Meet Mike Garrison

Are you ready to explore a different way of thinking, feeling, and living? The human brain evolved to seek out connection and is hard-wired to thrive with emotional support. My goal is to help you identify what’s troubling you and move toward the changes you desire.

I wasn’t always a therapist. But I believe my younger self wouldn’t be surprised that I find myself here today.  You see, I wasn’t one of those kids that stepped off my Big Wheel knowing that psychology and counseling were my path. But I always had an innate curiosity about human behavior and wondered about what makes us do the things we do. Initially, my career took me in a different direction through the business world. But eventually, my deep interest in human behavior and life optimization led me to pursue a formal education in clinical mental health counseling.

My path to being a therapist was by no means a straight line but it certainly was an interesting journey.

If you’re curious, here are a few of the highlights of my background:

• I’m a Cornhusker. I grew up in the idyllic city of Lincoln, Nebraska and went on to earn a bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska.

• My professional background is in marketing and sales. For over 15 years, I had a successful career in the financial industry ultimately working in a highly competitive role as an investment wholesaler for Fortune 500 companies.

• While successful, I eventually grew weary of the corporate treadmill. I changed course and purchased an established magazine publishing company. I owned and, with the help of a talented team of employees, operated it for eight years. As a business owner, I learned first-hand what the entrepreneurial ‘roller coaster’ is all about.

• But even with the move from a corporate career to business ownership, I found myself still feeling unfulfilled. After a great deal of research and soul searching, I enrolled in graduate school. I was in my 40’s when I earned a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University’s CACREP-accredited program. Finally pursuing a formal education in the field of psychology was a turning point in my professional life.

• During the clinical phase of school, I worked with a practice that specialized in a neurofeedback approach to mental health. Over the course of hundreds of hours working face-to-face with wonderful clients of all ages, I found my decision to change my professional path validated with purpose and fulfillment.

• In 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I opened my own private practice serving clients across Colorado.

• I live in the Denver. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the city and spending time with friends. Like many Coloradoans, I head to the mountains whenever time allows to hike, camp, and reconnect with nature. I have traveled to 48 of the 50 states. My most recent international trips were to Costa Rica and Thailand. I’m an avid reader (non-fiction and biographies primarily) and a regular listener of podcasts as well.

What Therapy is Like with Me

I bring my unique background to every conversation I have with my clients.

You may find my approach a little more directive than other therapists. I’m practical in my approach and not a fan of meandering therapy. Just like you, I want to see and to celebrate progress. I care about helping in a way that isn’t canned, formulaic, or pushy. When appropriate, I love to having us bring a little humor into the process as well. Laughter is buoyant and can be a powerful way to lift a person up.

My counseling style is integrative. That means I believe in drawing from a wide field of evidence-based theories. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Solutions Focused Therapy (SFBT), Positive Psychology, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are the approaches I most often utilize. If you’re suffering from past trauma, or post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), I have formal training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. That’s a whole lotta lingo! Suffice it to say that in counseling, I don’t believe ‘one size fits all’ and so I work with whatever tools and interventions are best suited to help you make progress.

I love supporting people in coming to a deeper understanding of both themselves and their goals in life. In the very first session we have together, I will help you identify specific goals that you want to work toward. Then, from session to session, I’ll make sure we’re always keeping them in mind.

I hold an LPC licensure in the state of Colorado and am a nationally board-certified counselor (NCC). I am also a member of the American Counseling Association and the Colorado Counseling Association and have been verified by Psychology Today. Due to licensing regulations, you must also be located in Colorado in order for us to work together.

Research has shown that the relationship you have with your counselor has a profoundly significant effect on the outcome of your therapy. Because of this, it’s important to take your time to find the right fit. If you’re interested in beginning therapy with me, let’s schedule a brief no-cost phone call to talk about how we would work together.