Olivia McKinzie

LPCC, ADDC (CO)

she/her

Contact Book Now

Fee: $60-160

Accepting New Clients

My mission as a therapist is…

Changing the world one mind at a time.

My therapeutic motto is…

Don’t listen to the rats! (Context: the rats are emotional, impulsive thoughts)

My therapeutic presence can be described as…

Warm, down to earth, and welcoming.

The core belief that drives my practice is…

Every person deserves an understanding and judgment-free space to process their life in.

Highlights

Integrated approach Curious Open-Minded Neurodivergent Conversational Inclusive

APPROACH & FRAMEWORK

I am committed to tailoring my approach to each client to deliver quality therapeutic connection. In sessions, I will work to understand you through the lenses of science, society, emotion, logic, health, and whole-person wellness. I draw from multiple approaches including CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, ACT, and parts work. What those fancy words and letters mean to me is that every person is different and benefits from different pieces of different approaches, and it is my job to facilitate that process.

I believe that all people can benefit greatly from therapy, but not all therapist-client relationships are created equal. Research has highlighted the critical importance of that relationship in how well therapy works for each individual.

I foster a relationship that is client-centered and protects your autonomy, while working to gently challenge ideas that aren’t working so well anymore. I aim to provide a warm and welcoming space where you can be yourself, set aside expectations, and be free to unpack your thoughts.

I welcome you to explore my profile and consider whether I seem like a potential match for you. We can schedule a consultation to see if it feels right.

I prefer the biopsychosocial model. In short – this theory says that mental health is influenced by biological (genetics, health), psychological (emotions, thoughts, behaviors), and social (socioeconomic status, community, culture) factors.

I believe the elements of these worlds can have drastic impacts on our wellbeing, for better or for worse. Either way, taking these aspects into consideration allows us to leverage our benefits and work through our obstacles to come out a better, more resilient person. If these facets of a human are ignored in our process, a person can continue to have the same problems without relief from treatment.

Top Approaches

Integrative Therapy Motivational Interviewing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Trauma-Informed care Acceptance and Commitment Humanism Individual autonomy Biopsychosocial theory Polyvagal theory Eclectic therapy Exposure therapy Family systems Group therapy Harm reduction Mindfulness Positive Psychology

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Addiction Counseling
Art Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy
Career Counseling
Client-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Contemplative & Mindfulness-Based Approaches
Couple and Family Systems Therapy
Couples Counseling
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Eclectic Therapy
Existential Therapy
Experiential Therapy
Exposure Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
Gender-Affirming Care
Group Therapy
Harm Reduction
Integrative Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Marital Couple/Family Communication Therapy
Marriage Counseling
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Mindfulness Based Therapy or Stress Reduction
Mindfulness or Meditation
Mindfulness Practices
Motivational Interviewing
Narrative & Strength-Based Approaches
Poetry or Writing
Polyvagal Theory
Positive Psychology
Sex Therapy
Somatic Therapy
Therapeutic Journaling
Trauma-Informed & Trauma-Responsive Care

AREAS OF CARE

Substance Use OCD Neurodivergence Trauma Body-focused Repetitive Behavior Sexual Wellness

Body focused repetitive behaviors, sexual wellness, and neurodivergence.

People facing substance use related issues.

Top Areas of Care

Substance Use Disorders Body-focused Repetitive Behavior Trauma disorders Mood disorders Hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia BDSM/Kink-Affirming/Sex-positive Alcohol use disorder ADHD and Autism Neuroscience of Addiction PTSD/ C-PTSD Emotional regulation Panic disorders Personality disorders Adjustment disorders Perfectionism Shame and Guilt Anger and anger management Coping mechanisms Mind-body connection Goal setting and productivity Work-life balance Grief and loss Nightmares Identity issues De-escalation Boundaries Self Care Sensitivity to criticism Adolescent/teen issues Impulse control Conflict resolution Marital issues

