Meet Bettina

My history put me on a conscious path of personal growth and healing. I knew there were some things from my family legacy that I didn’t want to continue as an adult, and I also knew—deep within myself, within my very bones—that I had to find a way to bring purpose, meaning, connection, and authenticity to whatever it was I chose as a vocation.

I’ve always been fascinated by the human experience, intrigued by the human heart and mind, and curious about what makes people tick. A lover of life, I have always been an intensely curious person. That curiosity led me on many different adventures along the road to becoming an adult, and eventually, a psychotherapist.

I grew up in New England and then lived in the mountains of Montana for four years before landing in Boulder. I’ve done everything from wait tables to wash dishes, collect bugs (yes, this was an actual job I had!), work as a pastry chef, and do trail construction and landscaping. In 2003, I graduated with an MA in transpersonal counseling psychology from Naropa University. Boulder has been my home for the last 20 years (minus a three-year stint in Northern California).

I have more than 15 years of experience as a licensed therapist, working with individuals, adolescents, and families. I’ve worked in middle and high schools in Boulder County as a Prevention/Intervention Specialist, and I’ve worked as a trainer/educator in suicide prevention in Alameda County, California. I continue to work per diem as an intake/assessment clinician with Mental Health Partners. I have also taught assessment as an adjunct faculty member at Naropa University.

In my free time, I love to get outside. I believe our relationship to the natural world is intricately linked to our sense of well-being. Whether it be skiing or camping with my kids, mountain biking, or exploring high Himalayan Peaks, I regularly seek out fresh air, sunshine, and natural beauty as nourishment for the soul.

Why Do People Choose Therapy?

People seek therapy for a variety of reasons. You may be dealing with a loss, trauma, identity crisis, illness, changing relationship, or other unwanted life situation. Regardless of why you engage in therapy, it can be an important tool to reconnect with your inherent strengths, especially if you’re feeling stuck, unhappy, or disempowered. The benefits of therapy include: 1) Being better able to understand your personal goals and values, 2) Improving your skills to help you better manage life difficulties, and 3) Improving the satisfaction of your relationships and the quality of daily life.  

The aim of therapy is wholeness, and by that I mean an integrated and expressive unified sense of being in the world that embodies all of who you are, without shame or fear. When you are able to rest in this place of SELF, you experience greater ease and confidence in your daily life, with your sense of well-being at the forefront. You feel complete within yourself and fully alive!

How Therapy Works

We reveal ourselves in the context of our relationships—as a species, we can’t survive without them. This is why, of all the tools in the trade, the most important one is the relationship between the therapist and the client. My therapeutic style is one informed by kindness and compassion, direct communication, clinical understanding, and life experience, along with a robust sense of humor! I love to laugh and firmly believe that in life we should never take ourselves too seriously!

I regard each client as their own best expert and see my role as one who joins and guides in the process of exploration and growth. Sometimes we need a co-traveler along our way, a skilled and compassionate individual to bear witness to our process of self-discovery. My approach is founded on our shared humanity, and I bring a warm and compassionate sense of “realness,” to our work.

I’ll work alongside you to help cultivate your resilience and achieve your goals in therapy. My goal is to facilitate your awareness and understanding of yourself, and to help you develop new strategies to improve the quality of your life. Together, we will embrace your humanness and vulnerability in a safe way to help you become more integrated, whole, and self-trusting.

Having a trusting therapeutic relationship is the most significant factor in effective treatment. It is important that you feel connected and understood and be held in a safe and nonjudgmental space so that you are able to explore the deeper places within. Finding a therapist you feel comfortable with is, therefore, the first step to healing; I recommend meeting with 2-3 prospective therapists to see who is the best fit. I offer a free, 20-minute phone consultation during which you can ask questions and we can explore whether we might be a good match.

What I have learned from my experience on both sides of the couch is that transformative healing is possible. No matter what false beliefs, behavioral patterns, or unexpressed emotions might be covering up a person’s authentic self, every one of us has a perfect and undamaged place within, just waiting to reveal itself.

Knowledgeable in the fields of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and trauma-informed care, Bettina Bepler has worked as a psychotherapist for more than 15 years. She has a BA in history and women’s studies from Boston College and an MA in transpersonal counseling psychology from Naropa University. Bettina is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Colorado.