Relational Care Counseling

Healing through Connection

In counseling, people find healing, problems transform into solutions, and our spirits learn to embrace a journey toward hope and recovery…

Leandra Montoya, MA, LPCC, LMHCA

About Me

  • Education

    Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Texas Tech University (2014)

    Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from University of Denver (2017)

    Pursuing PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Adams State University

  • Counseling Philosophy

    My style of counseling, relational cultural therapy, is rooted in attachment theory, person-centered therapy, psychodynamic theory, and multiculturalism. I believe humans thrive with meaningful connection; connection to the self, to others, and to our environments. I hope to walk alongside you in your healing journey to support your goals, reduce emotional distress, and improve your overall wellness and life satisfaction.

  • Background

    I was born and raised in a small town in New Mexico, where I was surrounded by a large and loving family. I now live in the Denver Metro area in Colorado after moving here for graduate school in 2015. I have felt called to the field of mental health because it’s an area of wellness where we have the opportunity to take control, transform, and build our lives around the things most meaningful to us. I believe we all have the capacity to evolve and deepen our connection with ourselves and others.

Services

  • RCT is an approach that emphasizes the power of relationships and connectedness in our mental health and wellness. The therapeutic relationship is a springboard for improving other relationships, understanding the ways these affect us, and improve our connectedness to foster healing and reprieve from distress.

  • ACT is a therapy that integrates a person’s values as a guide toward a meaningful life. It fosters mindfulness, awareness of thoughts and emotions, acceptance of what is, and connection with the self and the present.

  • DBT is a skill-based form of therapy that helps to improve distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and mindfulness strategies. This form of therapy is best for folks who have symptoms of trauma that may penetrate one’s ability to self-regulate and communicate effectively.

  • Person-centered therapy is a non-directive approach that emphasizes a person’s capacity for healing and growth under the right therapeutic conditions. With empathy, trust, compassion, and congruence, this form of therapy allows you as the client to take the lead to prioritize the issues you find most important. It is the belief that a strong therapeutic alliance is enough to bring about change and improve overall wellness in therapy.