Psychologist in Greenwood Village, Colorado

“13 Reasons Why ” The Netflix original that, for better or worse, has everyone talking. Talking about suicide, abuse, bullying, and what is appropriate for a teen audience. Spoiler alert, the TV series is about a teenage girl who commits suicide and pre-records 13 different cassette tapes, each speaking about a different one of her peers and how their actions contributed to her decision to commit suicide. The show depicts graphic rape scenes as well as acts of violence and adult language. The show obviously caused some commotion, and rightfully so, parents were concerned to have their children watch it As a mental health professional, I was torn as to the appropriateness of this particular TV show. I agree that there needs to be more of a conversation about suicide, but in what ways do we want to expose vulnerable young adults in order to start the conversation. I hadn’t thought too much about watching the series until several of my own teen clients began to speak about it. It ...

Do you have concerns that either yourself or someone you love may be suffering from an eating disorder? The National Eating Disorder Association recognizes the following symptoms as warning sings. Dramatic weight loss; preoccupation with weight, food, calories, and dieting; refusal to eat certain foods; making frequent comments about feeling “fat”; denying feeling hungry or has concern with eating in public; excessive or rigid exercise regimen; and intense fear of weight gain. There are also physical symptoms of an eating disorder which may include: loss of menstrual period, stomach cramps, dizziness, fainting, feeling cold often, sleep problems, dental issues, dry skin and impaired immune functioning. You may also notice that someone has difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly. Additionally, you may observe inflexible thinking, meaning the individual can only see things in a black and white manner and not be able to see alternative perspectives. For example, thinking...

So much of what creates difficulties in our lives stems from anxiety. Anxiety about not being good enough. Anxiety about failing. Anxiety about not being liked. These anxieties can cause big problems in our lives. In my world as a psychologist I get to see these anxieties go away and for people so they feel calm, content, in control and unafraid. How you ask? The most effective way I see anxiety dissipate for people is by using a therapeutic method called EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing). It is touted to be an evidence based effective therapy by the World Health Organization, The American Psychiatric Association, Department of Veterans Affairsand the Department of Defense. It is used for many kinds of anxiety, but was originally used to treat trauma- an intense form of anxiety after an event in which you feel your life or the life of a loved one is in danger. People feel relieved to know that there is something that will help, but they ask, “how does it ...

Expert Forensic Services for Juveniles and Adults As a forensic psychologist Dr. Cleveland is an expert in juvenile and adult forensic evaluation Dr. Jane Cleveland  is a licensed psychologist in private practice, specializing in forensic psychology. She has unparalleled training and experience in domestic, civil and criminal cases; trained by The University of Massachsetts Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, she was a fellow of Dr. Thomas Grisso and others with internationally recognized forensic competence in mental health. As such she is an expert in the evaluation of juveniles and children, which in addition to her expertise in adult forensic assessment, makes her skills vast and adaptable. Dr. Cleveland has performed forensic evaluations at the federal and state level, in Colorado, New Mexico and Massachusetts. Attorneys in the Denver Metro Area have touted her as having training, ethics, and professionalism that are second to none in Colorado. Forensic...

Mindfulness has become a very popular topic in the past several years. We all hear it is good for us and something we should learn to practice. But what exactly is mindfulness? According to Mindful - healthy mind, healthy life, “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” As human’s we far too often get carried away by our thoughts, loose connection to our bodies and can become concerned with something that has happened in the past or worried about something that is happening in the future. We lose connection with the present moment and we are not mindful of our surroundings. If we can stay engaged in the present moment and tune into what is going on around us in the here and now while being fully in our own bodies, we can decrease those worries about the past and future. Which in turn can be an effective tool to help us decrease our feelings of...

A lack of success towards a goal can build character and resilience. Many of the people who are what we consider successful have failed time and time again. Thomas Edison was asked after trying to make a light bulb over 9000 times if he felt like a failure and he said, “Why would I feel like a failure and why would I ever give up? I now know over 9000 ways an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” There are countless other examples of people who did not let a set back stop them from their becoming…Meryl Streep, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, J.K. Rowling…the list goes on and on. There are times when I know that there is a resounding undeniable truth because it comes out in situation after situation and when discussed people get that light bulb look in their eye and shake their heads in agreement. Here is what it is…. THE GOAL TO ATTAIN PERFECTIONISM IS THE QUICKEST PATH TO SHAME, because there is no such thing as perfect, you will neve...

