Welcome to My Practice: A Space to Feel Seen, Heard, and Supported
Hi and welcome! I’m Dr. Kelli Tahaney, and I started this practice to support adolescents and young adults on their journey to healing and growth from challenges like anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and substance use. Through this blog, I hope to provide a space where prospective clients can get to know me a little more. I’ll also use this space to provide insights and guidance on mental health topics I’m passionate about and to offer support, information, and inspiration for those navigating their own mental health journey.
So, Who Am I?
I’m a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and have been working in the field doing clinical work and research for the past 10 years. I’m originally from St. Petersburg, FL but moved to Boston to attend graduate school after finishing my undergrad degree. After living in Boston for about 9 years, I moved to Denver, CO to start my post-grad career. Shortly thereafter, I met my now husband and moved up to Boulder, CO to start a life with him and our dogs. We recently got our two fur-boys a big backyard and they couldn’t be happier! I’m still a beach girl at heart but I do love spending the weekends running, camping, or hiking with the mountains as a beautiful backdrop.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked in various clinical settings, from emergency departments and inpatient medical centers to community outpatient clinics, correctional facilities, and specialty addiction treatment centers treating clients of all ages. I’ve received specialized training in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, chronic pain, addiction, grief and loss, and trauma/PTSD. This broad experience has deepened my passion for supporting individuals through different life stages and mental health challenges, but I hold a special place for helping adolescents and young adults navigate the unique challenges of this formative period.
So, What Am I Passionate About?
I think adolescence and young adulthood are some of the most challenging and formative periods of our life. Adolescence, in particular, is a time when we’re figuring out who we are as a whole person. We’re also straddling this line of coming into our independence while still not entirely on our own. It’s a time when friends and peer relationships become really important and we start to separate from our family of origin. This can be tough for everyone involved, but for adolescents it can also be really exciting, and it’s a very important part of moving into adulthood. I feel very passionate about providing adolescents with a safe space to talk about some of these difficult but exciting transitions. Therapy offers adolescents the tools to understand, manage, and express emotions in healthy ways, building resilience and self-awareness that can guide them well into adulthood.
During adolescence and young adulthood, we also become more exposed to the realities of the world, which can feel overwhelming. Sometimes difficulty experiences from childhood start to impact us differently as our brains learn to process information on deeper levels and we become more acutely aware of our emotional experience. This, combined with increased exposure to the “real world”, can lead to things like experimenting with alcohol or substances. While experimentation can sometimes be part of adolescent exploration, it can also turn into an unhealthy coping mechanism. I’m passionate about helping adolescents navigate this territory by creating a safe space for open conversations that guide them toward healthy, constructive choices.
So, What Now?
I hope this post has given you a glimpse into who I am and what I’m passionate about. If you or someone you know is navigating adolescence or young adulthood and could benefit from a supportive space to explore and heal, I’m here to help. Consider scheduling a consultation by clicking ‘Request Appointment’ at the top right of this page. I look forward to meeting you!
Warmly,
Dr. Tahaney
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