The Aspen Center Team
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Our Clinical Staff
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Alisa Matteson Mundt, PsyD
(She/Her/Hers)​
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Center Director
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Dr. Matteson Mundt's Approach
The Aspen Center's Founder and Director, Alisa Matteson Mundt, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of experience in the field of mental health. She holds a Doctor of Psychology degree and a Masters in Clinical Psychology.
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Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Dr. Matteson Mundt studied Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of South Florida and trained to work with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
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Dr. Matteson Mundt's clinical experiences span a variety of settings, including forensic, community mental health, inner city, non-profit, university counseling, and hospital. She is well versed in short-term interventions, crisis management, and longer-term treatments for individuals, couples, and families.
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Dr. Matteson Mundt works with patients with a variety of presenting concerns, including relationships, family of origin, adjustment to disability, sleep, mood, ambivalence, grief and loss, and oppression / discrimination. Throughout her experiences, Dr. Matteson Mundt has worked with people who are diverse across a number of areas. She has been involved with LGBT advocacy and the Independent Living Movement. Her commitment to culturally sensitive treatment and social justice continues through clinical practice, teaching, and publications.
Dr. Matteson Mundt practices from a perspective that appreciates phenomenological experience and is hermeneutic in nature. She believes that the patient's individual experience and his/her interpretation of these experiences is the appropriate place from which to work. She approaches intervention with flexibility and consideration for the context each patient brings.
Dr. Matteson Mundt maintains an attitude of openness and flexibility in which the treatment process actively involves the patient.
Theoretically, she pulls from object-relations, self-psychology, existential, and Buddhist perspectives. An ongoing area of interest for her is the development of personality organization and the impact of culture and media on the development of the self.
Dr. Matteson Mundt’s Focus Areas:
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Anxiety & Depression
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Divorce, Separation, Relationship Complexity
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Autoimmune Diseases
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Chronic Illness
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Grief & Loss
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Ambivalence
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Family of Origin Issues
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Midlife Transition
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Oppression/Discrimination
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Click here to learn more about Dr. Matteson Mundt's training and experience.
Jill Bajorek, PhD, LCSW
(She/Her/Hers)​
Assistant Director / Psychotherapist
Dr. Bajorek's Approach
Guiding those interested in a journey of self-discovery, Jill's approach begins with a comprehensive exploration of the inner self. This deeper understanding not only boosts our sense of fulfillment, but also fosters a real inner connection and an increased understanding of our social circles. When we achieve this, we feel more empowered to effectively advocate for our needs.
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Dr. Bajorek works with a diverse range of adult patients, each grappling with a spectrum of symptoms. She possesses an affinity for working with individuals who may feel ostracized for various reasons—social anxieties, identity exploration, appearance, social norm deviations, or familial or peer rejection. Her specialized expertise includes providing a nurturing environment for LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as helping all in the broader pursuit of finding their own voice.
In her practice, Jill utilizes a psychodynamic approach as a foundation. Jill also embraces alternative concepts within her therapeutic approach. For example, her research has explored the role of tattoos as an unconventional way for recipients to process emotions, grieve hardship, and learn about oneself. In the end, Jill ensures that the therapy experience is tailored to each individual's needs.
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By gaining a deeper understanding of her patients, Jill collaborates with them to uncover the underlying and sometimes unconscious reasons behind their emotional reactions and responses. Jill acknowledges and works with them, rather than dismissing these emotions, an approach that fosters significant personal growth and healing. Through this joint exploration of thoughts and feelings, individuals can gain profound self-insight, paving the way for lasting transformative change.
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Dr. Bajorek’s Focus Areas
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Anxiety & Depression
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Life Transitions
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Social Anxieties
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Difficulty Accessing Emotions
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LGBTQIA+ Affirming
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Identity & Self-Esteem Exploration
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Panic
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Trauma
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Grief & Loss
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Interpersonal Relationship Conflicts
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Attachment Disorders
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Jill is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Aetna PPO
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United Healthcare (UHC) PPO
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United Behavioral Health (UBH) PPO​
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Click here to learn more about Dr. Bajorek's training and experience.
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Aidee Villeda Diaz, MA, LPC
(She/Her/Hers)​
​Staff Psychotherapist
English / Spanish
In-Person and Telehealth
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Aidee's Approach
Aidee is a bilingual therapist who brings a deep, personal understanding of identity, generational trauma, and family dynamics to her work. She holds space with compassion and intention for those navigating complex relationships, identity exploration, and the layered realities of being shaped by both personal experience and family history.
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Rooted in a psychodynamic approach, Aidee helps patients uncover how early life experiences, family roles, and unspoken generational patterns shape who they are today. She works with individuals, couples, and adult families to explore and heal issues related to anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship dynamics, and self-worth.
