Counselors in Northern Colorado

Seeking support from a counselor or therapist can be very helpful for households experiencing divorce or marital separation. As you begin your search, keep in mind that there are many kinds of medical and mental health professionals that can provide counseling services. Designations such as marriage or family counselors, social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, and mental health therapists are some that are commonly used. Contacting your health insurance provider prior to making appointments may be helpful as insurers often have a list of approved or priority providers that may result in lower fees or out-of-pocket costs.

Licensing for Counselors in Northern Colorado

In Northern Colorado, all marriage and family therapists are licensed through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), State Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners. This oversight and licensure ensures that practitioners have the necessary education and training to provide services. By visiting the DORA website you can learn about the different professional licensure requirements for those therapists working as Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Addiction Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers. Additionally, you can use the resources on the website to verify a Colorado therapist’s credentials, investigate any claims or legal actions taken against a provider, and lodge a complaint against a provider.

The DORA website also provides a complete list of national and regional professional associations pertaining to each of these different professional groups. These associations can help you learn more about the skills and services practitioners provide, and some associations offer a directory listing of their members. This can be very helpful in locating a licensed therapist in your immediate area within Northern Colorado, whether you’re in Fort Collins, Loveland, Boulder, Greeley, or elsewhere on the Front Range.

Additional Northern Colorado Mental Health Resources

Additionally, you can learn more about the resources provided by Community Mental Health Centers in Northern Colorado by visiting the Colorado Department of Human Services website. Contact information, counties served, and links to each Center’s website are provided.  Click here to visit the Colorado Department of Human Services website.  Touchstone Health Partners is the designated Community Mental Health Center of Larimer County and the greater Fort Collins area. If you are seeking a service provider located in Jackson, Weld, Boulder counties, or any of the other counties of Northern Colorado, the Human Services website can direct you to the community mental health centers in those areas.

What do Colorado Marriage and Family Therapists do?

For many families experiencing divorce or separation, a Colorado-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) may be the type of mental health provider to best meet your family’s needs. Marriage and Family Therapists do have a distinct licensure in Colorado as the services they provide include the following:

• MFTs have been trained in both psychotherapy and family systems, which allows them to understand behavior and symptoms within the context of family interactions.
• MFTs view problems within the family from a relationship perspective and can work with entire families and couples as well as individuals.
• Research has shown that family-based therapy is as effective or more effective than alternative therapies for resolving conflicts within a family or relationship.
• MFTs also have experience working with a variety of clinical issues, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, substance abuse, and more within the context of families or relationships.
• MFTs utilize a holistic approach to health care and are concerned with the long-term good health of all family members.
• MFTs focus on conflict resolution through the use of short-term therapy. Over 87% of all cases are resolved within 50 sessions with 12 sessions being the average duration for most couples and families.

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for those working as marriage and family therapists. They represent over 50,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the world and provide resources to both practitioners and individuals wanting to find a marriage and family therapist in their area. By visiting their directory listing you can quickly find the names, backgrounds, and contact information for MFTs practicing in the Northern Colorado region.

Regardless of which type of mental health professional you ultimately choose to meet the needs of your family or relationship, the most important thing to remember is that making time to address conflicts early on will result in a greater likelihood of seeing them resolved. If you’ve noticed that arguments are escalating into heated fights, if you find yourself bickering over the same issue(s) again and again, or if you see yourself or a member of your family consistently withdrawing and drifting away from interactions, counseling can help establish solutions and help all members of the family reconnect and strengthen their bonds with one another.  Even if you already know that divorce is the right answer for you and your spouse, seeking counseling may help you through that process, especially if you are considering collaborative divorce or mediation.