Why Look at an About Page?
If you are taking the time to look at this page, you are probably struggling with something that is intensely personal, and you are wondering if it is possible for someone else to understand you, let alone help you. This is particularly true, if the problem that you are struggling with is something that you have been dealing with for years.
From the outside looking in, everything may seem great, but just below the surface there is a storm raging. You might have your boss and coworkers fooled, perhaps even your friends and family, but you are very aware that something is wrong.
Maybe you can’t sleep. Maybe you are feeling testy, or on edge. Maybe you are experiencing headaches, digestive issues, or some other physical concern that is speaking to your unspoken pain. Or maybe you are finally ready to face something that you have been running from for years.
Whether or not this sounds familiar, it can be isolating to struggle alone with something that you can’t seem to fix, and I would like to help.
About Me
I’m Dr. Henry Dooley, and I specialize in helping growth-focused individuals, in early midlife, to break out of old patterns that have been keeping them from experiencing the same level of wellbeing and success in all aspects of their lives – their relationships, careers, home lives, spiritual lives, etc.
I know what it is like to feel lost and discontent when, from the outside, things seemed great. I was lucky to attend a high school, whose aim was to prepare their students to pursue any career path that might interest them. Though I had my educational bases covered, I had not discovered along the way which life path was right for me. In a pinch to choose something, I tried to follow the dreams of others or the dreams that other people had for me.
Going through the motions of a life that was not my own affected my mood, my motivation, and my relationships. The important people in my life didn’t understand why I was struggling as much as I was, and neither did I. In hindsight, I now know that I was suffering because I had not done the difficult work of really examining who I was and who I wanted to be in this world. In an effort to avoid this difficult process, I had gotten lost on the paths that others had followed, and I lost myself along the way.
It was only after accepting the challenge of finding my own path (something that I had been trying to avoid for years) that things began to shift for me. It was a difficult and uncertain process, and I needed the help of others to support me in my personal process of soul searching. Eventually, I came to better understand myself (the good, the bad, and everything in between), and from this new place of self-understanding, I was able to identify a calling in the helping profession. I found a sense of meaning and purpose in helping others to find and follow their own paths.
Though I understand that my experience will not directly mirror your own, I can relate to the feeling of seeming lost in life, that there was something important missing. I can also relate to those who have struggled for years to avoid the difficult process of change and transition. These experiences help me to understand on a very deep level that dramatic changes are possible, even at times when they seem an impossibility.
My Therapeutic Style
Many clients have told me that they feel comfortable sharing things with me, and I strive to create a warm therapeutic environment that facilitates the process of personal exploration and sharing. I work to support my clients and meet them where they are at, but I am also known to push my clients to challenge themselves, so that they can get the most out of therapy.
I strive to take an individualized approach to my work, given that no two people have the same exact goals or life experiences. I believe that an effective therapeutic process is one that is co-constructed, within the context of a strong therapeutic relationship. I therefore welcome and encourage my clients to give me feedback about the process of therapy.
An overarching goal of my work with any client is to help them to better understand themselves, both as a person and within the context of their relationships with others. I like to help clients to develop their sense of intuition, so that they can trust their gut. I also like to help people grow in their ability to self-reflect, in a compassionate and non-judgmental way, so that they can better understand their unconscious patterns of thoughts and behaviors (we all have these). This self-knowledge can be a powerful resource that can help you to respond, rather than react, to unpleasant situations that arise in life.
My Life Outside of Work
Outside of my work I enjoy finding adventures, around Colorado and beyond, and sharing them with my loved ones. I enjoy skiing and hiking with my friends and family, and I am also a big hockey fan. A central pleasure of my life involves connecting with other people on a deeper level, through conversation and shared experiences.
However, I also enjoy having time to myself to recharge and nurture my connection to myself. I love going for walks, particularly in nature, where I can often find more clarity in my thoughts and feelings. I am also passionate about learning, so I love when I have time for books, podcasts and movies that tap into and explore the many nuances of the human condition.
Education and Professional Background
After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, I completed five years of graduate training at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I was awarded a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in 2008, as well as a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in 2011. During my training in Chicago, I worked in a variety of settings, including community mental health, college counseling, and private psychology practices in both rural and urban settings.
In addition to my graduate education, I have received Clinical Hypnosis training from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, which has allowed me to complement my traditional therapy training with the powerful benefits of hypnosis.
I am a Licensed Psychologist, with the State of Colorado, and the founder of the Center for the Connected-Self. In addition to my work helping individuals and couples in my private practice, I have worked as a community supervisor for students in the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology and as an Adjunct Faculty Member with Argosy University – Denver.
Professional Memberships
- The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
- The Colorado Society of Clinical Hypnosis – Treasurer and Founding Member
