About Us
Laura Stuart, MA, NCC, LPC, NeurOptimal® Trainer
Credentials
University of Florida
Bachelors of Science in Telecommunications, 2008
Denver Seminary
Master of Arts Clinical Counseling, 2014
NCC
National Certified Counselor (NCC) is the premier counseling certification. Becoming a board certified counselor demonstrates to your colleagues and the public that you have voluntarily met high national standards for the practice of counseling.
LPC
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) are masters-level mental health service providers, trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders.
Other certifications
Certified in EMDR therapy
Certified in Brainspotting therapy
Certified NeurOptimal® trainer
Certified VR Therapy Provider through Amelia Virtual Care
I am originally from Florida. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2008 and am a die-hard Gator football fan! I moved to Denver in 2011 and received my MA in Counseling from Denver Seminary in 2014. I am now a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado.
My focus in therapy is incorporating the ground-breaking technique, Brainspotting, into therapy sessions using a base of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), talk therapy and/or play therapy depending on client age. Depending on client's request, I also commonly incorporate our NeurOptimal® neurofeedback system in conjunction to therapy. I also offer faith-based counseling upon request. Most importantly, I incorporate my therapy dog into sessions, providing animal-assisted therapy! My therapy dogs, Poppy and Buster, love their job. As far as who I treat, I work with a variety of ages and issues including; PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, mood disorders, bullying, divorce, eating disorders, addictions, body image issues, self-esteem issues, abuse and neglect, adoption, post-partum-related problems, anger issues, faith-based issues, and workplace issues. With Brainspotting, I also focus on the area of peak performance with athletes, as well as business-related peak performance!
Emir Karaketir, MA
Emir received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Philosophy from CU Denver and received his MA in Clinical Mental Health from CU Denver. Emir is
fluent in Turkish
“The unexamined life is not worth living": this famous dictum of Socrates is one which guides Emir's approach to therapy.
Emir is passionate about the human condition and the challenges we face in confronting it. Emir hopes to examine your life alongside you in a collaborative process which cultivates perspective, resilience, and positive coping methods. With skills and knowledge in both philosophy and psychotherapy, Emir hopes to offer a unique approach to those dealing with things like trauma, depression, anxiety, and other life stressors.
Emir has a history of working at an integrated care facility and has seen clients from all walks of life. Emir is oriented by an existential-humanistic approach, drawing inspirations from various areas of philosophy. Emir is eager to hear your story and change the past (by changing perspective on it) and cultivate a stronger awareness of freedom, responsibility, and the courage to take on the unknown that is the future.
Lauren Shimer, Graduate Intern
Hello! My name is Lauren and I am currently in my last year of graduate school at CCU to become a clinical counselor. I received my BA in Communications from the University of Arkansas in 2020. I decided to attend CCU and move to Denver because I love the outdoors and this beautiful city. I am trained to work with all ages and issues including; anxiety, depression, substance use issues, and PTSD. I am trained in Brainspotting, a groundbreaking trauma intervention, while also implementing a variety of somatic and cognitive techniques like CBT, DBT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, and Existentialism.
I enjoy working with people navigating traumatic experiences, gaining insight into emotional regulation, and processing life transitions. In my free time, I enjoy crafting, building puzzles, hanging out with my dog, and biking!
Kiera Pelletier, Graduate Intern
Hello! My name is Kiera and I am one of seven siblings. I grew up surrounded by little ones so this encouraged my work with youth specifically in mental health treatment. I graduated in the summer of 2020 with a degree in Social Work, and I am going into my last year of studies at CCU's Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. During my social work degree, I assisted at-risk youth in a community program. After graduating, I began working in youth residential facilities and have conducted various treatment interventions for over a year now. In my free time, I love painting, drawing, rock climbing, and running!
Kyle Berg, Graduate Intern
Hello! My name is Kyle, and I am originally from Washington State. After high school, I made the journey to Nebraska where I received my undergraduate degree in language arts education. I then began working as a teacher in Colorado before pursuing my master’s in counseling at Colorado Christian University. In my work as an educator, I found that developing positive and affirming relationships with my students, led to a healthier and happier learning environment. I have also found this to be true in counseling. Therefore, my hope is to develop positive and affirming relationships with my clients so that they can have healthier and happier relationships and a healthier and happier sense of self. When I’m not in the counseling office, I also enjoy playing basketball, listening to podcasts, and spending time with my wife and close friends.