Check Out Hayden Schaff’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayden Schaff

Hi Hayden, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The story of Summit Therapy started with my own experiences as a transgender LGBTQ person. In addition to always knowing I wanted to help people and having so much curiosity towards the human experience, there was a time in my life where I was looking for a queer therapist and couldn’t find one! Or, the right one. I noticed such a significant gap in care for the LBGTQ community and I wanted to be a part of transforming mental health care in Denver to be more inclusive, accessible, and to have LGBTQ people be able to work with a provider who truly gets them.

Before making the leap into private practice I worked deeply within my community—running groups, contributing to agency-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, and practicing at a group therapy setting. Through these experiences, I realized my passion for creating a space where I could show up authentically and practice in a way that fully aligns with my values. This realization ultimately led me to take the leap and open my own practice. I eventually opened Summit Therapy in September 2024. Summit Therapy is a private mental health practice dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community and folks navigating anxiety, self-esteem, relationship challenges, identity exploration, and the complexities of systems that were never built for them.

Summit Therapy has allowed me to become part of my community’s network of care, which feels so special and fulfilling. While I work with a wide range of individuals, my heart and soul are especially in working with queer, transgender, and gender-expansive people. Supporting my clients in honoring their authentic unique beautiful being is at the core of my work, and it is such an honor to be a part of.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The first challenge that I encountered was just allowing myself to take up space. More than ever, LGBTQ folks need space. They need space to be able to just breathe, exist, find joy. Once I tapped into the fact that I could provide this space, the mission, vision, and logistics started to fall into place.

The second challenge was more connected to the systems mental health exists within. Mental health providers leave graduate school with clinical skills and a lot of hope to make an impact in the world around them – but little to no training in actually owning or running a business; essential areas like marketing, networking, and financial management. These gaps make owning and operating a mental health practice an uphill battle.

There’s also this brutal narrative in the field—the idea that you have to “earn your time” by working within systems that often perpetuate burnout and compassion fatigue. This expectation leads many providers into work environments that prioritize output over well-being. And the result? We lose talented providers to other fields! Graduate programs, the culture within the mental health profession, stigma around mental health, insurance and capitalist systems all play a role in perpetuating this cycle of burnout. These systems devalue the importance of sustainable mental health practices and the immense benefits they offer. Part of my journey has been unpacking and processing these challenges while discovering that I do have the tools and skills to run my own practice. It required self-learning and leaning into my community for support, but it was absolutely possible. Mental health providers deserve to make a good living while practicing in alignment with their values. It’s time to create a profession where sustainability and well-being are at the forefront. And I am happy to be a part of that effort.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Summit Therapy is in the Cap Hill neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. I specialize in working with queer and LGBTQ clients in navigating anxiety, life stressors, self-esteem, neurodiversity, identity exploration, and generally how to human in this wild world. I am a proud to offer anti-oppressive therapy that takes an incredibly collaborative approach to working with clients. I deeply believe that at the end of the day we are two humans in a room together trying to figure it out! I have seen how powerful and humanizing it can be to try and break down the power dynamics of ‘therapist’ ‘client’ roles. I always tell clients, while I went to school to gain the tools to support you, at the end of the day I haven’t lived your life, and you really are the expert here. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and I tailor my approach to each individual. I also am super stoked to be offering gender-affirming healthcare letters to transgender and gender expansive individuals. This is a service that I provide at no additional cost to my community. It is more important than ever to support trans people – and this is one way I can show up for my community. It is a service that I am passionate about providing.

And something exciting coming to Summit Therapy in Spring 2025 is nature-based therapeutic work. I am thrilled! I recently have acquired an introduction to nature based interventions certificate and I am looking forward to having this as an option for care for folks. So what does it mean? It means bringing the natural world into therapy. This can look like literally having our sessions outside, on trails, in nature, or it can mean brining nature into the therapy room whether literally or through mindfulness based practices. As someone who finds so much healing in being outside and exploring all Colorado has to offer, I am excited to bring this into my profession and practice. If you are someone who maybe have struggled to engage in therapy in a traditional setting, or you are curious about the benefits of nature-based work, it might be for you!

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
By reaching out! My website outlines all of my offerings that include supervision and consultation for other therapists, individual therapy for my community, letter writing for gender affirming healthcare, and nature-based work. I am also on Instagram talking about all things therapy, LGBTQ and social justice, and generally the behind the scenes of Summit Therapy. You can support me there as well. I love collaborating and networking with other providers, especially ones who are not in mental health too! Let’s grab a cup of coffee and chat and learn how to better serve Denver together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.summittherapycolorado.com/
• Instagram: @yourqueertherapist_