NCC's Clinical Supervisor Team
At Northern Colorado Counseling, we believe in mentoring and supporting clinician's of the future. We understand the vulnerability of entering the world as a new therapist, as well as the trust, that you, our clients are placing in your therapist to help and guide you to a healthier place of being. We hold ourselves and our team to high standards, and thus each of our clinical supervisors has completed a 45-hour course in clinical supervision. To learn more about each of our supervisors, you can check out their bios below!
Ariel Friese, MC, LPC, ACS
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Is it dramatic to say that all the steps I have taken in my career have been leading me here? Because that's truly how it feels. It's taken me 15 years, but I think I've arrived? I've worked in the field of mental health since I graduated with my Masters of Counseling in 2007. My path has taken me from a post-masters training program in DBT and CBT, to non-profit mental health education, inpatient hospital experience and suicide prevention research. I have always loved participating in and providing presentations, as well as the opportunity to create connections and relationships in my local community. I developed a website called The Therapist Toolbox to bring together therapists to share their favorite interventions in brief video clips. Ultimately I found my way back to one-on-one therapy, providing clinical supervision.
I realized I incorporated certain values of mine into my business - access to care, education & collaboration. But some others were being neglected - the values of creativity and the ability to pay forward what I had been gifted by so many generous colleagues, in the form of clinical and business resources. I had two rounds in private practice - one in Denver for 5 years in self-pay private practice, and one now in Northern Colorado as an insurance-based group practice. I think I've grown a lot, failed even more, and feel ready to share what I have learned along the way with the next generation of therapists.
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Clinically I approach my work with clients through an EMDR and trauma-informed lens. I infuse parts work, ACT and DBT. I approach supervision with a supportive and encouraging style. And when it comes to training, learning and education, I can't get enough. I have found our therapist community to be generous and easy to approach. And it was still scary to launch a private practice (twice) and navigate business laws, tax laws, website creation, documentation requirements, the list goes on. It's time we have a local program that teaches us how to run a business and grow clinically. So that's why I'm here and you're reading this really long, potentially boring, introduction to myself. I hold a lot of hope and excitement for this program and I am excited to meet those of you that feel similarly.
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Ariel Friese, MC, LPC, ACS
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I have been a licensed psychologist for more than 10 years now, and am the owner of Winds of Change Counseling. If you'd asked me at the start of my career if I would ever work in or own a private practice my answer was always "hell no!" I didn't want to work in isolation, which is how I pictured private practice. Fast forward 10+ years, and now I am eating my words- not only do I have my own private practice, but I love it! My journey here was long and winding, and has taught me a lot. Before opening Winds of Change in early 2022, I worked in various positions, including (but not limited to!) partial hospital/intensive outpatient program, community mental health, and as a therapist in a large-scale group private practice (where I eventually worked my way into management). These very different experiences have given me a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to both setting up and running a private practice.
While a good portion of my clinical time is spent with clients, I also have a strong passion for mentoring therapists and providing clinical supervision. During my own training I experienced the impact of having some great clinical supervisors, as well as how harmful it can be to have bad ones. This dichotomy of experiences is a large part of what motivates me to continue learning and growing as a supervisor myself, so that I ensure that I am bringing my very best self to the supervisory relationship, and can give the clinicians I supervise the best foundation for a long and successful career. I have been a clinical supervisor for more than 5 years now, and I am certified as an Advanced Clinical Supervisor through the Center for Credentialing & Education. In addition to providing clinical supervision through my own practice, I have also partnered with Northern Colorado Counseling’s Apprenticeship Program to provide clinical supervision since the program started in 2023. Starting in this career can be scary and stressful, and I strive to provide a safe space for newer clinicians to build their confidence, learn and grow into their full potential as they step out of the school setting and into full-time clinical work.
Clinically, I work with (and supervise work with) individuals 16 and up, and while I draw from many modalities of practice in my work (including CBT, DBT and EMDR), my primary lens is from a harm reduction perspective. Harm reduction originated in substance use work, but I have expanded that framework to use this client-centered approach for maladaptive behaviors as well (such as self-harm). Harm reduction is a collaborative approach between client and therapist that incorporates the belief that the client is the expert, abstinence is one solution to drug and alcohol misuse but not the only solution, and client and therapist work together to find a healthy path to meet their goals. I also have experience with moderation management for alcohol use, and enjoy working with clients who recognize their drinking patterns are not healthy, and who want to learn to have a healthier relationship with alcohol.
In addition to my training and experience with complex substance use cases, I also have experience and a passion for working with clients struggling with chronic pain and/or chronic illnesses (including HIV and AIDS), LGBTQ+ populations (including trans individuals), perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
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Monica Garcia,Psy.D., LP, ACS
Rachel Weeks, MA, LPC, NCC
Pronouns: She/her/hers
As I have ventured through my journey in this world, my heart space has been a consistent anchor, leading me to the field of mental health. I have been with Northern Colorado Counseling since 2022 and graduated with my masters that same year. My heart has craved expansiveness from the moment I started graduate school. I knew solely clinical work was not where I was meant to land. A gentle inner knowing led me to the path of Somatic Experiencing, additional training, administrative roles, supervision, networking, personal therapy, and a sustained curiosity.
I started my clinical journey with Northern Colorado Counseling and believe the support, guidance, and teaching I have received solidified my decision to pursue supervision training. The capacity to grow clinically resides in the compassionate support of your supervisor and colleagues. The depth of which my passion to support the next generation of therapists derives from my struggles to find myself, build confidence, and trust my inner knowing. The gift of Somatic Experiencing has provided a landscape to support internal expansion professionally and personally. I share this gift with you.
I approach my clinical work through a nervous system lens, highlighting the interconnectedness of the Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Mindfulness, and Parts Work. My intention is to approach supervision with a growth mindset rooted in love, kindness, and compassion. My nervous system’s capacity to yours, here to provide a quality of safe holding for supervisees to explore their therapeutic landscape, understand their nervous systems, and
embody their light.
Rachel Weeks, MA, LPC, NCC