Abandonment
Abuse (General)
ADD/ADHD
Addiction
Addiction (General)
Addiction and Substance Use
Adjusting to Change
Adjustment Disorders
Adulting (Young‑Adult Life Skills)
Aggression & Violence
Agoraphobia
Alcohol Use
Alcohol Use Disorder
Anger
Anger / Anger Management
Anger Management
Anxiety
Anxiety (General & Death Anxiety)
Asperger’s Syndrome
Assertiveness
Attachment Issues
Atypical Personalities
Autism
Autism / Asperger’s / Spectrum
BDSM / Kink‑Affirming / Sex‑Positive
Behavioral Issues
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder / Patterns
Bisexual
Body Image
Body Image Issues
Body Positivity / Neutrality / Acceptance
Body‑Focused Repetitive Behavior
Borderline Personality (BPD)
Borderline Personality Disorder
Burnout
Cannabis Use
Career Transitions
Career-Related Stress
Caregivers
Caregivers & Caregiver Stress
Child-Free & Childless People
Children of Parents with Addiction
Chronic Illness
Chronic Illness & Pain
Chronic Impulsivity
Chronic Pain
Chronic Relapse
Climate Anxiety
Codependency
Cognitive Communication
Commitment Issues
Commitment Obstacles
Communication Issues (Couples & General)
Community, Diversity & Social Justice
Community-Based Trauma (e.g., cults, exile)
Complex Trauma / C‑PTSD
Compulsive Behavior
Compulsive Shopping / Spending
Conflict Resolution
Coping Mechanisms / Coping Skills
Coping Skills
Couples Communication Skill‑Building
Cults & Cult Survivors
Dating
Dating Issues
De‑Gaslighting & Boundary Setting
Depression
Developmental & Attachment Trauma
Developmental Disorders
Divorce
Divorce / Separation / Discernment Counseling
Domestic Abuse
Domestic Violence
Dread
Drug / Substance Use
Drug Abuse
Dual Diagnosis
Emotion Regulation (overwhelm, shutdown, expression)
Emotional Disturbance
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Overwhelm / Flooding
Emotional Shutdown / Expression
Ex-cult Support
Existential Crisis & Meaning
Existential Crisis or Transition
Family Conflict
Family Conflict & Family Systems
Family Dynamics
Fear
Fear of Failure
First Responders
Forgiveness
Gambling Addiction
Gambling/Crypto Addiction
Gamers & Gaming Culture
Gaslighting
Gender Identity
Gifted / Twice Exceptional
Goal-Setting
Goal‑Setting & Productivity
Grief
Grief & Loss
Grief and Bereavement
Habit Reversal (hair‑pulling, skin‑picking, etc.)
Hallucinations / Hearing Voices
Harassment
Highly Sensitive Person
Hoarding
Houseless / Unhoused People & Displacement
Hyper‑Sexuality / Sexual Compulsivity
Identity Issues
Identity Issues & Self‑Exploration
Immigration / Acculturation Concerns
Imposter Syndrome
Impulse Control Disorders
Incarceration & Re‑Entry
Indecision
Infidelity / Affair Recovery
Inner Critic / Superego / Self‑Persecutory Issues
Internet / Gaming / Social‑Media Dependence
Internet Addiction
Intimacy
Intrusive Thoughts
Irritability
Isolation / Loneliness
Jealousy & Rejection
Lesbian
LGBTQ+
LGBTQIA-Related Stress
Life / Wellness / Productivity Coaching
Life Purpose
Life Transitions
Loneliness
Maladaptive Personality Patterns
Marital & Premarital
Marital & Premarital Concerns
Meditation & Mindfulness (practice)
Medical Professionals’ Mental Health
Medical Trauma
Medical Trauma & Healing
Men’s Issues
Mid-Life Crisis
Midlife Stress / Crisis
Military / Service Members / Veterans
Mind‑Body Connection
Money & Finance Stress
Money-Related Stress
Mood
Mood Disorders
Mood Issues / Mood Disorders (General)
Narcissistic Personality (NPD)
Nerd & Gaming Culture
Neurodivergence (general)
Neurodivergence (ASD, HSP, dyslexia, etc.)
Non-Traditional Romantic Stress
Obsessive Thoughts & Behavior (OCD‑related)
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Open Relationships & Non‑Monogamy
Open Relationships / Non-Monogamy
Panic Attacks / Panic Disorder
Paranoia & Delusions
Parenting
Peer Relationships
Perfectionism
Performance Anxiety
Personality Disorders
Polyamory & Alternative Relationships
Positive Psychology & Strength‑Based Approaches
Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Power Dynamics (Relationships with power differentials)
Procrastination
Psychosis
Psychotic Disorders
PTSD / Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder
Quarter-Life Crisis
Racism, Oppression & Discrimination
Recently Moved
Relationship Issues
Relationships (General)
Religious Issues (faith‑related struggles)
Retirement & Later‑Life Adjustment
Romantic Life
School Issues
Schizophrenia Spectrum
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self Esteem
Self‑Actualization
Self‑Care
Self‑Compassion
Self‑Criticism
Self‑Doubt
Self-Harming
Self-Reflection
Sense of Meaninglessness
Sex Addiction
Sex Therapy
Sex-Positive, Kink Allied
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse / Assault
Sexual Addiction
Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual Fear or Addiction
Sexual Identity
Shame & Guilt
Shame, Self‑Esteem & Insecurity
Sibling-Related Stress
Skills Groups
Skin Picking / Excoriation
Sleep or Insomnia
Social Anxiety
Stalking / Cyber‑Stalking
Stress
Stress (general & work‑related)
Substance Use
Substance-Related & Addictive
Suicidal Feelings
Thinking Disorders
Thought Disorders
Transgender
Trauma
Trauma and PTSD
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania / Body-Focused Repetitive Disease
Values Clarification
Veterans
Voices, Visions, or Perceptual Disturbances
Vulnerability
Women’s Issues
Work Stress & Work–Life Balance
Worthlessness
Young Adult / Early‑Career Issues
Young Adulthood

