Licensed to practice in 2 states and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Trauma and PTSD, Depression, Insomnia/Sleep Issues and 10 more.
(She/Her)
New to Grow
I’m Kristen Kelsey, Psy.D., a Clinical Psychologist based in Denver, Colorado area. I help adults navigate anxiety, depression, insomnia, and the lasting effects of trauma. My work is rooted in the belief that therapy is not just about reducing symptoms—it’s about helping you reconnect with the parts of yourself that stress, fear, or past experiences may have pushed into the background. In our work together, I’ll take a collaborative, grounded approach. You’ll bring your lived experience, your history, and your strengths; I’ll bring clinical expertise and a deep respect for the courage it takes to show up. Together, we’ll look at what’s getting in the way and build tools that will help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Our first session is a chance for you to share what’s happening in your world and what you hope will be different. From there, we’ll create a plan that fits you—not a template or formula, but something that reflects your needs, your pace, and your goals.
My practice is shaped by more than a decade of clinical experience, providing comprehensive outpatient mental health care, crisis intervention, psychological assessment, and evidence based therapies. I tailor these approaches to each person’s unique story. No two people experience anxiety, depression, or trauma in the same way, so therapy should adapt to you—not the other way around. I work intentionally to create an environment where you’ll feel comfortable, respected, and able to speak openly. I listen closely, offer honest and compassionate feedback when it’s helpful, and stay alongside you throughout the process—not as an authority telling you what to do, but as a partner in the work. I am deeply passionate about this field because seeking therapy is an act of courage. People who come to therapy are choosing to engage with the parts of life they can influence, rather than turning away or placing blame elsewhere. That willingness to face challenges directly is powerful—and it’s an honor to walk alongside you as you create a life that feels meaningful and fully your own.
My ideal client is an adult who feels ready to make real change, even if they're not sure exactly what that looks like yet. They might be dealing with persistent anxiety that makes it hard to relax or be present, depression that's drained their motivation and sense of purpose, or the lingering effects of a difficult or traumatic experience they haven't fully processed. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside — managing careers, relationships, and responsibilities — while quietly struggling underneath. I work particularly well with clients who want more than surface-level coping strategies. They're open to looking at patterns, willing to try new tools between sessions, and motivated to understand not just what they're feeling, but why. Some are veterans or first responders processing the weight of their service; others are simply adults who've hit a point where they want their life to feel less like something they're enduring and more like something they're actually living. Whether someone comes to me with a clear goal or just a sense that something needs to shift, I look for a genuine willingness to engage in the process — because that partnership is where the real work happens.
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) as a structured, short-term treatment for clients whose sleep difficulties are affecting their mood, energy, or overall functioning. Rather than relying on medication alone, we work together to identify the specific thoughts, habits, and behaviors that are keeping sleep disrupted — things like time spent lying awake in bed, irregular sleep schedules, or anxious thoughts about not sleeping that create a cycle of frustration and wakefulness. Sessions typically involve sleep restriction and stimulus control techniques to rebuild a strong association between bed and sleep, along with cognitive work to address unhelpful beliefs about sleep (for example, the fear that one bad night will ruin the next day). I also incorporate relaxation strategies and sleep hygiene education as needed, though I find the behavioral components tend to create the most meaningful change. Because insomnia so often overlaps with anxiety, depression, and trauma, I integrate CBT-I alongside treatment for those underlying concerns rather than treating sleep in isolation. Many clients see measurable improvement within just a few weeks, which often creates momentum for the rest of our work together.
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients build a different relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to eliminate or control them. Many clients come to therapy having spent years fighting their anxiety, low mood, or painful memories — and that struggle often makes things worse. In our work together, we focus on developing psychological flexibility: the ability to acknowledge difficult internal experiences without letting them dictate behavior. A central part of this work is clarifying what actually matters to the client — their values — and then identifying concrete, meaningful actions they can take in that direction, even when anxiety or low mood is present. I use mindfulness-based techniques to help clients notice and defuse from unhelpful thought patterns, rather than getting fused with them or treating them as absolute truth. This might look like practicing observing a thought as "just a thought" rather than a command to act, or learning to make room for discomfort in service of doing something that matters. ACT tends to resonate especially well with clients dealing with chronic or recurring struggles, where the goal isn't necessarily to eliminate symptoms entirely, but to build a rich, values-driven life alongside them. I've found it particularly effective for depression, where reconnecting with values and committed action can counter the withdrawal and avoidance that often maintain low mood.
I use Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) as a structured, evidence-based treatment for clients whose trauma has left them stuck in unhelpful beliefs about themselves, others, or the world — often referred to as "stuck points." These might include beliefs like "I should have done something differently" or "I can't trust anyone," which can keep someone locked in shame, guilt, or hypervigilance long after the traumatic event itself. Over the course of treatment, we examine these beliefs closely, using structured worksheets and Socratic questioning to help clients evaluate whether their thinking is accurate, helpful, or simply a natural response to an overwhelming experience. As clients begin to challenge and revise these stuck points, I typically see meaningful shifts not just in trauma symptoms, but in mood, self-worth, and relationships more broadly. CPT is highly structured and time-limited, which many clients appreciate — it gives them a clear sense of where treatment is headed and what progress looks like along the way.
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a foundational approach for helping clients understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors — and how shifting one can create meaningful change in the others. Many clients come in feeling stuck in patterns of anxious or negative thinking that feel automatic and true, without realizing those thoughts can be examined and challenged. In sessions, we identify specific thought patterns that are contributing to distress, such as catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, or persistent self-criticism, and work together to evaluate the evidence for and against them. This often pairs with behavioral strategies, like gradually approaching avoided situations or building in activities that counter withdrawal and low motivation, so clients aren't just thinking differently but also acting differently in their daily lives. CBT is structured and collaborative, often incorporating between-session practice so clients can apply what we discuss to real situations as they come up. I find it especially effective for anxiety and depression, giving clients practical tools they can continue to use well after treatment ends.
I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients build concrete skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships — particularly for clients who feel overwhelmed by the intensity or unpredictability of their emotional experiences. DBT balances acceptance and change, helping clients validate their current experience while also working toward meaningful behavioral shifts. In practice, this often means teaching skills across four core areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. We work together to identify which skills are most relevant to a client's specific struggles, whether that's managing conflict in relationships, reducing impulsive reactions, or building tolerance for difficult emotions without resorting to avoidance or harmful coping. I've found DBT especially effective for clients whose emotional intensity has made it difficult to maintain stability in relationships or daily functioning, giving them practical tools they can rely on well beyond our sessions together.