Meet Sophie Keeley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Keeley.

Sophie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a child, I was labeled as sensitive; often too much for many to fully understand me. And yes, I felt a lot and I felt deeply. I remember feeling more than I could identify or voice. Over time, I learned that my sensitivity is a strength that allows for intuition, connection, and relationship.

Growing up, between France and the U.S. meant I was steeped in two cultures at all times since birth. I recall spending years struggling to find myself and understand how I fit in these cultures. Being bicultural also translates to becoming familiar with code switching and moving between cultures and countries, navigating the spoken and unspoken norms and expectations. One of the ways I found joy was in connecting one on one with a handful of close friends, with whom I learned to cultivate deep bonds across borders and oceans.

I also went through difficult, dark times throughout my youth, all of which led me to develop resilience. At 18, I went through a life-changing traumatic experience, which would forever mark my path. From that point on, my life view shifted, allowing me to more accurately perceive pain around me as well as seek out meaningful repair. In my final year of undergraduate studies in Paris, I decided to move to Mexico. That year abroad turned into 8 as I fell in love with the culture, food, landscapes and people.

In Mexico, I opened my heart and ignited my voice. I taught languages and dedicated all my extra time to volunteering. I initially got involved at the Women’s Institute of Puebla as a client myself. It was in a group of women, all survivors of domestic violence, that parts of me emerged that I had exiled. I felt held and nurtured as I uncovered the depths of my trauma and verbalized my stories. The bond between us all grew strong over the years. These women led the way to healing and helped me change the course of my journey. They gave me hope and modeled collective care. This same tender attention flourished in multiple aspects of my life in Mexico, each forming examples of reparative connections through consistency and caring presence. I further explored this calling by creating support groups for youth in schools and a juvenile detention center. I was driven to initiate spaces for connection especially with under-resourced and disregarded populations.

Over time, I found that many people shared their intimate struggles they were traversing with me. My students confided in me outside of class sharing issues regarding suicidality, addiction, abuse, trauma, depression, and anxiety. They were reaching out for support in a way that I had not yet trained for. After noticing the obvious and listening to key friends and family, I moved to Colorado to pursue my masters in counseling. This transition was hard as I left behind a life built for nearly a decade, many close friends, and home.

My partner and I, then newly weds, ventured into a land that we could not have known would have such a deep impact on either of us. Living in Boulder, CO, as an interracial, multicultural couple felt hard and somewhat isolating. Here, we faced the reality of historical, systemic oppression. Our experiences have shaped how I understand and work with multicultural, interracial issues, as well as systemic barriers to the immigrant community. While closely accompanying people who are chronically dismissed, siloed, or ignored by the systems they navigate, it is evident that taking responsibility and acting for wider change within these same systems is crucial. I strive to increase my presence and impact as an advocate while practicing more conscientious allyship.

I pursued my master’s in Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling at Naropa University, where growth looks like profound introspection and maturation. This process was messy. I experienced tremendous joy and deep sorrow. Expansion and grief seemed to be intertwined and I eventually emerged from the program, with deeper awareness and compassion. This too has been an everlasting change. I believe that as a therapist it is my responsibility to continue to work on myself and deepen my awareness of who I am, my edges and strengths, and how I impact others.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have encountered multiple challenges along the way, which I believe have brought tremendous growth and creativity in me. Living in a different country entails adapting to a new culture, language, social and cultural norms, politics, and expectations. I have experienced harassment, abuse, and violence as a cisgender woman. I have delved into internalized oppression regarding my pansexuality. I continue to work through the knots of being a business owner, including the added layer of limitations during this pandemic.

Sophie Keeley – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
In my private practice, I offer individual, couples, family, and group counseling as well as clinical supervision in Spanish, French, and English. I am a Gestalt therapist that works through a Social Justice counseling lens, specializing in trauma, abuse, attachment, and grief. Relationship is my greatest teacher, offering continuous opportunities for self-awareness, expansion, and compassion. Cocreating space, exploring experiences of belonging, and leaning into edges describe the values infused in my services. Congruence between our internal experience and outer expression bring relief and clarity. I hold the belief that all have innate wisdom which is frequently inaccessible due to our tendency to repeat familiar patterns, even when they hinder our growth. I thrive in issues related to culture, gender, and sexual orientation.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am moving closer to Denver and am eager to expand my business and further develop community. I look forward to new opportunities to deepen my work in the Latinx, Hispanic and immigrant communities. I am also looking to acquire new skills in equine and nature-based therapy.

Pricing:

• $120 per 55 minute session

Contact Info:

• Phone: (720) 897-0140
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/co/lakewood/442135?sid=5ee8342a280ff&ref=4&tr=ResultsName

Image Credit:
Orlando J. Martinez Murcio

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