Our Team
Dr. Nikki Kraslin
Dr. Nikki Kraslin is a licensed clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and the founder of Denver DBT & Psychotherapy. She has helped people with diverse complaints including: depression, anxiety, personality disorders, trauma, personal growth issues and relationship problems. She currently offers individual psychotherapy sessions, psychoanalysis, couples therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) groups and mindfulness groups. She also provides clinical supervision and consultation to graduate students, psychology candidates for licensure and psychologists/therapists in the community.
Dr. Kraslin has a unique approach that blends relational psychodynamic psychotherapy, insight oriented technique, DBT and mindfulness. She spent 7 years as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology where she supervised doctoral candidates and co-facilitated advanced seminars in both psychodynamic psychotherapy and multiculturalism. Dr. Kraslin has also served as faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the department of psychiatry where she taught psychiatrists, psychologists, and master’s level clinicians enrolled at the Denver Institute of Psychoanalysis.
Dr. Kraslin uses the metaphor of tinted glasses to explain the psychotherapy process. All people see the world through lenses shaped by their unique backgrounds and experiences. Therapy helps us recognize the hue of our own distinct lens, creating the possibility for growth, change, and a more authentic and fulfilling life experience.
Dr. Andrew Arriaga
Dr. Andrew Arriaga (he/him) is a postdoctoral fellow and psychologist candidate who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Following the completion of his pre-doctoral internship at Kaiser Permanente, he began his postdoctoral fellowship at Denver DBT. Dr. Arriaga has years of clinical experience working with a wide range of individuals across the lifespan struggling with anxiety, depression, relational concerns, family stress, executive functioning, and trauma. His clinical style is centered on building collaborative, warm, and authentic working relationships with clients that support their healing processes. Dr. Arriaga approaches treatment through an eclectic lens rooted firmly in cognitive-behavioral, humanistic-existential, and relational approaches while attending to patterns related to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Clients can expect him to facilitate their search for greater meaning in life and align with their desires to have healthier and more fulfilling relationships. Dr. Arriaga currently offers individual therapy for adults and adolescents and also co-facilitates DBT groups.
As a queer man, Dr. Arriaga is particularly passionate about working with multiculturally diverse LGBTQ+ populations. He offers affirmative therapy to people of all ages and backgrounds navigating issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and the psychosocial and systemic challenges often associated with complex identity development processes. Dr. Arriaga is passionately engaged in his work not only as a clinician, but also as an advocate for the well-being of those who have often felt silenced, unseen, or invalidated by society. Ultimately, Dr. Arriaga believes that an openness to greater self-exploration, a willingness to take on new perspectives, and a practice of giving one’s self grace in the face of life’s hardships are key elements to sustainable whole-person health. Despite the challenges often inherent to these processes, Dr. Arriaga’s personable air and sense of humor in therapy make for a safe and authentic setting where growth and healing are more than possible.
Dr. Nahed Barakat
Dr. Nahed Barakat is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned a master’s degree from Pepperdine University and a doctoral degree from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and has since worked at both Regis University and the University of Denver providing individual, couples, and group therapy. Dr. Barakat’s approach combines the tenets of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a multicultural approach that focuses on the diverse and unique needs of individuals. She focuses on helping clients live a meaningful, fulfilling life according to their values and goals. Dr. Barakat works with a variety of presenting issues including depression, anxiety, OCD, relationship concerns, multicultural concerns, identity development, and grief & loss.
Therapy with Dr. Barakat will be a collaborative process where you will be challenged to examine your underlying values to help you create a life that feels deeply meaningful. This process will be challenging, yet, Dr. Barakat’s curiosity and use of humor create a sense of safety and freedom to explore some of what is keeping you from living your most authentic, fulfilling life.
Dr. Brian Beaumund
Dr. Brian Beaumund is a licensed clinical psychologist who offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy. With particular expertise in trauma, he also helps clients with a range of other presenting issues, including: depression, anxiety, personality disorders and relational conflicts. He is the Adolescent Program Director for Denver DBT & Psychotherapy supporting both adolescents and their families in individual, group and family settings. Dr. Beaumund uses an easy-going blend of humor and direct, honest communication to connect well with clients in this age group.