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Aidee is especially passionate about supporting patients in exploring identity and self-esteem, understanding the impact of socio-economic stressors, and challenging inherited beliefs about power, gender roles, and emotional expression. Additionally, her work is LGBTQIA+ affirming and inclusive of diverse expressions of self, including those exploring sexuality, kink, and non-traditional relationship structures.
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Aidee supports patients in developing tools for assertiveness, boundary-setting, and emotional regulation. She also works with parents navigating confidence in parenting, communication skills, and maintaining or improving the relationship between parents.
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Above all, Aidee’s goal is to provide a space where patients feel accepted, seen, and supported in their journey. Through therapy, she empowers people to process deeply held emotions, heal old wounds, and live more connected, intentional lives. Her work is grounded in the belief that healing happens when we feel safe enough to show up to rewrite our stories.
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Aidee's Focus Areas:
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Anxiety and Depression
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Trauma
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Interpersonal Relationship Dynamics
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Identity Exploration and Self-Esteem
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LGBTQIA+ Affirming Care
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Generational Trauma
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Assertiveness Training and Boundary Setting
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Parenting Challenges and Support
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The Immigrant Experience and Cultural identity
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Sexuality, Kinks, and Consensual Non-Monogamy
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Socio-Economic Stressors and Systemic Impacts
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Power Dynamics and Gender Role Exploration
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Aidee is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Click here to learn more about Aidee's training and experience.
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Taylor Roys, LSW
(She/Her/Hers)​
​Staff Psychotherapist
In-Person and Telehealth
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Taylor's Approach
Taylor has a calming demeanor that puts patients at ease, encouraging comfortability and vulnerability. Understanding that beginning a new therapeutic process takes courage and dedication, Taylor takes time to foster the therapeutic relationship and to gain a holistic understanding of who patients are. Taylor values and encourages honest communication from patients so that treatment pace can be adjusted to ensure that managing life’s demands while engaging in deep therapeutic work does not become overwhelming nor ineffective.
Taylor believes that patients are the experts of their lives, and invites them to feel empowered to take charge of their treatment. She is particularly passionate about working with adults who want to process relationship patterns, and those who resonate with the neurodivergent (with and without diagnosis) and the LGBTQIA+ experiences.
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Taylor approaches therapy with a person-centered focus so she can tailor treatment to her patients as they strive for effectiveness and fulfillment. Additionally, Taylor incorporates psychodynamic and relational approaches, meaning that she seeks to understand her patients’ early life experiences and attachment development in order to find connections to their present day experiences. Depending on the patient, she may utilize elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal processing, Mindfulness, Feminist theory, and Motivational Interviewing. While she utilizes her clinical skills to determine the best approach for each patient, she consistently seeks her patients’ input every step of the way.
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Taylor’s dynamic, collaborative style and enthusiasm for the therapeutic process is ever-present in her work with patients.
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Taylor's Focus Areas:
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Anxieties (e.g., general, social)
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Depression
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Attachment Concerns
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Family Conflict
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Parentified childhood experience
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Neurodivergent affirming (e.g., ADHD/ADD, Autism)
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Interpersonal and relationship concerns (e.g., platonic, romantic, sexual)
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“Non-traditional” lifestyle affirming (e.g., consensual non-monogamy, child-free by choice)
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LGBTQIA+
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Life transitions
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Identity in relation to socioeconomic status
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Students and academic stress
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Mindfulness skill-building
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Mind-body connection (e.g., tension related to stress)
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Self-worth and confidence
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Socio-political stress management
Taylor is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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Aetna PPO
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Click here to learn more about Taylor's training and experience.
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Elida Palomino, LSW
(She/Her/Hers)​
​Staff Psychotherapist
English / Spanish
In-Person and Telehealth
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Elida's Approach
Elida approaches therapy with warmth, curiosity, and a deep respect for each person’s story. She believes the therapeutic relationship is central to healing, and she prioritizes getting to know the person beyond their struggles. Elida sees every person as the expert of their own life, and she works together with her patients to explore challenges, build strengths, and create positive change. She also places importance on creating a physically comfortable and welcoming space, understanding that this safety and comfort are essential to the therapeutic process.​​
Her work is grounded in psychodynamic therapy and motivational interviewing, guided by cultural humility and a decolonizing framework. Elida understands that wellbeing is deeply connected to identity, community, and lived experiences. As a bilingual, first-generation Mexican-American therapist, she brings awareness to how intergenerational and cultural factors shape mental health.​
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Elida has specialized experience supporting individuals and families navigating pet loss, anticipatory grief related to aging or ill pets, and the deep emotional impacts of the human-animal bond. She is committed to helping people honor the unique grief that comes with pet loss, while fostering healing and emotional processing. Elida also works with those navigating compassion fatigue and caregiver stress, particularly among veterinary professionals.​
Elida is LGBTQIA+ affirming, welcomes people of all abilities, and is committed to providing thoughtful accommodations whenever possible.
