Clinical Staff

Denver Psychotherapy and Consultation Services, LLC®

Resources for Personal and Professional Growth™

Clinical Staff

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CONTENT ON THIS PAGE

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OVERVIEW

All of our practitioners are either licensed mental health providers or work under the direct supervision of a licensed mental health provider. We also draw from a variety of theoretical orientations and therapeutic models and are committed to appreciating the diversity of our community.

If you are interested in learning more about our services, please contact our intake number at 303-399-9988 x 9 or send us an email to set up your complimentary initial consultation. You may also contact one of our practitioners directly if you have a specific request or question. Their basic contact information is listed directly below and a more comprehensive biography of each practitioner is available immediately under that:

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CLINICAL STAFF SUMMARY	TITLE
J. Ryan Kennedy, MA, LPC, LMFT, RN, ADTR, NCC, CACIII	CEO/Clinical Director/Clinical Supervisor Executive Director/Clinical Supervisor (Noeticus)
Francisca F. Mix, MA, LPC, ADTR	Staff Psychotherapist Clinical Supervisor (Noeticus)
Paul J. Rakowski, MA, MS (Biology), LPC, NCC	Staff Psychotherapist Clinical Supervisor (Noeticus)
Shannon M. Westermeier, MA, LPC, NCC	Staff Psychotherapist Clinical Supervisor (Noeticus)

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CLINICAL STAFF BIOGRAPHIES

J. Ryan Kennedy, MA, LPC, LMFT, RN, ADTR, NCC, CACIII
CEO/Clinical Director/Approved Clinical Supervisor

Ryan Kennedy is the founder, CEO, and Clinical Director of Denver Psychotherapy and Consultation Services, LLC and the founder and Executive Director of Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute. He has been a psychotherapist since 1993 and has been on the faculty at Naropa University since 1996 where he currently serves as Co-Chair of the Department of Somatic Counseling Psychology. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), a Registered Nurse (RN), a member of the Academy of Dance/Movement Therapists Registered (ADTR), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Level Three Certified Addictions Counselor (CACIII), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). His clinical background includes extensive work with couple and family therapy, creativity and personal growth, persistent mental illness, trauma and dissociative disorders, addiction and recovery, domestic/family violence, and living with life-threatening illnesses.

As a clinical supervisor he uses an integrative, collaborative approach and works closely with all of the primary psychotherapists, interns, and externs who are part of our treatment team to ensure you receive a high quality of care. Because of the educational and training philosophy that lies at the heart of our counseling services, he often participates directly in the provision of psychotherapy services and is always involved indirectly in the course and type of services being provided to all clients.

Due to a busy teaching and training schedule, he also provides very limited individual, couple, and family therapy to select clients. Typically these clients are current clients, previous clients, or direct referrals. They also are using private pay and have a flexible meeting schedule. As a psychotherapist he uses an integrated approach that draws on his expertise in trauma recovery, addiction recovery, EMDR, couple and family therapy, human sexuality, domestic violence prevention/intervention, Gestalt psychotherapy, Jungian psychotherapy, Existential psychotherapy, expressive arts therapies, and body-centered psychotherapy.

Francisca F. Mix, MA, LPC, ADTR
Staff Psychotherapist/Clinical Supervisor

Francisca Mix has been a staff psychotherapist with Denver Psychotherapy and Consultation Services, LLC since 2006 and currently serves as one of the Clinical Supervisors with Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a member of the Academy of Dance/Movement Therapists Registered (ADTR), and is bicultural and bilingual in Spanish. Additionally, Francisca serves as adjunct faculty in the Department of Somatic Counseling Psychology at Naropa University. Francisca is interested in working with individuals, couples, and families as well as in using movement and the expressive arts as a therapeutic modality. In addition to these specializations, Francisca has a particular interest in working with families who are dealing with infertility and adoption as themes in their lives.

Paul J. Rakowski, MA, MS (Biology), LPC, NCC
Staff Psychotherapist/Clinical Supervisor

Paul Rakowski has been a staff psychotherapist with Denver Psychotherapy and Consultation Services, LLC since 2006 and serves as one of the Clinical Supervisors with Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute. He has a master's degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in couple/marriage and family therapy, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). In addition to his clinical work, Paul has also served as adjunct faculty at both the University of Colorado at Denver and at Naropa University. Paul also has a strong interest in health psychology, body image and exercise, and couples counseling. Paul integrates a number of Experiential and Cognitive/Behavioral techniques into his therapeutic style in order to help loosen old beliefs and behaviors, which can often lead to destructive thought patterns and unproductive actions.

Shannon M. Westermeier, MA, LPC, NCC
Staff Psychotherapist/Clinical Supervisor

Shannon Westermeier has been a staff psychotherapist with Denver Psychotherapy and Consultation Services, LLC since 2007 and serves as one of the Clinical Supervisors with Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute. She earned her master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Truman State University in Kirksville MO, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Shannon takes a psychotherapeutic practice that draws significantly from a Client-Centered Therapy approach, a Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) approach, and a Reality Therapy approach. As a client-centered therapist, it is her belief that individuals thrive in settings where they are treated with an attitude of unconditional positive regard and where their therapy goals are centered around their individual needs. From the REBT theoretical approach, Shannon works with clients around the thought patterns they utilize to navigate their lives, as well as how to build stronger positive cognitive thought patterns for themselves and disprove their negative thought patterns. Finally, she also utilizes Reality Therapy in helping clients take responsibility for their lives and the choices they are making.

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EXPLANATION OF CREDENTIALS

CREDENTIAL DEFINITION DESCRIPTION

MA Master of Arts
An advanced academic degree awarded by a regionally accredited graduate school of psychology.

MS Master of Science
An advanced academic degree awarded by a regionally accredited graduate school of psychology.

LPC Licensed Professional Counselor
A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)

LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)

RN Licensed Registered Nurse
A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)

CACIII Certified Addictions Counselor,
Level Three A professional advanced practice certification granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)

NCC National Certified Counselor
A national certification granted by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

DTR Dance/Movement Therapist Registered A national basic practice registration granted by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)

ADTR Academy of Dance/Movement Therapists Registered A national advanced practice registration granted by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)

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CREDENTIAL	DEFINITION	DESCRIPTION
MA	Master of Arts	An advanced academic degree awarded by a regionally accredited graduate school of psychology.
MS	Master of Science	An advanced academic degree awarded by a regionally accredited graduate school of psychology.
LPC	Licensed Professional Counselor	A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
LMFT	Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist	A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
RN	Licensed Registered Nurse	A professional license granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
CACIII	Certified Addictions Counselor, Level Three	A professional advanced practice certification granted by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
NCC	National Certified Counselor	A national certification granted by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
DTR	Dance/Movement Therapist Registered	A national basic practice registration granted by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)
ADTR	Academy of Dance/Movement Therapists Registered	A national advanced practice registration granted by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)