Dr. Beaumund’s approach to therapy is integrative, in that he supports his clients with a range of DBT and CBT techniques while understanding change through a relational, psychodynamic perspective. He helps his clients develop insight into the cyclical patterns that are leaving them feeling stuck. This insight unfolds within the context of a compassionate, yet engaged and lively, therapeutic dynamic. Thus, therapy serves as both a place to develop a deeper understanding of oneself, as well as a place to discover new and creative ways of being.
Dr. Beaumund is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology. He teaches a professional seminar where he provides ongoing supervision of the doctoral students’ clinical work. Dr. Beaumund has also taught a range of courses in the counseling psychology program at DU and has served as the outreach supervisor for the Trauma and Disaster Recovery Clinic.
Dr. Kritika Dwivedi
Dr. Kritika Dwivedi earned her doctoral degree at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. Following her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Counseling and Psychological Services, Dr. Dwivedi joined Denver DBT & Psychotherapy as an adult DBT group co-facilitator as well as an individual and couples therapist. Dr. Dwivedi has also led weekly DBT groups for at-risk young women in a residential setting.
In 2015, Dr. Dwivedi received a scholarship from Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association (APA). Since that time she has served as member on several different committees within the division and was recently appointed as the co-chair for the Multicultural Concerns Committee. Dr. Dwivedi has presented on psychology supervision at the APA national conference, the demands of doctoral training programs and supervision at the Division 39 yearly spring meetings, and dynamics of multicultural psychology training at the National Multicultural Conference and Summit.
Dr. Dwivedi values the opportunity to provide therapy to diverse populations. Her practice maintains a commitment to multicultural humility and social justice consciousness, both within herself and towards others. Dr. Dwivedi practices from a relational perspective meaning that she highlights the importance of client and therapist working as a team to understand the client and their world.
Dr. Colleen Fischer
Dr. Colleen Fischer is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with children and adolescents and currently leads one of our teen groups. She has particular expertise in the treatment of trauma, mood disorders, behavioral disorders and anxiety. Dr. Fischer teaches and supervises doctoral students’ clinical work at Denver Health. She is an instructor at the University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and provides clinical services to patients at Denver Health Medical Center.
With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Fischer uses a strength-based, developmental approach and integrates a variety of evidence-based approaches including DBT, Trauma Focused CBT and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in her work with youth and families. With a foundation of compassion, curiosity and humor, Dr. Fischer uses a warm, relational approach in building strong relationships with adolescents. Having trained in DBT with Dr. Alec Miller (co-author of the leading textbook on DBT which we utilize for our teen program), she has employed DBT treatment in various outpatient settings and enjoys the dynamic modality of DBT groups. Dr. Fischer has had the honor of working with families of different cultures and backgrounds and looks forward to learning more about your family.
Dr. Adrienne Franks
Dr. Adrienne Franks is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialties in adult, adolescent, and couples counseling. She has helped people with an array of presenting concerns, including: depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, grief and loss, interpersonal difficulties, and self-esteem. She also has extensive experience working with individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and associated traits. Dr. Franks currently provides individual psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) sessions, couples counseling, and leads a weekly DBT group for women. She believes every person is unique, so she individualizes and tailors her approach to therapy utilizing insight-driven and skills-based techniques.
Additionally, Dr. Franks offers psychodiagnostic, personality, IQ, ADHD, and learning disability assessments for children and adults utilizing empirically validated testing instruments. In addition to her work with Denver DBT, she also works with veterans at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center providing psychological testing and outpatient mental health treatment. Her past work experiences also include working at a community mental health center as the Adult Psychological Assessment Specialist and Department Coordinator, and as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology where she co-facilitated an advanced seminar in psychological assessment for doctoral-level students.
Dr. Franks views life as an ever-changing journey. She believes that every person has the ability to create a life of sustained happiness and fulfillment, but previous experiences can interfere with this process. She views therapy as a place to clear these roadblocks to contentment and forge new paths towards discovering one’s true self.
