Exploring Life & Business with Evan Moore of LighthouseTherapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Moore. 

Hi Evan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I move to Denver Colorado at the end of the summer of August 2019. This was before anybody knew the pandemic was going to happen and I came to this city and state hoping for a fresh start. When I moved out here, I did not have a residency, so I had to live out of my car with my dog until I could get approved for an apartment. That was a difficult moment in my life and I questioned whether or not I should stay or move back to Missouri. I started working for an agency in the mental health field as a therapist but that did not go according to plan. I worked for that agency for several months before realizing it was not a fit for me and it was best that I part ways. 

That was the first of four agencies that I worked for in a 2-year span since living in Denver Colorado. From there, I transitioned to another agency in Thornton Colorado where I believed I could achieve the goals I wanted but it did not turn out that way. I was there a brief time before parting ways and taking some months off to regroup. During that time covid-19 was in its prime and there was civil unrest in the City of Denver. I took several weeks to create a documentary over the protest and riots that were going on. My belief was that this was a moment in history that needed to be captured and hearing voices of different people and their experiences during this time. 

I started my journey for employment again and decided to pursue a smaller practice to work from things were progressing but my dream was not being fulfilled and it was unfair of me to want another agency to fulfill my hopes and dreams. That said, I transitioned to my fourth agency in Denver. At this point, I started to believe that this was not the direction I needed to go in my life. I had grown tired of the back and forth with agencies and the multiple interviews and toxic supervisors. I was with this other private practice for several months before things started to deteriorate between me and my supervisor. It was at that point I said this is enough. 

In May of 2021, I decided to put my future in my own hands and start my own private practice. I’ve never worked for myself and the idea of solely relying on oneself financially was unfamiliar for me. However, I could no longer work for someone else and expect them to see my vision. My father always told me either make it work for you or do it yourself, but don’t complain. I took that saying to heart and took a hold of my own future. There were multiple times I experienced fear of failing, humiliation, and doubt. However, these are emotions that we all experience so I knew I was not alone in this journey. I’ve had amazing people guide me on my journey and I’m ever so thankful to have them in my life. 

I started my practice because I wanted to take control of my own future and I wanted to approach the mental health field from a different angle. Affordable and convenient mental health services. Having worked for multiple agencies since living in Denver Colorado, I realized that the financial side of mental health services is one of many things that will detour an individual from starting. I wanted to create an environment that was not only welcoming of multiple individuals but the reassurance that a competent and reliable individual will guide you on your journey. 

I’ve since then hired three individuals to assist me with my practice and each one brings their own unique style to helping individuals who are dealing with various mental health and physical health issues. It has been an absolute honor and privilege to meet these individuals and have them a part of my organization. I vowed to myself to never project those same toxic attitudes that I experience working for those other agencies. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Just like with any adventure in life one will experience obstacles along the journey. For me, it started when I moved to Denver Colorado. I did not have a residency so I had to live out of my car with my dog until I was able to find a home. But it didn’t stop there, I’ve since then worked for four different mental health agencies in the span of two years since living in Denver Colorado. I moved here at the end of August 2019 and started my own practice May of 2021. In that 2-year span, I’ve worked for four different agencies and the biggest struggle was the uncertainty of the professional relationships and the bureaucracy of each organization. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about LighthouseTherapy, LLC?
The name lighthouse derives from a physical lighthouse in the hometown that I was born in. I wanted something sentimental that individuals could understand the significance of it and the purpose it’s played throughout the course of history. I didn’t want a generic name but something that was meaningful and could give an individual a sense of nostalgia when thinking about it. 

The ideology of my practice is affordable and convenient mental health services. I didn’t want to start an organization where it was troublesome for an individual to set up an appointment due to being transferred from this line to this line, or an absorbent fee in which they could afford, or the lack of an intimate connection to someone. I wanted to change that based off my experiences and working for multiple agencies since living in Denver Colorado. 

As a mental health professional, I assist individuals in treating various mental health ailments but I specialize in working with individuals who suffer from eating disorders, childhood trauma/trauma, adults with ADHD, and self-esteem and self-confidence issues. I’ve hired other individuals to assist me in more specialized areas and I have a clinician named Megan Forrest who specializes in play therapy and working with individuals who suffer with addictions. I also have another individual named Jelsy Martinez who is a health and wellness coach and she assist individuals with creating a healthy and balanced lifestyle. She works with children, teens, and adults. Her approach is a more holistic point of view. My social media director is Brandi McConnell. She is in charge of various social media platforms from post, responses, and reaching out to other local Denver companies. Each one of these women have had a significant impact on me and I am honored to have them a part of my practice and its growth. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
The most significant individual helping me along my journey is Dr. Mary Ann Watson. She has been such an influence in my life thus far and I truly treasure the professional relationship her and I have. She is wise in her many years of working in the mental health field and has always encouraged me to continue pushing forward and ask questions when needed. She continues to be an inspiration in my life and a guide in so many different ways. 

Pricing:

• $75.00 per therapy session/health and wellness services.
• Insurances: Aetna/Aetna Coventry, Friday Health Plans, and MINES and Associates.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone Numbers:
  • Evan Moore: 833-749-3549 ext 0
  • Megan Forrest: 833-749-3549 ext 2
  • Jelsy Martinez: 833-749-3549 ext 3
• Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/evan-moore-denver-co/
• Instagram: Lighthousetherapy12
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/megan-forrest-denver-co/921088