Natalie Wittstruck, MA, LMFT
– Therapist –
About Me
I grew up in Southern California, and my childhood was spent riding horses on thousands of acres of trails while listening to my Walkman play a cassette tape with my favorite radio songs. Then, when I was 22 years old, I moved to Germany for six months, and loved every second of living abroad.
I eventually settled down in Colorado in 2004, and I now have a son who inspires me to be the best version of myself that I can be.
When I am not working, I spend time with my son and our dog. I feel my best when I am outdoors in warm weather, so I love to go on walks and ride horses. Though I’m not a professional photographer, I really enjoy taking pictures as well.
“Each experience in life adds tools to your toolbox. Every thing I’ve been through, both positive and negative, has shaped me to be the person I worked so hard to become.”
My Background
First, I earned my Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts at Moorpark College, in Moorpark, CA. After moving to Colorado, I earned my BS in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, in Lone Tree, and then completed my MA in Marriage & Family Therapy from Regis University, in Denver.
My past has been… colorful. Adversity has heightened my level of empathy and ability to connect with others, and I am truly a better person because of what I’ve been through.
I started out working in Telecommunications, but soon realized that my calling was to become a Marriage & Family Therapist; I thrive on empowering people to grapple with their struggles and pain to become their best selves, grow, and be able to enjoy life.
My Approach
To me, therapy is a venue for opportunity to learn about and discover oneself, learn how to create more meaningful relationships, and can bring about life-changing perspective shifts.
In order to achieve this, I use a variety of modalities in session and tailor treatment to the take the most effective approach for each unique client. I tend to use a lot of different and creative CBT or Experiential Therapy exercises to my sessions to keep it fun and interesting, as well.
I work to find the balance between meeting my clients where they are at, while also challenging my clients to step out of their comfort zones and take actions towards growth. A strong therapeutic relationship is a vital piece of this, and I genuinely love seeing my clients blossom throughout the therapeutic process.
I use a Strengths-based approach to build upon the skills you already have, while also developing new skills to add to your toolbelt. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are two examples of the evidence-based methods that I use most often in therapy sessions, but will always customize treatment to be relevant to your goals.
“Therapy helps create positive change. I believe in the ripple effect and that each client I work with will have an impact on their circle of friends and family, and so on.”