Q & A

a cisgender, white, queer woman. I am neurodivergent and I would say I’m quite a goofy, nerdy person. I am Colorado born and raised and have a deep love for the natural beauty of our great state. I love my family, the mountains, dogs, history, plants, and understanding how things work.

in my mind there is no problem too small or big for therapy. Some of us may feel like life has been a never ending string of difficulties, and some of us have suddenly faced an obstacle that’s too tough to conquer alone. Put simply, in our best times therapy is a place to maintain our wellbeing and work towards an even better life. In our worst times, therapy can be the anchor that keeps us grounded and functioning. Life is far too complicated to live without support, and I think the right therapist can facilitate improved outcomes for everyone, no matter where they are at.

Yes! I have been in therapy for years – even professionals need support!

It depends. I know this is the most therapist answer ever but let me explain: some people want to cut some or all substances from their lives permanently. Some people want to change their relationship with substance use. Some people want to change nothing. Some people aren’t sure what they want to do. My job as a therapist is not to determine what’s best for you, it’s to help you find your goals and work towards them in a way that is sustainable and meaningful to YOU.

ENFP-T

Spending time in the sun near trees and water

Cozying up to watch documentaries

Dinner parties with family and friends

Act thoughtfully rather than on emotions or impulse

Get through the day without a drink

Learn to accept, and even love, rejected parts

Challenge ineffective and painful thinking

Find space from intrusive thoughts

BACKGROUND & IDENTITY

Neurodivergent Queer

As a kid I knew I wanted to change the world. It didn’t take long to realize how hard it is for one person to do that.

I have always been fascinated by people, problems, and solutions. The world I grew up in dismissed mental health issues as dramatics, shortcomings, laziness, and a problem to be rid of rather than addressed. I watched myself and others struggle with mental health issues while feeling invalid and hopeless. I saw a world with so many people suffering without feeling like help or improvements were an option.

I became a therapist as a way to utilize my own personality, knowledge, and skills to help the world become a brighter, more effective, and better place. Today I recognize the world as a subjective concept, with each person having their own world. Now, my goal is to change the world for as many people as possible.

I recognize myself as someone of privilege, privilege that has given me the opportunity to pursue this career and other passions in life. My goal as a therapist is to utilize the benefits of my education and clinical expertise to uplift others and help set ourselves and our communities up for greater success than previous generations.

