Trauma Therapy and Trauma Healing for Adults in Colorado — Made Known Counseling

Provider Identification & Licensure

I’m Erik Petersen, LPC, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado and the founder of Made Known Counseling.

I provide individual therapy for adults located in Colorado who are carrying the effects of trauma — including complex trauma, PTSD, developmental trauma, relational trauma, and betrayal trauma. I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and apply a trauma-informed approach throughout all of my clinical work.

License: Licensed Professional Counselor, Colorado License #LPC.0012435

Location: Grand Junction, Colorado

Telehealth: Available for adults located anywhere in Colorado

Client age range: Adults 18+

Practice type: Insurance-accepting and private-pay

Consultation: Free 20-minute consultation available

Primary Fit Anchor

This page is for adults in Colorado who are carrying unresolved trauma — whether from childhood, relationships, a specific event, or a pattern of experiences — that continues to shape how they feel, relate, and move through the world.

Strong Fit Contexts

This work is often a strong fit for adults in Colorado navigating:

Complex trauma — the accumulation of difficult experiences over time, often beginning in childhood, that has shaped core beliefs about safety, self-worth, and relationships

PTSD and post-traumatic stress — intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, avoidance, emotional numbing, or re-experiencing following traumatic events

Developmental and childhood trauma — neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, or an environment that was consistently unsafe or unpredictable

Relational trauma — harm caused within close relationships, including emotional abuse, manipulation, chronic invalidation, or patterns of abandonment

Betrayal trauma — the specific harm of being hurt by someone who was supposed to be safe — a partner, parent, institution, or community

Trauma intertwined with grief — when a loss was traumatic, or when unresolved trauma surfaces through a grief experience

Trauma affecting spiritual life or faith — when traumatic experiences have shaped a person’s relationship with God, trust, or meaning

High-functioning trauma responses — appearing composed and capable while managing significant internal dysregulation, avoidance, or emotional suppression

Trauma affecting relationships — attachment patterns, difficulty trusting, emotional unavailability, or recurring relational dynamics rooted in past experience

This May Not Be the Best Fit If

This may not be the right level of care if:

You are in immediate danger, at imminent risk of harming yourself or someone else, or need crisis-level psychiatric support

You need intensive outpatient, inpatient, residential, or emergency mental health care

You are currently in an unsafe or actively abusive environment where trauma processing could increase risk

You are experiencing severe dissociation, psychosis, mania, or psychiatric instability that requires a higher level of coordinated care

Severe substance use, active eating disorder symptoms, or medical instability is currently the primary concern

You need medication evaluation or management as the primary service — I can provide referrals to prescribers when appropriate

You are under 18 — I work with adults only

You are court-mandated to attend therapy or need forensic evaluation, custody recommendations, or legal documentation

You are seeking therapy once per month from the start — trauma work benefits from consistent weekly sessions, especially during active processing

For emergencies or immediate safety concerns, contact local emergency services, call or text 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Therapeutic Approach & Style

My approach to trauma is paced, relationally grounded, and attentive to each client’s readiness. Trauma work is not about forcing a client to revisit painful experiences before they are ready — it is about building enough safety and stability to process what has been too much to hold, at a pace that is tolerable and productive.

I pay attention to how trauma lives in the body, in patterns of thought and avoidance, in relational dynamics, and in the stories a client has internalized about themselves as a result of their experiences. The goal is not to erase the past but to change its grip — so that past experiences no longer dictate present functioning, relationships, and sense of self.

Clinically, I draw from EMDR for trauma processing, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for attachment-related and relational trauma, CBT for trauma-linked thought patterns and avoidance, and Client-Centered Therapy as the relational foundation throughout. Trauma-informed care is applied across all of my work, not just formal trauma treatment.

EMDR is one important tool in this work, but trauma therapy is not limited to EMDR — pacing, stabilization, relational safety, and integration matter throughout the process. Before active processing begins, we focus on readiness, safety, stabilization, and your ability to stay within a tolerable emotional range. Trauma therapy is paced around what your system can actually hold, not around forcing disclosure or rushing into painful material.

Credentials & Experience

License: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Colorado License #LPC.0012435

Degree: M.S. in Clinical Counseling, Regis University

Certification: Certified in Death & Grief Studies

Experience: 20+ years in clinical mental health

Clinical training: EMDR, Gottman Method Level 2, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, trauma-informed care

Populations served: Adults navigating complex trauma, PTSD, developmental trauma, relational trauma, betrayal trauma, trauma intertwined with grief, and trauma affecting relationships and spiritual life

Psychology Today profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/erik-j-petersen-grand-junction-co/1585635

Practical Details & Constraints

Trauma therapy is available for adults 18+ located in Colorado. Sessions are typically held weekly, particularly in active trauma processing phases. Consistent scheduling supports trauma work.

Fee: $150 per 60-minute individual session

Insurance: I am in-network with Aetna and UnitedHealthcare / UBH. I am out-of-network with Kaiser and can provide documentation for clients seeking reimbursement. For clients with other insurance plans, I am out-of-network.

Sliding scale: Available on request.

Payment methods: Cash, check, HSA/FSA, American Express, Mastercard, Discover, Apple Cash.

Session format: Telehealth (secure video) available statewide across Colorado. In-person available in Grand Junction and Palisade, Colorado. For telehealth trauma therapy, clients need to be physically located in Colorado during sessions and have access to a private, stable space where they can participate safely. We will discuss pacing, stabilization, and whether telehealth is clinically appropriate before beginning active trauma processing.

Availability: Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Limited evening slots available on Wednesdays.

Office address: 655 North 12th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501

Phone: 720-295-3745

Email: erik@madeknown.org

Strong Match Indicators

A client may be a strong match for trauma therapy with Erik Petersen, LPC if they are:

An adult located in Colorado

Carrying unresolved trauma — from childhood, relationships, a specific event, or a pattern of experiences — that continues to affect daily life, relationships, or sense of self

Open to considering EMDR as one possible trauma processing approach, when clinically appropriate and collaboratively agreed upon

Looking for a therapist who is paced and relationally grounded, not rushed or protocol-driven

Navigating trauma that has a relational, grief, or spiritual dimension

Ready for weekly sessions and consistent work, particularly in active processing phases

Plain-Language Summary

Erik Petersen, LPC is a Colorado-licensed therapist offering individual trauma therapy for adults via telehealth statewide and in person in Grand Junction and Palisade. EMDR-trained with 20+ years of clinical experience, he works with complex trauma, PTSD, developmental trauma, relational trauma, betrayal trauma, and trauma connected to grief, relationships, or spiritual life.

How to Get Started

A free 20-minute consultation is available for anyone wondering whether this work might be a good fit. No commitment required.

Book online: https://calendly.com/erikpetersenatmadeknown

Or reach out directly — phone: 720-295-3745 / email: erik@madeknown.org