So much of what creates difficulties in our lives stems from anxiety. Anxiety about not being good enough. Anxiety about failing. Anxiety about not being liked. These anxieties can cause big problems in our lives. In my world as a psychologist I get to see these anxieties go away and for people so they feel calm, content, in control and unafraid. How you ask? The most effective way I see anxiety dissipate for people is by using a therapeutic method called EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing). It is touted to be an evidence based effective therapy by the World Health Organization, The American Psychiatric Association, Department of Veterans Affairsand the Department of Defense. It is used for many kinds of anxiety, but was originally used to treat trauma- an intense form of anxiety after an event in which you feel your life or the life of a loved one is in danger. People feel relieved to know that there is something that will help, but they ask, “how do...

“God gave to us, he took away, but he will give to us again.” Reportedly said by, Susi, a tsunami survivor in Indonesia. The news is noting the resilience of the Indonesian people after a tsunami hit without warning, devastating the area and killing many.* Resilience is a powerful human tool! One that too many of us in the United States are lacking. I was recently sitting with a dear friend who was worried about her depressed teenager who she just learned has been cutting. Her daughter is gorgeous, has friends, does well in school and has a stable loving family. So my friend wonders what could possibly lead to this sense of not liking herself and feeling depressed; she says, I think maybe it’s because she has never had to struggle.” And you know what…this super smart friend of mine has a point. When people don’t struggle through something, they don’t learn to survive; they don’t learn to cope with pain; they don’t learn their own power; and they don’t learn to be RESILI...

Alyssa Syrdal  is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in the state of Colorado. She has her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University, Denver, Colorado Alyssa has extensive experience working with children, adolescents and their families across settings. Her background is in early childhood development and has years of experience working with children with special needs and their families. Alyssa has focused more recently on working with children and their families regarding trauma processing, behaviors and other emotional disturbances. She also has great understanding in working with those struggling or in recovery for an eating disorder, disordered eating, or body image concerns. “Alyssa fully believes that every human being strives for and has the capacity to fulfill their own potential” SKILLS Alyssa’s theoretical framework when working with clients comes from being a person-centered therapist. She fully believes that...

This NBC news article gives parents and caregivers information on how to take action to help both protect the younger generation and how, as a parent, to feel grounded. It is important to not just have simple conversations with our youth; it is more important to be honest, take action, and always continue to have these difficult conversations. I always like to say that children and teens learn by having multiple, spaced out conversations rather than one big, long lecture. When you read this article think about the younger generation and how to apply these techniques. I have given more perspective on this article below and I hope each reader gain more insight as well. Our society currently continues to experience heartache and which more recently involve the safety of our children who we want to do nothing more than protect and love. With all of the school shootings at the beginning of 2018, the conversations about gun control and violence are directly affecting the younger ge...

Do you have concerns that either yourself or someone you love may be suffering from an eating disorder? The National Eating Disorder Association recognizes the following symptoms as warning sings. Dramatic weight loss; preoccupation with weight, food, calories, and dieting; refusal to eat certain foods; making frequent comments about feeling “fat”; denying feeling hungry or has concern with eating in public; excessive or rigid exercise regimen; and intense fear of weight gain. There are also physical symptoms of an eating disorder which may include: loss of menstrual period, stomach cramps, dizziness, fainting, feeling cold often, sleep problems, dental issues, dry skin and impaired immune functioning. You may also notice that someone has difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly. Additionally, you may observe inflexible thinking, meaning the individual can only see things in a black and white manner and not be able to see alternative perspectives. For example, t...

The world lost a ridiculously brilliant mind in Stephen Hawking. Most people think about him and think physics, and stars, and the universe, and massive leaps in new knowing our universe. While all those things are true, one of his greatest teachings was the power of the human spirit and the psychology of the mind. And it is this teaching, through his own experience, that I would like to focus on, as it should not be wasted “One has to have a positive attitude and must make the best of the situation that one finds oneself in; if one is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be psychologically disabled as well” Stephen Hawking’s body was severely disabled by ALS, but his mind was still a bright star. He lived having to use his mind for everything- most importantly figuring out how to stay positive, have purpose and move forward when almost everything you have know about yourself has been taken. Through this he came to know the power of the mind and spirit and we see how...

When you look for someone to help you or a loved one be better you probably are looking for three things, a place where you feel safe and comfortable, a person who you like and want to talk to and most importantly you want someone who is talented and experienced, the top of their field, to help you be better. No one comes to a therapist to stay the same, something is wanting to be changed. And we are here to guide you through that journey. At Psychological Associates of the Rockies , you can find all the things you are looking for-a safe and comfortable place to be with people who care about you and most importantly are experienced and talented at moving people in a positive direction to create long lasting emotional health and physical well being. We believe that emotional health is about living a meaningful life through connections to yourself, your community and the world. Often times this requires self-discovery with the help of an expert guide. We think you are importa...

