Wilding Therapy-Counseling Services for Women

* website is under construction and will officially launch in 3 weeks

Wilding Therapy is a trauma-focused, nature-based therapy clinic aimed to address the needs of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder and other difficulties related to trauma. WT’s mission is to systematically connect clients with their natural environment, facilitate the development of long-term relationships with the outdoors, and provide an inclusive space to heal. WT will fully open in December 2022 to the community, offering person-centered therapy at a flexible and affordable price. WT will implement a sliding scale fee, which offers clients access to services at an affordable rate for individual financial situations, offering scholarships to offset treatment costs. In a time when mental health services are in such high demand, clinics like WT must exist for clients as they navigate improving their lives at a cost that makes therapy accessible. 

I am in my final semester at Prescott College’s Masters in Counseling program, where I have focused on Somatic and Nature-Based therapy. I will be opening up a private practice, Wilding Therapy, after my program in December 2022. My journey to becoming a Professional Mental Health Counselor came to fruition while running in the mountains with a friend who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community. As we completed our time together, we discussed the importance of being outside. It provides a unique opportunity to come exactly as you are, offering inclusivity and a safe space to heal. This conversation and the 30 years I have spent living in and exploring the beautiful state of Colorado motivated me to pursue my dreams of bridging therapy with nature; to find a way to serve my community through human connection, nature, and the power of self-development. As a result, WT came to life. 

This funding will support the general operation of Wilding Therapy (WT), specifically covering a portion of the client payment and clinical supervision. 

WT will utilize a sliding scale fee system, allowing in what clients pay for services based on their income. A typical therapy session will cost $150/hour. If clients are financially able, this will be the total cost that is paid for the service; however, if clients cannot cover the total, they will only have the option to pay a portion. For example, if a client can only cover $50/session, grant funding would help to protect the remaining $25 for three months. Funding from IFW will provide support for up to $25/session for a total of 10 clients during the first six months (16 sessions) of business, equating to a total of $4,000. This is critical as it will contribute to starting costs for those clients who otherwise would not be able to cover the total cost of services.

Further, this grant funding will help support clinical supervision, another cost of WT. Like other states, Colorado requires licensure-candidates in Counseling to obtain 2,000 clinically-supervised hours of work post-master's degree within 24 months before applying for a Licensed Professional Counselor. This process entails meeting with a Clinical Supervisor for one hour four times a month, which costs $560/month. As WT becomes a more sustainable business, it will be critical to have financial support with this cost, and as such, I am requesting IFW to help cover 30% of the total cost for six months of business, equating to $1,000. 

The mental health crisis in America has grown over the years, especially since the beginning of COVID-19. Barriers to care, including affordability, accessibility, and workforce shortages, have impacted all individuals needing mental health services, though those most affected are in marginalized communities. WT was developed to be a much-needed resource for my Colorado community while combating barriers to care. WT is unique because I will offer clients a sliding scale, which provides a cost range that moves depending on individual income. As a result, as I continue to grow WT through an increased client caseload, I will be able to charge competitive rates and keep my therapy practice afloat by working with a wide range of clients. I am excited to continue developing my small business, creating a space to let clients come as they are, facilitating opportunities to connect with the outdoors, and healing through connection and accessibility. 

In 2019, approximately 50 million Americans (20%) were living with a mental illness, which has only increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (Mental Health America, 2022). In 2021, over 5.4 million people took a mental health screen, a nearly 500% increase over the number of people who completed a screening in 2019 and a 103% increase over 2020. The pandemic also impacted the mental health workforce shortage, with Colorado as one of the most impacted (Rural Health Information Hub, 2021). My mission with Wilding Therapy is to combat these barriers to care by offering therapeutic services to those in my community regardless of one’s ability to pay the standard therapy rate ($200/session). Providing therapy to all clients despite their financial situation through a sliding scale payment system increases accessibility for therapeutic options for those in need of service. I have two developed two specific goals for WT in its first six months of launch that funding from IFW will support:

Goal 1: Grow caseload to 15 clients. Although my caseload will exceed 15 clients total, the first six months of business will be dedicated to outreach and marketing, serving current clients, and building a more sustainable model. Hello, Alice will support this goal by filling in the gap for the sliding scale fee system, covering $50/session up to eight sessions for ten clients, which will help WT work with all clients and fulfill its overall mission of affordability and accessibility.  

Goal 2: Complete 24 clinical supervision hours within the first six months of business. Although ultimately, I will need to complete 2,000 hours at $100/hour. A portion of Hello Alice grant funds will contribute to these hours, covering 30%. This will allow me to continue working towards licensure while ensuring clients have affordable care. 

Wilding Therapy’s (WT) mission is to serve communities in Colorado through nature-based psychotherapy services. Services are open to all individuals, though an emphasis will be put on supporting under-resourced and under-served groups such as those who are low-income, are people of color, or identify as LGBTQIA+. Furthermore, WT will work closely with community partners to offer enhanced therapeutic opportunities and be a liaison between clients and other resources the community has to offer. For example, as WT grows, I intend to work with local schools to collaborate on education opportunities for students to learn about various topics within mental health. This will provide an opportunity to build connections with youth in an accessible way and to be a resource for those in need. WT plans to coordinate with local farms and open spaces to conduct group therapy. Finally, I have worked at People House. This non-profit inclusive organization has provided therapeutic services to marginalized groups over the past eight months and will continue to act as an adjunct therapist as I build WT. Specifically, People’s House will refer clients to my practice and collaborate on one group counseling period once per year. This partnership will not only benefit the development of WT. Still, it will allow the opportunity to stay connected to the community and connect clients to external resources for more holistic care, as needed.
I look forward to joining the services of WT in my community to be a resource, provide services, and build connections.  

I feel incredibly proud of the business I am starting, Wilding Therapy (WT). When I decided to open a private practice, I knew that it would entail a great deal of hard work, dedication, patience, and adaptability. As I finish my final semester and begin to step into WT full-time, I am beyond proud of the work that I have done. Of course, this cannot be stated without stating the pride that I feel with my clients as I walk side-by-side with them as they bravely heal their trauma and open their hearts and minds to new experiences in the outdoors. My ultimate goal has been and will continue to be to help people feel good in their skin, to ensure that everyone finds their wilding. With the establishment of clients I have worked with and who will follow me to WT, I am proud. Establishing trusting relationships with my current clients while permitting them to find themselves is a great accomplishment. Without a doubt, this has been my driving motivation for pursuing WT full-time and also my most significant achievement to date.