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About Me

Mary Kathryn( Kate) Reisel is a  Licensed Clinical Social Worker LCSW and Registered Art Therapist  ATR specializing in individual and group therapy, and maintains a private practice Connected Within Art Therapy and Counseling Services LLC in Lafayette, CO.

With over 17 years experience as a social worker and therapist, and as a graduate of Western Michigan University MSW program  and a graduate of The Art Institute of Chicago in the MAAT program, she founded Connected Within Art Therapy and Counseling Services LLC in the Fall of 2014. Among her areas of expertise are: depression, anxiety, fertility issues/miscarriage, grief/loss, life transitions, mood disorders, behavioral issues, parenting issues, pregnancy and post partum.

Who I am:

I am a licensed clinical social worker and a registered art therapist. I grew up in Michigan and enjoyed a variety of activities including tennis, soccer, and water/snow skiing. I am a self-taught artist, who, despite occasional bouts of self-doubt, has managed to maintain a lifetime commitment to creative self-expression.

Upon earning my B.A. in Psychology from St. Mary's College in 1991, I dedicated a year to volunteering with inner city youth through an after school enrichment program in West Oakland, CA. It was during that time that I realized my passion for social work, outreach, and therapy. I entered the Masters in Social Work program at Western Michigan University in 1992 and obtained a Masters in Social Work degree in 1994, and a Masters in Art Therapy from the Art Institute of Chicago in 2000.

For the last 18 years I have devoted my education and my career to social work and therapy in order to help people discover their strengths and potentials. Through the Chicago foster care system and organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, I have helped many people who have experienced trauma, abuse, depression, and loss in their lives find a voice in this world. I have worked in a variety of settings including the juvenile justice system, inpatient and outpatient settings, alternative school settings and residential settings.  Through art therapy, I have uncovered a way for people to process difficult emotions and to externalize emotions that are hard to access.

Since moving to Colorado in 2008 I’ve been serving as a volunteer art therapist at Parenting Place in Boulder, CO, have worked as a paraeducator in the Boulder Valley School District, and have been providing private art therapy sessions for a local single moms group. In 2014 I formed Connected Within Art Therapy and Counseling Services, LLC.

Personally, I love spending time with my husband, my 13 year old daughter, and our cat Poppy. I love running, nia, yoga, art, music and nature. I also have an interest in Buddhism, mindfulness, and spirituality.

What I do:

My theoretical orientation for therapy is informed by bio-psycho-social, family systems, humanistic, relational, attachment, and developmental models. I have training in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy.

The process of coming to therapy can be a difficult one, and I believe the relationship between client and therapist is of the utmost importance. Often it will take several attempts at therapy before one finds the right fit. If needed, I will always provide referrals for clients who are looking for an alternate approach. I do not interpret the client’s art imagery. Rather, I help clients understand their art process and product for greater self-awareness and growth. I believe that we all have the ability to heal from difficulties in life, and that therapy is a great act of self-care.

As a mother, I had the opportunity to be highly creative through play and art making with my child. Children are natural artists who express freely and stay in the moment. As adults, we can become critical of ourselves as artists, and may even feel we are not creative at all! Through my work, I help people get in touch with their inner artist, and rediscover the art of self-expression. Art therapy is about the process, not the product.

I utilize both verbal and non-verbal approaches to therapy, depending on the client’s needs and goals for treatment. I work with children, teens, and adults.  I offer both individual and group therapy. Please see my schedule here for upcoming sessions. Please contact me for a free initial consultation by phone.

What is Art Therapy?

" Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art making within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development.  Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art "- American Art Therapy Association, Inc.

Education

BA Psychology St. Mary's College
MSW 1994 Western Michigan University/ MAAT 2000 The Art Institute of Chicago

License, Certifications & Awards

My license # is 1032 for licensed clinical social worker LCSW in Colorado and #08-173 for ATR Art Therapist Registered.

Additional Training Professional Activities and Memberships : Colorado Art Therapy Association

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