Meet Kristen.

Portrait of Kristen Dingwall, LCSW. Kristen is smiling at the camera, signifying that she is helpful, warm, and available to new clients in Colorado.

Hi, I’m Kristen!

  • she/her

  • Colorado-born and raised.

  • will always choose to be outside and out of cell service

  • audiobook enthusiast (currently listening to Frank Anderson’s Transcending Trauma)

  • fierce advocate

  • I need my first cup of coffee before I talk to anyone.

  • I have a brown thumb and can kill any houseplant.

  • I would choose to snack over meals, any day.

  • I have two dogs, Luna and Stout, who are great hiking buddies.

  • I never shy away from a challenge and love to learn new things.

You're on your couch, feeling nowhere near ready to click the
"schedule meeting" button for our intro session.

You picked a time…

Oh man... here we go.
Maybe I should just say something came up.
Do I really need this?
Actually... I think my dog has a hangnail; I should handle that instead.

But deep down, you know you deserve this.
You feel it in your bones.

And then, five minutes into our meeting, you're thinking,
Hey, Kristen isn't so bad!

Before you know it, you're actually looking forward to our sessions (no joke!) because after each meeting, you feel heard, understood, and a whole lot lighter (even on those days when you feel like a total trainwreck!).

Week by week, you start noticing real changes.
The work is hard, but it's HAPPENING.
It feels amazing to have me in your corner, cheering you on, challenging you, and reminding you,

"You’ve got this!"

Here’s the best part of working together:

That nagging worry, sadness, anger, and frustration?
They’ll start to fade into the background.

You’ll experience “aha” moments in our sessions
that make you feel empowered again.

You’ll notice small changes each week that help you rediscover your true self.

You are the one making all these amazing changes in your life.

You did the hard work.

You showed up every session, ready to dive deep.

I’m just your sidekick, helping to spark your superpowers and cracking a few corny jokes along the way.

What makes me qualified….

  • Master of Social Work from Colorado State University

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies

  • EMDR Trained through EMDR of the Rockies

  • EMDR + Internal Family Systems (IFS) Integration Trained

  • Somatic Integration and Processing (SIP) Trained

  • Functional Family Therapy Trained (FFT)

  • Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) Trained

  • 5 years experience as a Forensic Interviewer

  • I never grow tired of learning new things

"In your journey, there will be “in-between time” of transition. You may feel lost, confused, angry, unseen, or empty. Don’t confuse these times of transition as a forever state of being or being broken. You are breaking away from what was, creating space for what will be.”

-unknown

Working with a therapist can be helpful at any stage of life.

I worked the first 15 years of my career as someone who leaned into the challenges
of the social work field and navigated complex systems.

During that time, I have learned how to be a fierce voice for children and teens.
All while empowering parents. 

I approach therapy through a trauma-informed lens and use approaches such as EMDR and other
nervous system-informed approaches.

I believe in creating safety within the therapeutic relationship for true healing to begin.

Everyone has a story that brought them here, and I look forward to learning more about yours.

People who work with me can expect to feel empowered, embraced, and supported.

Together, we will work to help you achieve your goals.

Inspirational quote over a scenic mountain landscape with two prominent peaks in the background and a misty valley below. This image is used by Fort Collins Therapy to inspire and motivate clients.