Cessation, and Somatic Experiencing. I work with a range of mental health issues, including depression, chronic and severe anxiety, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorders, PTSD and related trauma disorders, eating disorders, grief & loss, substance and other addictions, compulsive behaviors, shame, gender, spiritual crises, social oppression, and sexual issues. I am at my best when using different ideas from different teachers and methodologies, recognizing that each person requires a unique combined picture of workable ideas and techniques.
I have found that there are few clear lines in the understanding of human mental and emotional suffering - pain and confusion are pain and confusion, and must be appreciated and dealt with compassionately and realistically. I have also witnessed how humans have an incredible capacity for resilience, healing, and “springboarding” from trauma into a richer, greater life - and how these capacities can sometimes go underused or altogether forgotten without some help. I love the outdoors, and animals, as well as technology, and I come from a place of great concern about other humans and for the world we live in.
My therapeutic work is heavily influenced by the "meaning making" existential Logotherapy of Holocaust survivor Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning. I maintain a personal meditation practice and am a certified mindfulness/meditation instructor. Mindfulness can take many forms, and I greatly enjoy helping others find personalized mindfulness practices that they find useful and sustainable, if not enjoyable. My heart goes out to those whose hearts and minds are hurting in lonely, misunderstood, seemingly hopeless places: by now I have had countless powerful, life-enhancing experiences with clients in states of extraordinary pain and confusion, and this is what keeps my heart open and my mind engaged. I have an innate capacity to see and connect with people struggling in dark, confusing, frightening, ashamed, and lonely places, and it is my pride and joy to be able to meet and understand people no matter who or where they are in life.
THERAPY, Trauma Resolution, Relationship Challenges, Addictions
Alyssa Burnett, LPCC, LACC
Hello! My name is Alyssa.
Whether you are here for your relationship or individually – welcome, I am so glad you are here!
Let me start by saying, my wish as your counselor is to hear you, to understand, give you space to talk, scream, or cry. Because I know how maddening, how hopeless, it can feel to not be heard by those around you. I am here to walk alongside you, to help you hold some of the weight you’ve been carrying. It’s courageous to seek help, no matter the circumstances. Honestly, therapy is no joke, It’s hard work. But in my fully biassed opinion, it’s the most important work – putting your oxygen mask on first, as they say.
In my experience working with couples, you are probably here because of a disconnect in your relationship, maybe emotionally, physically, or through communication. Let’s talk about it and please know, nothing you say will shock me. I listen to help, not to judge. I can help translate, referee, and keep you on track. I work in the roots – where did it start, what are the patterns, what needs to be said, how can we work to hear it? I also work with practical skills – how can we start communicating better, more effectively? How can we take small, basic steps to feel more connected and safe with one another?
In my individual work, I have a passion for those struggling with Chronic Pain, Grief, Trauma and Addiction. I work somatically, with the body, especially the nervous system. Exploring our felt sense, regulating the nervous system and bringing the impact of experience to words. Again, I am very much skills-based as much as I am roots-based. I want to help find a deeper understanding of what is or has happened, as well as learn new ways to cope and regulate.
I utilize Gottman, PACT, and Emotion Focused Therapy in my work with couples. And Narrative, Somatic Experience, Mindfulness, Parts Work, and incorporate Interpersonal Neurobiology and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy into my work with individuals. I have trained in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy and find that it is a beautiful and impactful tool to work alongside traditional psychotherapy. I earned a Master’s of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Substance Use Disorders from Colorado Christian University. I also hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from Metropolitan State University of Denver.
THERAPY, Life Transitions, Relationship Challenges, Addictions
Daev Finn, LPCC
A lifelong artist and former visual effects artist – I left Hollywood to raise a family and now work as a psychotherapist with those seeking help with addiction, depression, anxiety, and life transitions.
Life transitions may look different for different people. A transition may occur when there is loss and grief that comes from a number of things that include; death, divorce, empty nest, and changing jobs. Often these life transitions are wrapped up in a need to feel safe and connected to others and ourselves, as well as feeling fulfillment from what we do in life.
As a psychotherapist, I am often looking to find the hidden metaphors in one’s life story and help to contextualize the journey that an individual may be on. Whether one struggles with fulfillment, creativity, addiction, divorce, depression, or anxiety — these things all touch upon core parts of our stories, and sometimes core wounds that we carry with us.
As an artist and student of Depth and Jungian psychology my interests overlap with my fascination for dreams, art, myth, fairy tales, and children’s literature, which hold clues to understanding the unconscious of individuals - I employ my understanding of those things so that I can listen for what your story is, and to understand the journey you are on.
THERAPY, Wilderness Therapy, Life Transitions, Mindfulness Practices
Marley Hill-Filben, LPCC
With a background in Ecology and Environmental Education, Marley strongly believes that a connection with Nature enhances the wellbeing and quality of life of all beings. Marley was inspired to pursue her Master’s in Counseling Degree after a career in the National Park Service left her longing to connect individuals with Nature and bring more resilience and growth to their lives. Sessions with Marley utilize CBT, ERP, Psychoeducation, Transpersonal Counseling, ACT, Parts Work, Mindfulness, and Wilderness Therapy. Marley strives to infuse the healing power of Nature into all sessions by connecting clients with the Natural environment, either through walk-and-talk sessions on the beautiful Boulder-area trails, or by bringing natural elements (includingher dog Sugar) into the office or over telehealth. Marley loves to demonstrate how easy and simple it is to weave Nature into daily life in simple and concrete ways. Marley specializes in female empowerment, and in treating individuals with ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, or OCD, and those going through major life transitions.
Marley finds that therapy is most impactful when it is collaborative and she tailors her therapeutic approach to her client’s unique life experiences and individual strengths. She is energized by helping clients move from a place of feeling stuck and scared to a place of increased empowerment and self-awareness about oneself and one’s patterns and goals. She believes that emotional growth and healing is a lifelong journey and is committed to supporting her clients as they navigate the low points and celebrate the progress along the way.
Marley facilitates each session from an underlying belief that each client deserves to be treated with compassion, warmth, and kindness; and to treat themselves with compassion, nurturing, and self-love.
THERAPY, Art Therapy, Life Transitions, Mindfulness Practices
Laurine Young, UP
I am grateful to be supporting my fellow human beings on this journey of life, and I am passionate about healing, growth, and psychotherapy! I hold dual masters degrees—one in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University and one in School Psychology from Tufts University. In addition, I am trained in EMDR, Neuro-Linguistic Programing (NLP), Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Life Coaching. I specialize in working with adults, young adults, and teens facing the challenges of trauma, shame, grief and loss, identity issues, relationship challenges, life transitions, and traumatic brain injury. I have counseling experiences working with individuals and groups with a variety of populations across different settings.
I warmly welcome all of you to show up in this safe space. I lovingly support you in cultivating awareness, to deeply heal, to connect genuinely with self and others, to self-love, to step into your personal power, and to courageously live your version of a joyous and meaningful life! Having lived in Taiwan, England, Netherlands and the U.S., I hold great appreciation for different ways of life. I carry multicultural sensitivity to support clients from various ethnicities, values, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexualities, and ableism. I offer therapy in English and Mandarin Chinese.