Dr. Lindsey Gagnon
Dr. Lindsey Gagnon is a licensed clinical psychologist and leader of the early adolescent group at Denver DBT & Psychotherapy. Additionally, she provides adult individual psychotherapy and is particularly skilled at working with clients to practically examine their current concerns and make concrete changes that increase quality of life. Her clinical specialties include: anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-worth, difficult life circumstances and problematic behaviors such as eating dysfunction, substance misuse, and compulsions.
Dr. Gagnon has varied work experience and extensive knowledge of contextual behavioral sciences. She is adept at applying functional analysis to help clients identify and understand the purpose of their unwanted behaviors, thus increasing the likelihood of lasting behavioral change. Dr. Gagnon has worked in research at CU Boulder, as a therapist at the Veterans Affairs hospital, and as a resident at Kaiser Permanente. She has also worked in community mental health, college counseling settings, and as a clinical supervisor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology.
Dr. Gagnon has a deeply human approach to therapy, knowing how difficult life circumstances and challenging personal histories can create internal struggles for anyone. Her interpersonal style is light but nonetheless challenging such that client concerns are considered with depth and reverence but also with the help of a little humor. For her, therapy is founded in a sincere relationship that she hopes creates an environment where, said informally, the “tough stuff” can be handled, attended to, and made to feel easier.
Dr. Lori Gardner
Dr. Lori Gardner is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. She specializes in working with clients experiencing life transitions and adjustment difficulties, identity issues, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, personality disorders and the many forms of grief and loss. Dr. Gardner believes that giving a voice to one’s experiences can be a powerful agent of change and transformation. She is currently offering adolescent and adult individual therapy services in addition to co-facilitating DBT groups.
Coming from a previous career in cancer research, Dr. Gardner translated this experience into a focus on health psychology, including work within integrated primary care facilities, a hospice setting, and an APA-accredited internship at a community mental health center in the Denver area. She has also worked in college counseling and employee assistance settings. Her unique background allows for a deep understanding of the interconnection between physical and mental health. Specifically, Dr. Gardner helps clients access, properly care for and learn to listen to both their minds and their bodies. This can help them build solid, stable senses of themselves from which growth, insight, and resilience can emerge.
Dr. Gardner’s warmth and humor help create safe, collaborative connections with each client. She takes her time assisting new clients in understanding and putting words to their unique needs and goals. This creates a solid framework for therapy so that each client gets the most out of their therapeutic experience. Working from an integrative approach grounded in existentialism, Dr. Gardner focuses on helping each client define and/or refine their life’s purpose in order to live a more meaningful, values-based life. Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy techniques are just some of the tools Dr. Gardner weaves into her insight-oriented interventions.
Dr. Jennifer Hinson
Dr. Jennifer Hinson is a licensed clinical psychologist who offers individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy. Specializing in child, adolescent and family work as well as trauma throughout the lifespan, she also helps people with a range of other presenting issues, including: depression, anxiety, sexual behavior, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship problems, parenting challenges, self-esteem, identity issues, family conflict, and existential crises. Dr. Hinson’s underlying passion revolves around facilitating connection, growth, and authenticity for her patients and their families.
Dr. Hinson’s warm, participatory, and authentic relational style is the foundation of her practice. She believes that therapy is not a one size fits all approach; treatment is therefore a personalized process based on each individual, couple, or family’s unique set of circumstances. She offers a highly integrative, dynamic, and contextual approach rooted in relational/attachment theories, insight-oriented techniques, and developmental science. Dr. Hinson has experience in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Hinson’s experience spans a variety of therapeutic settings including: children’s hospitals, various schools (elementary, middle, and high school), non-profit organizations, community mental health centers, a university clinic, and child/adolescent residential treatment centers. Dr. Hinson has worked with a diversity of ages and family compositions; she believes that childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood are unique intervention opportunities where psychotherapy can alter developmental trajectories and have a lifelong impact.
We all experience challenges that hinder our ability to lead meaningful, productive, and connected lives. Dr. Hinson’s treatment approach is for you if you’re interested in going beyond simple behavior modification to address the root causes of your stresses and struggles and transform your life. With an attitude of care and collaboration, she offers genuine pursuit to know each child, adolescent, and adult she encounters, aiming to lead them to their healthiest, most genuine, purposeful selves.
