Meet Melissa

---

I graduated in 2005 with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Colorado State University, and have lived in Colorado for 21 years. I spent years working within local community systems to foster change at different levels, collaborating with children and families within the juvenile court system, individuals within the medical system, and finally arriving in the role of therapist in private practice. I have been a therapist in Fort Collins for the past eight years. I have advanced training in EMDR, Somatic Trauma Therapy, mindfulness, nature based therapy, yoga, trauma sensitive yoga, chronic pain, and addictions. I support my clients in building awareness of nervous system responses to stress, developing both maintenance practices and on the spot interventions to shift the body back to a place of felt safety and regulation. Experientially I guide clients through relating to emotions and felt sense in the body with curiosity and acceptance. Root causes of patterns, behaviors, and internal states are identified and addressed using the modalities described below. Principles of resilience are cultivated through exploration of tools to restore hope, connect to creativity, foster connections, and build upon self efficacy. 

In my own healing and self discovery I have relied upon a daily meditation practice, spiritual retreat, principles of Buddhist psychology, EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapy, shamanic journeying and breath work practices, and nature based depth work such as vision quests and solo excursions.

In my free time I enjoy time with family and friends, gardening, yoga, running or hiking with my Australian shepherd, reading, traveling, and creating.

Emily is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Addiction Counselor who is fully trained in EMDR. She has worked in the behavioral health field in a variety of multi-disciplinary settings including community based/in-home services, university counseling centers, hospital settings, community mental health, inpatient and walk-in crisis settings. Additionally, she has experience in leadership and a passion for igniting others enthusiasm for this work. With over 12 years of experience working in the behavioral health field she has developed a broad skillset working with diverse populations. She provides individual (15 years and older), couples, and family therapy. Emily’s style is equally warm, directive and grounded in trauma informed, humanistic and family systems theory.

Whether you are looking for more solution-focused, directive approaches to enact change or to unpack past experiences and narratives, Emily enjoys adapting her approach to support your goals and needs. One of her passions is improving relational health to enhance the quality of connections in client's lives. This can look like couples and family therapy, individual therapy to promote healthy connections, or parenting support. She has expertise working with various intersections of identity in multiple areas including addiction, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, perinatal mood disorders and suicidality.

As the wife of a combat veteran, Emily is culturally aware of the unique needs, experiences, strengths, and challenges of first responders. She is honored to support them in the work they do and help them thrive in their personal lives.

My name is Mary Friedman, I am a therapist with a Master of Social Work from Colorado State University, specializing in advanced clinical behavioral health. Currently I am working as a Community Clinician within the Public Health Program of South Metro Fire Rescue in Centennial, Colorado. Before South  

Metro Fire Rescue, I spent a year working alongside Law Enforcement as a Co-Responder. Additionally, I worked for five years in an inpatient behavioral health hospital setting on both the Active Military and Adolescent Units, as well as in intake.  

With a passion for helping individuals struggling with grief and trauma, I primarily utilize the Psychodynamic model, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and EMDR therapy to guide clients towards clarity, purpose and resilience. Clients can anticipate developing effective coping strategies that enable them to tackle life’s challenges, fostering discernment, emotional regulation and a greater awareness of their inherent strengths.  

When I am not working, I love to embrace the outdoors through activities like snowboarding, hiking and mountain biking with friends and family. These adventures recharge my spirit and keep me connected to nature. 

Nikki Hendricks, BSN, RN, Certified Life & Success Coach, and Breathwork Facilitator, is a Board-Certified Holistic Nurse with over a decade of experience as an ER and ICU nurse. Her own journey navigating the physical, mental, and emotional toll of critical care nursing—combined with childhood abandonment and burnout—has fueled her passion for supporting healthcare workers and first responders.

In 2020, after reaching the peak of burnout in her nursing career, Nikki hired her first life coach. This transformative experience became the turning point in her healing journey and inspired her to integrate coaching into her own practice. Certified and experienced in coaching countless individuals, Nikki believes her most valuable qualification is the personal resilience and insights she gained from overcoming these challenges.

Married to a first responder, Nikki intimately understands the unique stressors faced by healthcare workers and first responders. She is committed to helping them build emotional resilience, reconnect with their purpose, and rediscover their identity beyond the bedside.

By blending her nursing background with coaching and breathwork facilitation, Nikki empowers her clients with practical tools and strategies for stress reduction, emotional regulation, nervous system support, and self-discovery. Nikki's mission is to serve her community through transformative coaching that identifies and shifts limiting beliefs, rewires out-dated thought patterns and supports healing to create positive change, achieve their goals and ultimately find deep fulfillment in life.