Valerie Senger, MA LPC

Valerie Senger, MA, LPC, NCC Valerie graduated in 2012 from Denver Seminary. Hi, I’m Valerie (she/her) I graduated with an MA in Counseling. Although, I was initially a little behind my peers because my Undergraduate degree was in Organizational Management, I know I end up serving my clients well as most of them are in the business world. The MA was only the start of my Counseling education. I have gone on to take courses in EMDR I and II, Attachment EMDR, Somatic Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and now Personality Theory. I am also skilled in CBT, DBT and Mindfulness. I really love helping clients through trauma including PTSD, and DV and grief. I also have a lot of experience helping those with relationship struggles, depression and anxiety, OCD, family estrangements and many more. I have some addiction experience although I do not consider myself an addiction counselor. I work with those of any gender orientation, or GLBTQ people. I believe love trumps all and love is hard to find. If you find it, I’ll support you. I have worked well with any race or ethnicity and any age over 18. What to Expect: I feel like I’m somewhere between a Doting Mom and a School Marm and hedging a little more toward the Doting Mom. I listen to your story first and foremost, attuning to what you have experienced. Everyone has a reason for why they are seeking counseling. I mean the causes of why they seek counseling but often not what to do next. If they can tell me how they are hurting, we can find the source and the path to healing. I encourage a lot, challenge and educate, and give homework. I “encourage” a lot because I know that everyone is doing the best they can within their own stories of life and environment. I challenge and educate because many times finding alternatives to current thinking or doing is difficult. I know that by the time you come to see me you have exhausted all your alternatives that you can think of, including family, friends, strangers and Self Help Books. When you are educated you don’t feel so alone, you are empowered over your choices and you can choose the path that work for you. Why homework you may ask? Because the most progress in therapy is made when you think of your mental health as you think of working out or eating healthy food. Changing how you think or do things is almost impossible when only attending a once-a-week one-hour session. You can’t eat healthy once a week and expect your body to stay healthy. It is your choice, but I highly recommend doing the homework. I tend to make it less than 60 seconds of work a day, and sometimes it is an art project. My Hobbies: I do a lot of reading primarily of spiritual books but also counseling theory books. I must break it up with fiction and always tend toward historical or mystery fiction. I participate in a writing group and am working on my autobiography. In this group we also share poems we come across that are particularly meaningful. I belong to a book group. I am working on a speaking series for the Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health. I also have a real talent with drawing and intent to explore that…sometime.