Dr. Callie Kernick
Dr. Callie Kernick is a postdoctoral fellow who earned her masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. She specializes in working with anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, eating disorders, personality disorders, and low self-esteem. She currently provides individual therapy and Dialectical Behavior group therapy (DBT) to adolescents and adults.
Dr. Kernick has gained clinical experience across a wide variety of settings, including private practice, college counseling, and inpatient hospital settings. Most recently, she completed an APA-accredited internship at the California Department of State Hospitals- Napa working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness, which is another area of clinical interest for her.
Dr. Kernick’s approach to therapy is rooted in relational psychodynamic/depth-oriented theories. She believes it is centrally important to provide a therapeutic relationship in which clients can show up with their authentic selves and feel understood. Her style is collaborative, warm, curious, and empathic. Dr. Kernick aims to help you get to the root of your current struggles through exploration of your patterns in relationships, emotions, thoughts, and formative developmental experiences. This process will enable you to modify patterns that are no longer working for you, increase your connection to your genuine values and identities, and find meaningful new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Dr. Brooke Lanigan
Dr. Brooke Lanigan is a postdoctoral fellow who earned her masters and doctoral degree from William James College in Boston, Massachusetts. During her five years of training and previous work experience, she gained exposure to a variety of outpatient, school, and inpatient settings. Most recently, she completed her predoctoral internship at WellPower (previously Mental Health Center of Denver). Dr. Lanigan has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults and is passionate about supporting these individuals as they navigate challenging transitions, explore their various identities, and feel more connected to their authentic selves. Her areas of specialty include anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-worth, life transitions, interpersonal challenges, and identity exploration.
Dr. Lanigan utilizes evidence-based approaches, specifically pulling from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Her integrative, client-centered lens creates a collaborative and non-judgmental space in which individuals can be curious about their thoughts and emotions and build insight into patterns that no longer serve them. Dr. Lanigan believes in tailoring therapy to the individual and their strengths, using humor, creativity, and authenticity to do so. Valuing the importance of an equal relationship between the client and therapist, Dr. Lanigan balances her personal warmth, curiosity and engagement with challenging her clients to better understand the root of their issues and build meaning in their lives.
Dr. Megan LaVoy
Dr. Megan LaVoy is a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned her masters and doctoral degree from the University of Denver. She currently offers individual, couples, family and group therapy, working with children, adolescents and adults. Her areas of specialty include trauma, self-compassion work, gender and sexual identity exploration, as well as sport/performance psychology. Dr. LaVoy’s primary treatment approach includes a combination of insight oriented and relational theories; she also has experience in Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) and DBT.
Dr. LaVoy completed her APA accredited internship training at Regis University’s Office of Counseling and Personal Development. She went on to complete her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Lavoy has served as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver. She also provides sport psychology services for some of the university’s athletic teams. Dr. Lavoy has worked in college counseling centers, community mental health, family trauma clinics, as well as gender identity centers.
Dr. LaVoy believes that, while we are all doing the best we can to live the most meaningful lives possible, prior experiences and hurt can create obstacles in that process. She uses a collaborative approach to help you find compassion and understanding for yourself and your life experience. This process will enable you to clear the obstacles that are keeping you stuck, paving the way for you to find new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Dr. Alex Littleton
Dr. Alex Littleton is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. Following his pre-doctoral internship at the Mental Health Center of Denver, he began his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with the Denver DBT team. With specialized training in anxiety disorders and trauma, he works with adults and adolescents helping them manage mild to severe psychological distress. He currently offers individual therapy for adults/adolescents, DBT group facilitation, and psychological assessment services.
Using advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy, Dr. Littleton has successfully treated many forms of anxiety (including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, over-analysis, excessive worry, and obsessive-compulsive disorders). Dr. Littleton also uses a blend of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) to treat mild to severe cases of trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Dr. Littleton’s therapeutic approach draws from a variety of empirically-validated treatment methods to provide a customized treatment experience for each client. Specifically, Dr. Littleton emphasizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). His integrative model allows for exploration of a variety of issues that psychotherapy can help with; depression, identity issues, relationship issues, performance issues, and general “stuckness” are some common challenges successfully treated by Dr. Littleton’s approach. His warmth, curiosity and personal engagement make it easy to connect when working with Dr. Littleton. His naturally collaborative approach is balanced by an honest, direct personal style that helps clients confront their obstacles and move towards healing and psychological growth.
