I am a Cognitive-Behavioral Psychologist, and have been working with clients in my private practice in Westminster, Colorado since 1995. I work with adults, seniors and older teens (ages 16 and older) who are struggling with serious mood disorders (Depression or Bi-Polar Disorders); Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other anxiety problems; ADHD; grief and loss; or serious stress reactions related to major life transitions.

I see psychotherapy as a powerful resource to help people develop the skills that can help them rise above the obstacles that are keeping them from being able to create the life they desire. It is a close collaboration between the client and the clinician, who work together as a team to identify the goals and resources that will empower the client to move forward. I am a very active and interactive therapist, and I see the psychotherapy session as a time to work together to develop specific strategies that the client can try out between sessions to work towards achieving their goals. I am also trained as a Level II provider of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a treatment that has been found to be very helpful in treating trauma and loss. In addition, I am trained to provide DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) skills in the context of individual therapy.

I have over 20 years of experience in working with survivors of domestic assault and abuse, especially with adult survivors of childhood abuse (sexual, other physical and/or psychological abuse), and also with people who have experienced other kinds of traumas, like the recent loss of a loved one, or traumatic accidents or natural disasters. For eleven years, I have served as the Clinical Supervisor at the WINGS Foundation, a local non-profit that offers men's and women's groups for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Although much of my experience has focused on helping people who have experienced major traumas and have developed PTSD as a result, I work with many more whose struggle with the past is more subtle and involves fighting self-defeating core beliefs and fears or well-rehearsed, but destructive roles and patterns in relationships. Surviving traumatic stressors or abuse (of either the major or more chronic and subtle types) can leave us with a harsh, self-condemning inner voice which can be crippling. And, of course, trust issues and relationship problems often arise out of traumatic life circumstances, as well. I have found that cognitive therapy, DBT skills and EMDR can all be invaluable therapeutic tools to help clients to change these self-defeating patterns.

I received my undergraduate degree at The University of Michigan and my Ph.D. at Michigan State University. My pre-doctoral Internship was completed at The University of California at Berkeley.

Finances: My rates are $150 for a first-time appointment, and $120 for subsequent 50-minute appointments. I accept most insurances, including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Cofinity, Great West, MediCare, Tri-West, United Behavioral Health, and Value Options. I also have a limited number of sliding-scale appointments available for individuals who cannot afford my full fee.

Location: Westminster, CO 

Email: jparisian.ccp@gmail.com

Scheduling: 303-430-4010

My approach begins with CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), meaning that we will start with a focus on how your thoughts and actions affect how you feel, and how to make changes that will help you reach your individual goals. We will work to help you identify ineffective thought and behavior patterns and develop coping strategies that help you move toward your goals. Equally important, however, we will incorporate other therapeutic interventions, including somatic and mindfulness based practices, because sometimes you just can't "think" your way through things, your mind and body just don't agree. These approaches include Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.