Therapist Spotlights
We believe you shouldn't wait until a crisis point to invest in improving and evolving your intimate relationships.
We also believe even divorcing couples are well-served to be working with a therapist, to help them arrive on the other side of a difficult passage with hearts faced toward each other.
Here are some of the Colorado therapists we respect who work with people in relationships.
Amanda Irtz (certified parent coach)
What excites me most about working with single parents who have experienced domestic violence and are seeking support in their parenting is witnessing their transformation. I understand firsthand the pain and challenges of navigating custody proceedings and rebuilding a life after enduring coercive control and abuse. I’ve been in their shoes—feeling terrified, overwhelmed, and unsure of how to move forward. That’s why I’m passionate about offering the kind of support I wish I had during those tough times. Helping these parents step into their best selves, especially when they feel like every move is being scrutinized, is incredibly rewarding. Watching them grow in confidence and strengthen their bond with their children is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my work.
What sets me apart from others is that my support extends far beyond the weekly session. I am available Monday through Friday via chat, so parents have continuous guidance when they need it most. Whether it's navigating a tough conversation with their co-parent, managing the stress of the CFI or PRE process, or simply needing reassurance, they can reach out in real time. I believe that being there for my clients during the difficult moments is key to helping them stay grounded and focused on what matters most—their children.
What truly distinguishes me is that I’ve lived this experience. I know firsthand how isolating and stressful it can be to rebuild after domestic violence, manage a high-conflict co-parenting relationship, and face the pressure of custody proceedings. My approach is not just theoretical; it’s informed by my personal journey and backed by proven parenting strategies and attachment science. I help parents not only survive this process but emerge stronger, more confident, and better equipped to create a healthier future for themselves and their children.
720-288-0603
Dannette Escobedo, MA, LPC
My work as a therapist is distinguished by a warm and personalized approach, focusing on each family’s unique dynamics and needs. I reject a 'one size fits all' method, instead honoring individual differences and tailoring interventions to align with clients’ values and cultural backgrounds. By taking a holistic view, I address the histories and dynamics that shape each family, fostering long-term solutions. My advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and the Gottman Method equips clients with practical communication skills, helping them reach the heart of the matter and clarify the future of their relationships.
I am passionate about working with clients who are committed to deepening their self-awareness and fostering a healthier family environment, even during the darkest times. I thrive in supporting those ready to embrace respectful and supportive parenting, and who are dedicated to creating a positive future. Additionally, I enjoy helping clients navigate the complexities of uncoupling, offering tools to honor grief, facilitate healing, rebuild dreams, and consciously create a new path forward filled with goodwill and hope. I’m excited to work with those who are motivated to grow and transform their lives.
Debi Smith-Racanelli, MA, NLC, CAGS
With a deep commitment to nurturing and guiding couples through every phase of their relationship, Debi is an experienced psychotherapist dedicated to supporting partners during pivotal life changes. Some couples who feel that divorcing is the next step may still feel some ambivalence about that decision. Debi is skilled at helping couples confidently discern that decision to come to the clarity they need to move in that direction or decide to try again to reconcile.
Other couples make the difficult decision to separate or divorce. Drawing on a wealth of expertise, Debi provides compassionate, evidence-based therapy to help couples navigate and process each situation that meets the unique needs of each relationship.
Through thoughtful exploration and reflection, Debi helps partners gain clarity, uncover valuable lessons, and make informed decisions that serve them well, regardless of their choice.
Debi's approach is distinguishable by her willingness to fully engage with the challenging and emotional aspects of the process. She recognizes the difficulty inherent in this work and is committed to supporting her clients through the rough patches. By standing beside them during these tough times, she aims to help them achieve the most harmonious outcomes possible. Debi’s readiness to be a steady and empathetic presence ensures that each individual has the support they need to work towards their best results.
For those who have decided to pursue a breakup or divorce, Debi is most excited to provide compassionate support in transitioning through the grieving process and developing essential skills for effective co-parenting and moving forward with a constructive mindset. By focusing on reducing contention, doubt, and resentment, Debi aims to make the end of a relationship as positive and character-building as possible.
Nancy Brittain, LCSW
I have been working in the therapy field since 2010, and have been specialized in working with couples and families since 2016. I have advanced training and certification in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, an evidence-based model for helping couples move out of negative patterns and into closer connection. I also am certified in Discernment Counseling, a protocol for helping couples on the brink of divorce develop confidence and clarity about the next steps for their relationship. I pursued training in Discernment Counseling after seeing that there was little help available for couples where one or both partners was leaning toward divorce - often traditional couples therapy was not a good fit, but neither was the couple fully ready to pursue divorce. Discernment Counseling helps these couples feel clearer about their decision, and even if they decide to divorce, helps facilitate a kids-first and more amicable process.
After having a waitlist for years and being frustrated at having to turn away couples that needed support, I began growing and training a team of therapists that I could feel confident referring couples to when my schedule was full. I am proud to now have a team of excellent couples therapists at Colorado Therapy Collective, with sub-specialties like OCD, ADHD, and immigrant experiences. All the therapists on our team have a commitment to cultural competence and are LGBTQ+ affirming.
