Pronouns: they/them/theirs or she/her/hers
Identities: nonbinary femme, queer, atheist, relationship expansive, Sephardic, white
Language(s) Spoken: English
Phone: 303-504-3896
Address: 1610 N. Emerson Street, Denver, Colorado
Instagram: @emersonstreetmhcd
LinkedIn: Mandy Simmons, PsyD
Get to know Mandy Simmons, PsyD:
I am a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in the Denver Metropolitan area. I provide services to historically underserved and marginalized folx in an outpatient community mental health setting. My other specializations include transdiagnostic treatment using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive and related disorders.
What does affirmative psychotherapy mean to me?
In order to provide treatment that honors the people we serve, clinicians must be willing to embrace the lenses through which our queer and genderqueer clients view the world and the systems in which they are located. Affirmation means acknowledging, naming, and valuing identities and intersectionality, while working to reduce systemic barriers alongside the people we serve.
What populations do I work with?
What is my level of expertise (friendly, knowledgeable, expert) for each of those populations? I have specialized in working with LGBTQIA2S+ from early adolescence to young and adulthood. I am reluctant to attribute expertise to my current skills as I believe competence is a journey rather than a destination, so I am always learning and striving to be a better clinician, with the hope that the people I serve will not be in a position of having to teach me.
What is my approach to healing?
I believe that people are the experts in their own experiences. My strategy is to come alongside people to learn what is and what is not working for them and collaborate on finding a life that is more workable and valuable to them. While the strategies I use are all drawn from evidence-based modalities, I recognize that these strategies emerged from research that was not conducted with diverse populations, so my approach is to always tailor intervention to the unique needs and experiences of the person in front of me.
What issues am I most skilled at addressing as a mental health professional?
I am most passionate about providing care for people struggling with severe and persistent mental illness, as well as those who have survived a traumatic event, especially for individuals from marginalized and underserved populations. I have specialized training in the treatment of stress, anxiety, obsessive compulsive and related disorders, including bodily focused repetitive behaviors.