Hidden Gems: Meet Amber Kosloske of Convenient Colorado Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Kosloske.

Hi Amber, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I grew up around family members who have disabilities and are wheelchair users, because I grew up my whole life around people with disabilities I never saw anything wrong with being differently abled. When I was 9 years old I started to realize that the world treats and looks at people with disabilities differently. All through my adolescent years, I volunteered to help the students in my school who participated in special education programs. Then when I was old enough for a “real job” I started working in a group home for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. While working at group homes I took many of the individuals I served to doctor’s appointments and again noticed the way they were treated differently. The physicians acted like they could “catch” the individuals’ disabilities and in turn, they received less effective care. In high school, I decided that I wanted to be a doctor and change the way this population is served in the medical field.

I graduated high school a year early, determined to be a doctor for those with severe disabilities. When I got to pre-med school it was much more difficult than I anticipated. I had always been an excellent student and a lot of identities were rooted in this. When I was earning C’s and D’s my previous identity felt shattered. After a semester I decided to join the Army National Guard as a Medic.

When I returned home from training I realized that becoming a doctor was no longer my path, so I changed my major to Psychology with a minor in Communication Disorders and found that this was the path I was meant to be on. I attained my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and went on to attain a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. While completing my education I started to struggle with my own mental health and attempted to take my own life when I was 20. The therapist I was working with helped me build a life that I am excited to live, and this inspired me to want to do the same for others.

After graduating with my master’s degree I went on to work as a Rehabilitation Counselor supporting people with disabilities to gain, engage in, and maintain employment that they find fulfilling and that is able to accommodate their needs. I enjoyed this work and found it rewarding but I felt like there were more ways I could be supporting others. So, in 202o I started Convenient Colorado Counseling with a business partner. She has now moved on to new adventures, but I am thankful for her help to start this business.

I am the Owner and a Counselor at Convenient Colorado Counseling. I provide online individual counseling services for individuals who are 12 years old and up and who reside in Colorado. I specialize in suicide and self-harm prevention counseling, advocacy, and resources. My own experiences with mental health and suicide give me a unique perspective when working with my clients. I jump in that dark pit with them and we build the ladder to climb out together. Then, I support them in building a life they are also excited to live.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I do not think that any road worth taking in life is completely smooth and starting my business has not been an exception. It was about a year into business before I found my “niche”. When I started this business I was providing general counseling services for ages 18 and up.

I found along the way that more and more people were coming to me who were experiencing suicidal thoughts and self-harm and an even bigger realization was how much I love to work in these areas. So, I took this on as my specialty about a year into business, and once I did I found that more and more teenagers were knocking on my door, so I again made a change and expanded the age ranges I serve.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Convenient Colorado Counseling offers online counseling/therapy for individuals 12+ who reside in Colorado. We specialize in self-harm and suicide prevention counseling, advocacy, and resources. We offer counseling during “non-traditional hours” so our clients do not need to miss school or work to participate in counseling. Our hours of operation are 4 pm-9 pm M-F. Our vision is to provide every individual with the best suicide and self-harm prevention care by providing counseling, resources, and advocacy. Our mission is to provide counseling at a place where you feel safe to create change at a pace that feels comfortable to you.

Convenient Colorado Counseling was very purposefully named when the business was created. Convenient comes from my understanding, from personal experience, that counseling can be challenging to fit into our busy lives. This is why I offer counseling sessions in the evenings outside of the “typical counseling hours”. As your counselor, I want you to feel comfortable and safe while we work together to create the change you want to see in your life. To make my counseling services more accessible, I offer online counseling sessions to all Colorado residents. My Counseling approach is aimed to help you find your reasons for getting out of bed tomorrow and create a rewarding life.

Convenient Colorado Counseling does community presentations and training about suicide and self-harm prevention for Colorado businesses, schools, and community groups. We are also launching a new product on 11/15/2022 that will be available for purchase on our site, the Self-Soothe Kit. It is a kit that has items for all 5-senses in a conveniently sized pouch that will provide tools to use when having a panic attack, wanting to self-harm, or trying to prevent a mental health crisis. All items in the kit are things that I use with my clients and have led to improvement and relief of symptoms.

As part of my advocacy and resource efforts, it is important to me to contribute to organizations that align with my vision and mission. I am a board member for Victory Service Dogs, which is a non-profit that trains service dogs for Veterans, First Responders, and children with disabilities. Since they started they have worked with over 200 individuals and graduated 93 service dog teams from their training program. They have not lost a single participant to suicide either, which is absolutely amazing! I also am a preferred provider for Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention, a member of the Colorado Counseling Association, a member of The American Association of Suicidology, and a volunteer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

How do you define success?
I had a professor in my master’s program who would put up this quote by Soren Kierkegaard: “De omnibus dubitandum est”, which translates to “everything must be doubted”. This is the perfect representation of how I define success. Success is to always question, learn, and grow. I have this quote tattooed on my arm to remind myself to continue to do this daily and to support others to do the same.

Pricing:

• Cigna
• Anthem BCBS
• Aetna
• United Health Care
• $90-$120 Private Pay

Contact Info:

• Website: https://convenientcoloradocounseling.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convenientcoloradocounseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/convenientcoloradocounseling