About

A photograph of Emily McNeil, Mariposa Center Denver

Emily McNeil, LPC, BC-DMT, CIMI, EMDR cert., is the owner of The Mariposa Center for Infant, Child, and Family Enrichment. She is an early childhood and family therapist, with specialties in infant mental health, maternal pre- and peri-natal mental health, trauma, adoption/foster care, and developmental delay. She received her Master of Arts degree in Somatic Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy from Naropa University. She is a registered Dance/Movement Therapist and a Licensed Professional Counselor. She also is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor and holds advanced training in EMDR – a trauma-treatment modality and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She co-founded the Adams County NICU Task Force and Team to improve the support and therapeutic services premature and medically fragile babies and their families receive post-discharge. She has trained extensively with Drs. Joy Brown and Ayelet Talmi in the BABIES Model – a specialized approach to working with NICU grads and their families. She is a member of The American Dance Therapy Association and the Colorado Association of Infant Mental Health. She has worked with children and families for over 11 years.

Emily’s approach to therapy is warm, honest, playful, and creative, while also being grounded in theory and best practices of the field. She has a deep affection for the families with whom she works and is committed to being a “family helper” for the long haul if need be. Emily welcomes family members into the therapy session as she recognizes that a child’s mental health is directly tied to his caregiver’s well-being. She values coordinating care with outside agencies and professionals to provide consistent support to her clients. Emily is committed to finding what works for a family for the child and family to achieve a greater sense of well-being and better mental health. Emily also enjoys teaching, early childhood mental health consultation, and providing supervision and training to students and new therapists.

Contact Emily: Emily@mariposacenterdenver.com

Megan Hall, MA, LPC, R-DMT, is a licensed professional counselor and registered dance/movement therapist with a wide variety of experience and training in mental health for the last 7 years. After receiving a Master of Arts degree in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago Megan pursued 4 years of extensive training and application in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a structured and concrete form of behavior therapy. She interned at Rush University Medical Center in the Child Life Program and has worked with children and adolescents with special needs in the home, community, classroom, and interdisciplinary therapeutic settings. She sought additional training in trauma counseling (specifically Judith Herman’s model of trauma recovery), couples counseling, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and the Love and Logicä curriculum as an extern at Noeticus Counseling Center and Training Institute in Denver. Megan combines structured interventions from ABA with creative arts therapies to build a therapeutic relationship and to help children self-regulate. Her approach to therapy involves a calm and playful demeanor, tending to the sensory needs of the child as well as the needs and values of the family system.

Contact Megan: Megan@mariposacenterdenver.com

Amy Jones, LPC, ATR-BC is a registered and board-certified art therapist and licensed professional counselor with specialized training in trauma-informed therapy, parenting skills, and mindfulness-based practices. She draws on years of expertise from working with children and families in classroom, hospital, and community settings.

Amy combines her knowledge of creative arts therapies and her belief that growth and development happen throughout the lifespan to help people increase self-awareness, enhance coping skills, and adapt to stressful experiences. She believes that the creative process is accessible to all people to promote hope and healing.

Contact Amy: Amy@mariposacenterdenver.com

Amanda Chatelain, MA, LPC, ATR, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Art Therapist. Amanda received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Art Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She carries out trauma-informed art and play therapy treatment with children and adolescents, while simultaneously providing caregiver support to strengthen connection within the family unit.

Amanda has experience supporting children and their loved ones with anxiety, PTSD, depression, grief and bereavement, relationship issues, adoption, and trauma or other significant life stressors. The foundation of Amanda’s practice is rooted in developmental, client-centered, and strength-based modalities to support a child’s individualized well-being and healing journey.

Amanda’s approach to treatment is creative, open, and warm, with the intention of providing a space for children to be themselves and work through their feelings and experiences. Amanda believes in the child’s ability to heal and transform through engaging with the creative process in a safe and supportive environment – art is a significant vehicle that a child can use to strengthen self-exploration and work toward positive change.

Contact Amanda: Amanda@mariposacenterdenver.com

Mary Anna Stepanek, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and received her Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Tennessee. Mary Anna has experience working with children, adolescents, and families in outpatient, school, and residential hospital settings. Mary Anna’s approach to therapy includes art, play, and talk therapy in her care with clients and she sees the importance of involving the family to make positive changes in a child’s life. Mary Anna has experience working with ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, and eating disorders and uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach when working with children and families to foster growth and healing!

Contact Mary Anna: Maryanna@mariposacenterdenver.com

Shannon Boarman, MA, LPCC, R-DMT, received a Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Healthcare from MSU Denver and a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Somatic Counseling with a concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder. She has a background in Yoga and Meditation instruction and is a trained aromatherapist.

Shannon blends a trauma-informed approach with creative arts and play therapy interventions, and integrates Attachment-based, Existential, and Mindfulness-based Cognitive therapeutic approaches in her work. She has experience working with trauma, developmental and physical disabilities, social skills development, anxiety and depression, ADHD, and autism. She has provided services and professional training to the faculty and students within Denver Public Schools, providing trauma-informed care for their immigrant and refugee students, creating change within systems.

Shannon provides one-on-one counseling for children, adults, and caregivers. She provides Early Intervention services and offers an online parenting/caregiver workshop for those with babies (newborn to 18 months old) Click here for more info

Contact Shannon: Shannon@mariposacenterdenver.com

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