Expert Forensic Services for Juveniles and Adults As a forensic psychologist Dr. Cleveland is an expert in juvenile and adult forensic evaluation Dr. Jane Cleveland is a licensed psychologist in private practice, specializing in forensic psychology. She has unparalleled training and experience in domestic, civil and criminal cases; trained by The University of Massachsetts Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, she was a fellow of Dr. Thomas Grisso and others with internationally recognized forensic competence in mental health. As such she is an expert in the evaluation of juveniles and children, which in addition to her expertise in adult forensic assessment, makes her skills vast and adaptable. Dr. Cleveland has performed forensic evaluations at the federal and state level, in Colorado, New Mexico and Massachusetts. Attorneys in the Denver Metro Area have touted her as having training, ethics, and professionalism that are second to none in Colorado. Forensi...

A recent study showed that 95% of teens own a smart phone or have easy access to one (Anderson. M. & Jiang, J. 2018). And with easy access to a smart phone comes unlimited access to social media and the many apps that make up the world of social media. Facebook used to be the most popular social media app but not anymore, especially amongst teens. According to Pew Research Center, Youtube is the most popular with 85% of teens reporting to use it, with Instagram and Snapchat coming in second and third with 72% and 69% respectively. Instragram tends to be popular amongst adults too, therefore parents may be more familiar with this app. However, are you familiar with this new trend… FINSTAGRAM? What is Finsta or Finstagram. Finsta refers to a fake instagram account. This is a second account where teens post their unfiltered photos to a more selective audience. These accounts tend to be private and for only their closest friends to see, which often means not mom and dad. On one...

Alyssa Syrdal is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in the state of Colorado. She has her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University, Denver, Colorado. Alyssa has extensive experience working with children, adolescents and their families across settings. Her background is in early childhood development and has years of experience working with children with special needs and their families. Alyssa has focused more recently on working with children and their families regarding trauma processing, behaviors and other emotional disturbances. She also has great understanding in working with those struggling or in recovery for an eating disorder, disordered eating, or body image concerns. “Alyssa fully believes that every human being strives for and has the capacity to fulfill their own potential” SKILLS Alyssa’s theoretical framework when working with clients comes from being a person-centered therapist. She fully believes that ...

“13 Reasons Why” The Netflix original that, for better or worse, has everyone talking. Talking about suicide, abuse, bullying, and what is appropriate for a teen audience. Spoiler alert, the TV series is about a teenage girl who commits suicide and pre-records 13 different cassette tapes, each speaking about a different one of her peers and how their actions contributed to her decision to commit suicide. The show depicts graphic rape scenes as well as acts of violence and adult language. The show obviously caused some commotion, and rightfully so, parents were concerned to have their children watch it As a mental health professional , I was torn as to the appropriateness of this particular TV show. I agree that there needs to be more of a conversation about suicide, but in what ways do we want to expose vulnerable young adults in order to start the conversation. I hadn’t thought too much about watching the series until several of my own teen clients began to speak about it. ...

Imagine waking up in the morning and first thing you do is scroll through your social media and see images of beautiful people with perfect bodies living out the ideal life full of wealth and adventure. What do you begin to do? Self-reflect on your imperfections and the areas of yourself that you want to change and improve. I believe that one’s perception of themselves and reality may be skewed based on the superficial, Western culture we live in. This includes one’s perception of their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual worth. Eating disorders are so much more than discontent with our physical appearance. Individuals with eating disorders are not just trying to fix or change a physical trait but rather, often are seeking to cope from an emotional discomfort. As I have had the opportunity to work with more individuals on their journey to fight back against their eating disorder I have witnessed intense feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, negative self-worth, an...

“God gave to us, he took away, but he will give to us again.” Reportedly said by, Susi, a tsunami survivor in Indonesia. The news is noting the resilience of the Indonesian people after a tsunami hit without warning, devastating the area and killing many.* Resilience is a powerful human tool! One that too many of us in the United States are lacking. I was recently sitting with a dear friend who was worried about her depressed teenager who she just learned has been cutting. Her daughter is gorgeous, has friends, does well in school and has a stable loving family. So my friend wonders what could possibly lead to this sense of not liking herself and feeling depressed; she says, I think maybe it’s because she has never had to struggle.” And you know what…this super smart friend of mine has a point. When people don’t struggle through something, they don’t learn to survive; they don’t learn to cope with pain; they don’t learn their own power; and they don’t learn to be RESILIEN...