Hi, I’m Rachel Dance.
Are you living the life you truly want?
What is the quality of your relationships?
How does it feel to be in your body?
These are some of the things I want to know. We’ll take stock of your life right now and explore ways in which your past has contributed to where you are today. From this information, we’ll clarify your goals and what is most important to you. We’ll identify what’s keeping you stuck and set up a plan to generate momentum for making the changes you want to see.
I don’t want to keep you in therapy forever. I value your time and want to expedite the process of your growth, so your life is more fulfilling and you are aligned with your purpose. I want you to feel at home in your body, at peace in your mind, and confident in the life you’re building.
My background
After graduating with my bachelor’s degree in Community Development, I was eager to work in a field that was making a difference in the lives of people. This desire led me to join a poverty alleviation nonprofit in Denver, Colorado where I worked as a Career Coach. I supported folks making massive changes in their lives as they pursued higher education, joined a new community, and transitioned into a new career field. I loved being a cheerleader for folks as they fought through systemic and personal barriers to create a new life for themselves and their family. Through my work with them, I saw the effect that trauma has on keeping folks stuck and I was inspired to learn how to help people heal from trauma.
I obtained my Masters degree in Social Work from MSU Denver and I draw on my experience working in communities to bring a unique approach to the clients I see in individual therapy. I understand how our broken systems contribute to individual mental health challenges and take a holistic approach in helping people make changes in their lives.
In my free time, I enjoy making extravagant snack spreads for picnics with friends, backpacking everywhere from Wyoming to Bolivia, training for my next triathlon, and demolishing a pint of Littleman ice cream.
Hi, I’m Ingrid Van Haitsma.
I’m so glad you’re here!
In therapy, you can expect to process through conversation together as well as different activities that guide us into your inner world. Most often, our current concerns stem from our past hurts and disappointments, many times impacted by our relationships with our parents and families, our communities and how they may have harmed us (intentional or unintentional). The burden of the past can feel really heavy, but it’s possible to heal. The pain is valid and is a part of your story, but it can become less intense and you can begin to feel joy again. In my work with folks, I look at attachment styles and relationships, past traumas and hurts, relationship to our bodies, and how we are currently coping with our stressors. Depending on your interests and comfort level, I value the use of somatics (body engagement). I do this through breathing exercises, gentle movement, and noticing the relationship of our emotions and bodies. Trauma and emotions can often be stored within our body and we want to become aware and gentle with ourselves. I also utilize art and creative exercises when clients are open to this as an alternative way to get deeper within the self. In addition, I utilize ACT, CBT, DBT, and IFS.
My background
I graduated from Western Michigan University with a masters in social work and a focus on trauma therapy. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), and I am currently pursuing a certificate in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International. I care about folks on an individual level and I am also aware of how systemic issues can contribute deeply to our mental health and ability to succeed in certain areas of life. My first experience with therapy was conducting trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) with adolescents and since then I have continued to work with teenagers and young adults in a variety of experiences, with therapy, volunteering with small groups, leadership programs, as well as gardening and small business work. I have also worked with adults and families and believe our childhood experiences often shape who we are today; sometimes in ways that hold us back from the life we are longing for.
Originally from Michigan, I am a Colorado transplant who loves mushroom foraging, sewing up a new outfit, hanging out at the farmers market and sipping on an iced latte (a little bit of a basic bitch 😉). I'm living life with my spouse and baby daughter in Colorado. I love to travel and experience new cultures (some spots I’ve visited and loved are Nepal, Romania, and Mexico) but I’m a homebody at heart. Things that have brought me joy at home have been: fostering puppies, eating sourdough bread, creating with my sewing machine, raising backyard chickens, and tending to garden beds with colorful flowers and delicious tomatoes.
