About

Carley is a licensed professional counselor located in Denver, Colorado. Carley believes that we, as humans, are born whole. As humans we move through a variety of experiences in life that eat away at this wholeness; family, “friends” or peers, non-supportive adults, violence, abuse, trauma, the media, systems, and society are some of the factors that can contribute to this. Carley also believes in the innate goodness and resilience of the human spirit. When our innate wholeness erodes the core of who we are, our spirit, is protected at all costs, otherwise we could not and would not survive. The core self gets protected through the development of beliefs or coping mechanisms that keep us safe, yet at some point these same beliefs or ways of coping that once kept us safe no longer help us; they begin to hurt us, hold us back and make us feel stuck. These beliefs could be things we hold about ourselves like “I’m not good enough”, or others like “Other people can’t be trusted”, or the world “The world is not a safe place” or the future “I can’t reach my goals”. 

Carley integrates a variety of theories and modalities into her work with clients. Internal Family Systems, or IFS, is one theory that conceptualizes human behavior and change, through the self being made up of parts of self. Have you ever said or heard someone say something like “part of me feels like I should take that new job but another part of me is really scared!”? It’s likely that you have and it’s also likely that if this is going on you feel quite stuck. Carley helps clients uncover and understand these parts of self and how they function to ultimately integrate all of your parts and return to wholeness. Another modality Carley utilizes in her work with clients is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy or EMDR. EMDR is a powerful tool that allows us to directly target specific beliefs, thoughts, feelings, body sensations, past experiences, and symptoms and reprocess them so they no longer create pain or hold us back. In addition, Carley gravitates toward feminist therapy because she believes it’s important to examine the ways in which the identities we hold interact with the world we live in. Research shows that the more oppressed identities one holds in society the more violence, trauma, and self erosion one will be subjected to. Carley guides clients to reclaim power. Carley is also adept in teaching and offering a variety of coping skills such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, self-compassion, grounding and more. Carley understands that everyone learns and absorbs information in different ways, so she challenges herself to teach in a variety of ways including experientials, viewing TedTalk videos, journaling, explanations of neurobiological underpinnings, chapters from books and handouts. 

Prior to her work at Brave Embodiment Counseling, Carley’s experience includes working within Denver’s non-profit sector with folks who were questioning or transitioning their gender identities and men and veterans facing homeless and addiction. Working with survivors of sexual abuse and assault makes up the bulk of Carley’s prior clinical experience and because of this she holds a special place in heart for those feeling stuck in the wake of trauma or experiencing vicarious trauma. 

Those that have worked with Carley find that she is down-to-earth, warm, non-judgmental and approachable. Carley believes in the healing power of relationship and understands that many of our wounds occur within the context of relationships. Carley aims to create a safe space with her clients where they feel held and accepted so they can move into the deep, healing work they’ve been needing. Carley works collaboratively with clients as she believes you know yourself best and that feedback is essential for the therapeutic process to work. In her free time, you might find Carley hiking, paddle boarding, camping, skiing, taking in live music, trying new breweries, sampling the delicious food Denver has to offer, or watching Netflix and cuddling with her Australian Shepherd.