I work toward a world where everyone receives not the “privilege”, but the right to health, both physically and mentally.

My neurodivergence has played a significant role in my life as both a gift and a perceived barrier. It has often been categorized as a disability, yet I hope to help people employ neurodivergence not as a deficit but as a difference in how each person functions best.

We may not share the same life experiences, but these differences provide unique perspectives that we can use to forge a path that fits your individual circumstances.

Virgo Aries Virgo

COMMUNITY & CULTURE

LGBTQIA+ Neurodivergent Persons Emerging Adulthood Adults in Mid-Life Sex and Kink Positive

Anyone and everyone who walks through my (virtual) door

A priority in therapy with me is making sure that you, the client, are in the driver’s seat. I seek a process where we work together to decide where to go and how to best get there. I aim to create an environment where you feel safe to say no, set the pace, and take on challenges when you’re ready.

I foster an environment where you are in control where you can learn the skills needed to approach trauma and the symptoms that can manifest across many areas of life. Trauma rewires the brain to perceive the world differently, and addressing this requires careful consideration of the factors specific to each person. I work to help people with trauma re-center, find themselves, and retake ownership of their life experience.

LGBTQIA+
BIPOC
Neurodivergent persons
Emerging Adulthood
Adults in Mid-Life
Couples
Families
Kink and BDSM communities
Life Transitions
People living with psychotic symptoms
Gender non-conforming
Transgender and gender-diverse people
Adolescents
Kink Positive
Sex positive

EDUCATION/TRAINING

My work as a therapist has largely taken place in a psychiatric hospital working in both inpatient and intensive outpatient. Inpatient treatment is 24 hour care for short periods of acute stabilization, about 3-10 days. Intensive outpatient is a group therapy treatment meeting for 3 hours on 3 days each week, for 4-12 weeks. As a result I’m familiar with high intensity issues, crisis prevention, safety planning, and working with a team to provide integrative and complete care to people. This experience has also led me to be comfortable and effective with a diverse set of clients facing a broad range of issues from anxiety to psychosis.

One of the most important lessons I learned from working in these settings was how critical it is for problems to be addressed at the lowest possible level of care to minimize the monetary, physical, emotional, and time commitments needed for treatment. I believe consistent outpatient therapy is a key to keeping people stable and happy.

Masters of Addiction Counseling, Colorado State University

Bachelor of Science in Psychology: Addictions Counseling and Clinical/Counseling Psychology – Colorado State University

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology: Criminology and Criminal Justice – Colorado State University

Addictions Counselor Candidate (ADDC) – Colorado

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) – Colorado

I began at a residential treatment program for youth involved in the departments of Human Services and Youth Services in Colorado while I was an undergraduate intern in 2021. After almost a year there, I changed gears and took a job as a mental health technician at a psychiatric hospital, where I would work for the next 2.5 years. I was soon transferred into the utilization review department, where I argued insurance denials on behalf of patients. From January of 2024, I worked as a therapist on the inpatient units for my graduate internship. When I graduated in August and obtained my ADDC, I was hired on as a therapist. After another 8 months, I was off to the hospital’s intensive outpatient program as the primary therapist for adults and adolescents. I worked with Colorado State University to develop and run a Substance Use Services sector of the Psychological Services Center in 2023 and 2024. We provided free and low cost services to adolescents and adults in the community. This position expired when I graduated in August 2024. When the hospital unexpectedly shut down due to funding issues early in 2025, I felt it was the right time for me to transition to traditional outpatient care.

College Education:

Masters of Addiction Counseling, Colorado State University
Bachelor of Science in Psychology: Addictions Counseling and Clinical/Counseling Psychology – Colorado State University
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology: Criminology and Criminal Justice – Colorado State University

Credentials:

Addictions Counselor Candidate (ADDC) – Colorado
Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) – Colorado

PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS AND PROJECTS

These are some topics that I think are interesting for treatment and/or research:

Trauma-Informed Care Neurofeedback Kink/BDSM wellness Sex positivity Non-traditional relationships Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy

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Take care of a pet bird by completing your tasks!

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