Certifications and background
Since 2000, Colleen Torrence has been recognized by the state of Alaska as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She is also a Type C Certified School Counselor, a certification she received in 1997. Colleen is also a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP). Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a somatic therapy that assists an individual in a “bottom-up” (body-first) approach to acknowledge and work through traumatic experiences within one’s nervous system.
On top of these important professional credentials, Colleen brings understanding and compassion into every session. She provides counseling related to trauma, abuse, depression, grief, anxiety, parent-child relationships, attachment concerns, personality disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, mood disorders, and autism. She also works with young clients who experience emotional impairments or developmental disabilities, offering tailored support to meet their unique needs.
Family and child counseling
Colleen has helped many patients since receiving her counseling license in 2000, but she has a particular expertise in assisting children. She has served as a school counselor (in both urban and rural locales), and has also treated numerous young patients who have suffered from emotional disturbances. She has also served people with chronic mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries, in residential, educational, and clinical settings.
Colleen’s experience also extends to pre-adoptive counseling and sessions with foster care families. In addition, she has worked in both outpatient and residential care settings to assist many adolescents and their families.