Ed Gibson
I'm a licensed addiction and mental health counselor that specializes in trauma- based addiction care. I offer depth- oriented therapy best suited for clients tired of repeating the same old patterns/ addictions, having some success only to fall back and are ready to do deeper inner healing work to make their changes last.
Allow Life to Feel More Alive!
While I strive to meet clients where they are at, I offer more somatic based parts work, helping clients to see how greater acceptance of our experience of emotions is actually more healing than trying to fix ourselves, getting rid of or avoiding uncomfortable emotions. Cultivating acceptance of our emotions, particularly uncomfortable ones, is what allows our minds to become more still instead of wreaking havoc in our lives.
First session
I usually keep the first session pretty laid back and easy going with the client, getting to know, get comfortable and build rapport with each other. Ideally, I will try to get an idea of someone's story and reasons for seeking treatment and understand at least 1 or 2 treatment goals that they would like to work with.
Strengths
My greatest strengths have to be my relationality with clients!! I'm a big believer that a client's success in therapy has more to do with the client- counselor relationship than the modality used. My next best strength would be my passion and ability in helping clients understand the psychological dynamics related to their suffering often adding humor in the midst of the deep work being done. My approach stands out, well, because it is unique to me. I offer what I refer to as Awareness Based Parts- Work, it follows a similar format to Internal Family Systems, but is more somatic or body- based. I believe in helping clients to have greater capacity for tolerating difficult emotions by helping client to be "unblended" or disidentified with emotions.
Ideal clients
Through my years as an addiction counselor, I have worked with clients of every race, background, income level, gender/ sexuality and political orientation. My ideal client is someone that is someone who has either been to therapy before or done a lot on their own with minimal success and is ready to heal core wounds of shame and unworthiness to find freedom from their addictive behaviors and in their life overall.
Treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I used a propriety modality I refer to as Awareness Based Parts Work that is similar in structure to Internal Family Systems and utilizes mindfulness to help client develop greater capacity for tolerating painful and uncomfortable emotions. Mindfulness can also lead to intellectual insight that can help clients heal from deeply entrenched identities and beliefs. Mindfulness is also a greater tool to help client develop their mental health like they might with their physical health.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Man
Spiritual but not religious
White
Top specialties
Addiction / Substance Use
Childhood / Intergenerational Trauma
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
Anxiety
Attachment Issues
Depression
Domestic Violence
Loneliness / Isolation
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Individual Therapy
Man
Non-binary
Teenagers (13 to 17)
Transgender
Woman
Doesn't specialize in
Family Therapy
Licensed in
ColoradoLicense LPC.0023939