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LPC

Elizabeth McKinley, LPC

  • Experience27 years
  • LocationColorado
  • Focus areasFamily, Trauma and abuse, and Bipolar
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Client-Centered Therapy
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About Elizabeth

Elizabeth McKinley is a licensed professional counselor based in Colorado who brings 27 years of clinical experience to her work. She utilizes Internal Family Systems alongside client-centered and cognitive behavioral approaches to help people navigate depression, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, and complex family dynamics.

Background and approach

Her practice emphasizes building resilience, strengthening self-worth, and clarifying values so clients can make clearer choices during difficult transitions. McKinley offers thoughtful support for those coping with grief, stress, anxiety, compassion fatigue, and relationship struggles, as well as specific concerns such as abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, caregiver stress, and dissociation.

Her background includes extensive work with mood disorders and interpersonal patterns, and she draws on evidence-informed techniques to foster emotional insight and practical coping skills. Sessions are tailored to each person’s story, with attention to how past experiences shape current functioning while also identifying concrete steps toward healthier routines and relationships.

Professional and compassionate, McKinley aims to create a collaborative space where clients examine patterns, test new strategies, and move toward greater self-understanding and purpose. She communicates in English and provides a range of remote session formats to fit differing schedules and needs.

Integrating therapeutic approaches with online care

Internal Family Systems helps clients understand and relate to different parts of themselves, fostering compassion for internal conflict and offering a way to address trauma, self-criticism, and complex emotional patterns. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathetic listening and collaboration, creating space for a person to explore values, identity, and meaning while feeling heard. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides practical tools to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, stress, and coping during life changes.

Choosing the right approach is often a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to assess goals, preferences, and presenting concerns, combining methods as needed and adjusting interventions over time to find what fits best for their situation.

Online therapy makes these approaches accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for those with busy schedules or mobility constraints. Remote sessions can support consistent progress by making it easier to attend regularly, try new strategies between meetings, and fold therapeutic work into day-to-day life without lengthy commutes.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly address?
She works with depression, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, relationship difficulties, grief, parenting challenges, stress and anxiety, compassion fatigue, and related family issues such as abandonment or blended family dynamics.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
The approach blends Internal Family Systems with client-centered listening and cognitive behavioral techniques to combine insight-focused work with practical skill building tailored to each person's needs.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has 27 years of experience working with mood disorders, trauma recovery, and interpersonal dynamics, bringing long-term clinical practice to complex emotional and family concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds the LPC credential with licence CO LPC LPC.0016009 and practices from Colorado.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Services are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available for online work?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started with therapy?
To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Family conflictsTrauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGriefParenting issuesSelf esteemCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

27+ years

Licensed

Colorado

Languages

English