Dr. Risa Muchnick
Dr. Risa Muchnick is a licensed clinical psychologist. She offers a variety of services, including individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy, as well as clinical supervision, professional consultation, and organizational consultation. She has been leading Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) groups for Denver DBT & Psychotherapy since 2014 and served as the Adolescent Program Director from 2014-2016. Dr. Muchnick’s specialty areas include: anxiety, depression, relationships, and self-esteem. Dr. Muchnick enjoys and has extensive experience treating both adults and adolescents. Her primary treatment approach is a blend of contemporary psychodynamic and relational theories, and she has expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), emotion-focused couples therapy (EFT), mindfulness-based approaches, and, of course, DBT.
Dr. Muchnick has served as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at the University of Denver and at the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) at the University of Denver. Dr. Muchnick also served as an assistant to the Latinx Psychology Specialty at GSPP during its development in 2015. She is fluent in and provides treatment in Spanish. Dr. Muchnick has worked in outpatient medical settings, college counseling centers, forensic treatment facilities, and sexual assault survivor programs. She welcomes working with individuals of all backgrounds.
Your work with Dr. Muchnick will feel like active collaboration and curiosity about how the patterns that hold you back have come to be and, more importantly, an endeavor to untangle and rework them. This will not feel like a merely intellectual or abstract process, but rather a dynamic and lively experience that—when done well—feels like you are entering the heart of the problem and working actively to change it.
Dr. Barry Sroloff
Dr. Barry Sroloff is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience treating individuals, couples, families and leading groups. He is inspired daily by his clients’ determination in addressing a wide range of life problems and enjoys supporting them in the process of confronting and overcoming the issues that have left them feeling “stuck.” He has expertise helping clients work through traumatic experiences, relationship problems, aging, sexual and health concerns, grief and loss, and internal problems interfering with living one’s best life.
Dr. Sroloff approaches therapy with the intention of integrating psychodynamic, systems, and neurobiological models with the powerful benefits of cognitive and DBT techniques. Because interacting with challenging environments often results in feelings of confusion and internalizing contradictory messages about who you are, Dr. Sroloff believes it is crucial to be honest and direct when working with clients. Since good psychotherapy is often challenging and anxiety provoking, Dr Sroloff’s conversational, caring and humorous manner encourages clients as they learn methods to self soothe, cultivate and draw on their strengths, and develop the resilience and belief in themselves to continue to grow.
Dr Sroloff holds a Master’s degree in Child Clinical Psychology and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He has supervised Psychologists for licensure and has conducted professional workshops in the areas of targeted brief therapy, group therapy and care management.
Dr. Zachary Weiss
After receiving his master’s degree in general psychology from Adelphi University in 2015, Dr. Zachary Weiss went on to earn his master’s and doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. During his five years in training, he worked in a mix of inpatient and outpatient settings. His clinical experiences afforded him the opportunity to practice from a psychodynamic lens while incorporating behavioral, cognitive behavioral and DBT interventions so that therapy is uniquely tailored to each individual client. Dr. Weiss has worked with a wide range of clients with a variety of intersecting identities and mental health difficulties. Self-esteem issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, interpersonal issues and personality disorders are some of his specialty areas. He currently offers individual therapy for adults and adolescents and facilities DBT groups.
Dr. Weiss’s clinical approach is built on the importance of a collaborative treatment process. Clients can expect to work alongside Dr. Weiss in a process of self-understanding and self-compassion as they learn new ways of relating to themselves. Strongly rooted in intersubjective systems theory, this whole-person approach individualizes work with clients on their path to self-discovery.
Experiences shape how we come to understand ourselves in the world, but they are not the final say on who we are as individuals. Dr. Weiss believes that empathy and therapeutic collaboration can be transformative experiences resulting in clients’ increased capacity to rewrite their personal narratives. Dr. Weiss’s curiosity, intelligence, engagement and ability to connect well with others facilitates this process where insight and healing occur.
