Dr. Beth Firestein

One of my areas of special interest is helping adults with the issues associated with aging. Some of these issues are physical, due to illness or decreasing strength and ability, others are psychological and emotional. As we age, it can be difficult to deal with the change in our roles within the family. Often, friends, siblings or spouses die and this, too, is hard to cope with.

I specialize in helping older adults navigate the challenges of aging and accompanying changes in family relationships. I also help family members who are becoming responsible for older members of their family. My primary focus is working with moderate to high-functioning ambulatory elders.

I accept Medicare and Medicare supplement insurance policies and will bill on behalf of Medicare clients.

I have extensive experience working with victims of trauma and I am skilled in a variety of therapeutic approaches to trauma recovery. Victims of trauma are not at fault for the traumas they have gone through, but remaining in a victim role in not helpful or healthy for recovery.

I help victims of trauma take back the power to control their own lives, make healthy choices, and heal emotionally and psychologically. I have worked extensively with individuals traumatized by injuries, accidents, physical, emotional and sexual abuse, sexual assault, the suicide of a loved one, life-threatening illnesses and situations, and other traumatic events.

I use a variety of techniques to help people move from being victims to being survivors and even to levels of thriving in their lives. Insight oriented approaches, working through difficult emotions, putting events into solvable perspectives, and cognitive and behavioral approaches to trauma recovery are all methods I use to help people. I am also an Level II trained EMDR therapist.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a remarkable effective approach to trauma desensitization and recovery. EMDR is a non-invasive, effective method of utilizing rhythmic bilateral stimulation of the left and right hemispheres of the brain to facilitate the brain’s own healing abilities. EMDR facilitates the “reprocessing” of traumatic information held in memory which is reworked in ways that reduce the symptoms and emotional distress associated with trauma. Please call if you would like more information.

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals are one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized groups of people in society. Being different from the heterosexual mainstream is frequently equated with being “deviant” or psychologically disturbed. Research has shown that the greatest difference between LGB individuals and heterosexual individuals is in how they are treated by society. Fortunately, this is changing and GLBT people are no longer viewed as mentally disordered by the field of psychology; rather they are seen as multi-dimensional, fully-functioning people with strengths and talents that contribute significantly to the larger society.

I have over 20 years of experience working with bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgendered individuals, couples and their families. I have done research, written books, chapters and journal articles on counseling bisexual, transgendered and queer clients, and have presented extensively to students, therapists and lay audiences on many aspects of GLBT culture, identity, and social activism. I use a model of self-acceptance, identity integration, pride, self-empowerment and building community to enhance the lives of bisexual women and men, gay men, lesbians and other queer-identified individuals.

For additional information please follow this link.

Women’s lives have been shaped by a number of social, legal, cultural, and economic factors specifically related to the fact of being women. Historically, women have been economically dependent on men and denied equal educational and career opportunities. This has changed significantly in the past 50 years, but challenges remain.

I have concentrated a great deal of my professional attention on understanding women’s concerns at many different life stages. Women are an incredibly diverse group. Some embrace traditional definitions of womanhood while others redefine what it means to be a woman in radical ways. I assist women in understanding their lives and realizing the choices that are available to them in today’s society. I also assist them in overcoming depression, trauma and other issues that affect their mental health and their lives.

Common issues women present include:

• Self-Esteem
• Depression and Anxiety
• Family issues
• Marriage and relationship issues
• Body Image and Eating Disorders
• Mid-Life Transitions
• Life purpose and direction
• Parenting
• Separation and Divorce
• Caring for aging parents
• Non-traditional Gender Roles
• Breaking abuse patterns
• Unlocking Creativity
• Spirituality
• Self-acceptance
• Menopause

Over the past 14 years I have had the opportunity to work extensively with people who have non-conforming gender identities. Gender identity differs from sexual orientation. Gender identity has to do with one’s fundamental, internal sense of whether one is female, male, bi-gendered, or non-gendered. Transgender is a broadly applicable word applying to cross-dressers, transgender and transsexual individuals, intersexed individuals and others who live in non-conforming gender roles.

Individuals seek counseling and therapy at many different stages of their gender journey. Some individuals come to therapy to explore feelings of being “different” that may have to do with their sense of gender. Other people come to therapy knowing that they are transgendered but struggling with self-hatred or non-acceptance from loved ones. Many are seeking to find a safe place to express their thoughts and feelings and make decisions for their own personal future.

I work respectfully and confidentially with individuals everywhere along the gender spectrum. My approach is non-judgmental and non-directive. I do not tell people what gender they should identify as nor what path to take in expressing their gender. I see my role as providing information, education, support and providing clients with the options available to them in living their lives in more authentic and fulfilling ways.

I also help individuals with coming out to family members and friends, overcoming internalized trans-negativity, accessing support systems and community, and understanding all that is required and involved for accomplishing gender transition, if they choose this path. Transition steps involve assessment, counseling, hormonal therapy, and surgical interventions, if desired. My approach operates in strong accordance with the WPATH Standards of Care for treatment of transgender and transsexual individuals desiring to transition.

I also facilitate the Northern Colorado Gender Support Group, that meets once a month at my office in Loveland. I have been facilitating this group for the past 14 years. The group provides a safe and confidential space to explore gender related concerns and relate in ways that are authentic and comfortable for members that may have few places to connect with other like themselves. Please call for more information and check out these links to additional resources.

We live in a society that equates difference with pathology. Single parent households, career women, and masturbation have all been viewed as psychologically unhealthy at various times in the not-so-distant past. Today, the majority of society still embraces conventional lifestyles involving marriage, monogamy, having children, and occupying traditional roles in society. Sexuality is defined more broadly than in the past, but is still restricted to relatively few sanctioned forms of expression.

Many people I work with do not fit into this mold. Over time, I have developed a deep understanding of the many alternative lifestyles people may choose to live. Consensual polyamorous relationships, expanded families, same-sex partnerships with or without having children, and kink/BDSM lifestyles are some of the variations I see among people in my counseling practice.

My approach to working with individuals in alternative lifestyles is to address their presenting concerns (which may be depression, parenting, relationship or self-esteem issues) without pathologizing their life style. I seek to help individuals and couples/expanded family networks determine what is and isn’t working for them within their lifestyle and how to make changes that allow them to have healthier and more satisfying relationships.

I do not support non-consensual, abusive or unethical relationships. I report child sexual abuse and do not condone adult-child sexual relationships.

I am available to provide individual consultation to other professionals on a fee-for-service basis. I can also provide consultation to groups of therapists. Services provided include assistance with clinical assessment, case conceptualization and interventions.

I also provide consultation on the considerations involved in deciding whether EMDR is an appropriate therapy technique with particular clients.

A large portion of the consultation services I provide apply to my specialties. I have done extensive consultation with a variety of medical practitioners, mental health professionals, and organizations/corporations in understanding and working with gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender/transsexual individuals and employees.

Please call Dr. Beth Firestein for additional information.