We look forward to supporting you in your therapy goals, whether they are establishing a solid foundation for a new marriage, rekindling the one you’re in, or putting your best foot forward through the difficult process of facing divorce.
nancy@coloradotherapycollective.com
720-204-8589 | coloradotherapycollective.com
Rosemary Leone, MA, MFTC
What distinguishes my work is effectiveness. At Regis University I was honored for my knowledge on strategic family therapy by faculty and colleagues. Often called on as a student to help other students if they had a difficult case or stuck client. Basically I specialize in getting clients unstuck. I teach them “the rules of their own game” so to speak, going past mere insight, where they are so aware of their interactions that they can’t go back to the maladaptive ways of coping that they used before therapy even if they tried. These techniques work best with intelligent clients who know what they want, they might even know how to get there, they just can’t make themselves do what’s necessary to get what they really want. I work with them to release blocks and reframe apparent risk and get them back on a forward trajectory free of blame and shame.
I love working with families in transition of any kind or in grief of many kind. I enjoy helping clients find new meaning resulting in deeper connections. Right now I have a family client of 8 members and it is an absolute joy. I basically work in the art of helping people love each other better though acceptance of the self and other.
rosemary.a.leone@gmail.com
719-422-3382
Gillian Pierce, UP, MA, MPA, PACT Level 2
I am a couples therapist because I have witnessed firsthand the healing and life changing power of creating space for difficult conversations and healing. My parents were long divorced and on my father’s deathbed a therapist helped them heal old wounds and they remarried just before my father’s death. Something clicked for me, I of course wished they had healed sooner, but I saw what was possible, and it has since become a passion to help people heal their relationships leading to healthier and happier lives.
I co-founded Global Glue Project and have interviewed and filmed couples around the globe and teach healthy relationship tools in workshops and events. I am a PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) Level 2 couples therapist and I draw on knowledge of attachment, trauma, codependency, mindfulness and addiction in my work with clients. I love working with couples in transition into marriage or deeper commitment or the transition after a betrayal or choosing to end the partnership. I have also worked with family members and siblings. I love working with clients who are ready and willing to do the work and commit time and presence and move into new ways of being and relating.
https://www.gilliancpierce.com
Leah Wolf, MA, LMFT, CLC (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)
I know what it is like to be faced with life transitions where the stakes feel high. It’s tempting to hang on to the old and familiar, even when something is signaling the time has come for change. Worse, just when you need a solid ground to stand on most, that ground feels shaky. All the while, time is of the essence. If this is you, you are not alone. Personal and relational wellness are values in my heart and practice. I love helping couples improve their relationships with each other and themselves, and I love helping individuals improve their relationships with others and themselves. More than anything, I love helping couples and individuals find a clear and confident path forward.
Do you want to find solutions to your problems? Or do you want to experience relationships that are closer and easier? Do you want to find clarity and feel more empowered? Or do you just want to feel better?! I’ve helped many couples and individuals build confidence and improve their relationships, so they could go on to fulfill the lives they were meant to live. I can help you too.
Stephanie Gold, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychologist)
The type of therapy that I provide can be described as “relational.” The relationship between the client and the therapist is important as it provides a space where we can examine your other relationships. This includes your relationship with yourself (how do you feel about yourself? What are the thoughts you have about yourself?) Additionally, we may examine your past and current relationships with all other people in your life (parents, spouse, partners, friends, children, siblings, co-workers, etc…) Relationships have the potential to provide great joy, meaning, and fulfillment, but they may also feel troubled, stuck, toxic, or dysfunctional. What are your relationships like currently and how do you want them to be different? Sometimes people want their lives to change, but they feel stuck, and need help to figure out the best path forward to reach their goals. It is my job to understand who you are, how you operate, and to help you reach your goals.
I work with adults and older teenagers who are having symptoms of depression and anxiety and people who need help with relationships. When it comes to divorce, each member of a family may need help to process the loss of how things used to be. A major change in the family system can be traumatic, and processing this loss and major change with a therapist can be helpful.
Laurie Branch, LPC
I have a unique combination of experience and expertise which makes me the perfect fit for some clients. I am a Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist and Supervisor so my focus is on helping create securely attached relationships. I have worked in the addictions field for over 30 years with specialties in substance abuse in teens and women and work addiction. I am a Christian therapist and work with all populations. Sometimes Christian clients seek out therapists who understand and meet them in a spiritual realm. I have a passion for teens and families of adult children and offer workshops to foster healing in those relationships. I have a Canine Companion for Independence Facility Dog and she provides comfort and nervous system regulation for clients who have experienced trauma or emotional dysregulation. I am Certified in Brainspotting and formally in EMDR - these are two types of trauma resolution therapy.
I keep a waiting list for clients when my practice is full.
David Lieberman, MFTC
I am a therapist who believes that everyone has a story to tell. I am here to help you explore your relational stories and find your voice. I believe that everyone deserves to be seen and heard, and I am committed to providing my clients with the support they need to live their lives authentically. I am particularly interested in working with clients with alternative sexual, gender, and relational identities. I believe that everyone deserves to be safely seen and heard, and I am committed to providing my clients with therapeutic nurturance as they connect to their experiences.
I have availability for new clients. I offer Sunday and evening appointments that are both in-person and online. I look forward to hearing from you!
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