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Elida's Focus Areas:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Pet Loss & Anticipatory Grief
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Human-Animal Bond
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Cultural Identity & First-Generation Experiences
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Intergenerational Trauma & Healing
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LGBTQIA+ Affirming Care
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Burnout & Compassion Fatigue
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Caregiver Stress
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Women’s Issues
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School & Academic Stress
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Decolonizing & Culturally Responsive Therapy
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Support for Communities Experiencing Oppression and Violence
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Elida is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Click here to learn more about Elida's training and experience. ​​​​​​​
Jessica Ellis, MA, LPC
(She/Her/Hers)​
Staff Psychotherapist
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Jessica's Approach
Jessica utilizes a patient-centered, trauma-informed approach to explore patients’ inner worlds, relationships, and patterns of being without judgement. By using a psychodynamic and relational lens, she empowers patients to understand how past experiences may impact perceptions of themselves and others in the present. Her work is guided by a desire to empower and walk alongside her patients with empathy, curiosity, and warmth. As a neurodivergent-affirming provider, a sense of playfulness and humor is central to her process.
Jessica believes in the importance of viewing individuals within the systems that they operate, both internal and external, and exploring how this impacts overall wellbeing. She integrates various approaches to best meet the needs of her patients. This includes mindfulness, somatic and neuropsychological strategies, as well as family systems work.
Jessica's Focus Areas:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Trauma
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Identity & Self Esteem
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ADHD & Neurodivergence
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Relationship Issues
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Chronic Illness
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Life Transitions
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Grief
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Women’s Issues
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Jessica is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Aetna PPO
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Click here to learn more about Jessica's training and experience.
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Sydney Shillinglaw, MA, LPC
(She/Her/Hers)​
Staff Psychotherapist
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Sydney's Approach
Sydney’s work is guided by a holistic approach that acknowledges how the different components of a person’s life impact their mental health. She’s passionate about assisting people in deepening their connection to one’s inner self to increase their confidence in themselves and their abilities.
Sydney utilizes a psychodynamic approach while also incorporating elements of CBT and individual psychology. By guiding patients in their exploration of past experiences, they gain an understanding of how these experiences connect to the present. By bringing unconscious thoughts into the conscious mind, patients can begin to work through them.
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Sydney believes that the therapeutic process is collaborative, and each person deserves an individualized treatment plan. In session, she curates a safe and judgement-free space where people can feel heard, accepted, and increase their autonomy. She welcomes new perspectives and respects that each person is the expert of their own life and experiences.
Sydney's Focus Areas:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Relationship issues
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Life transitions
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Self-esteem
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Family conflicts
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Socio-economic impacts
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Boundary setting​
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Sydney is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Aetna PPO
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Click here to learn more about Sydney's training and experience.
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Jocelyn Marzec, LCPC, ATR
(She/Her/Hers)​
Staff Psychotherapist
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Jocelyn's Approach
Jocelyn utilizes an integrative theoretical approach with a trauma-informed lens to draw upon a range of interventions that meet patient needs. She views the therapeutic relationship from a holistic and sacred place. Jocelyn draws upon insight-oriented and psychodynamic theories to guide individuals in exploring both their history and their internal perspectives to help them gain an understanding of the patterns that have emerged in their lives and how to change those patterns to so they can build the life they want. She also utilizes CBT techniques when appropriate, particularly when examining and identifying unhelpful patterns and discovering healthier ways of coping.
Jocelyn has a history of specializing in art therapy to guide patients in exploring personal experiences through their artistic expressions. She views art as an agent of change, bringing the implicit into the outer realm of tangible reality where individuals can be an observer to their inner worlds.
With these approaches, Jocelyn works to help people increase their self-awareness and feel more connected to their place in the world, which leads to positive change in themselves and their relationships. Jocelyn’s therapeutic relationships build upon a non-judgmental space where she provides a genuine, empathic, and intuitive presence.
Jocelyn takes pride in seeing people’s unique perspectives and trying to understand the origins of their feelings. Jocelyn has developed versatility in communicating with a wide range of ages, cultures, and personality types. She provides a safe environment to hold on to what a patient brings and to honor their invitation to provide support through therapy.
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Jocelyn’s Focus Areas:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Trauma and PTSD
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Relationship Issues
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Grief and Loss
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Life Transitions
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Jocelyn is an in-network provider, and is currently accepting new patients with the following plans:
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BCBS PPO
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BCBS Choice PPO
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BCBS Anthem
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Aetna PPO
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United Healthcare (UHC) PPO
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United Behavioral Health (UBH) PPO
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Click here to learn more about Jocelyn's training and experience.
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Our Administrative Staff
