Alma Olaechea

Counseling Intern

Alma (she/her) is pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Colorado Denver. Alma’s patient demeanor creates a safe and welcoming environment for clients of all ages. She uses a variety of therapeutic techniques to help people strengthen their sense of self, process life experiences, and work toward positive change. She wants her clients to feel a sense of peace and strength within themselves and connected in their relationships.

Alma has a humanistic approach. She invites all parts of a person into the room and seeks tounderstand her clients' unique experiences. Whether listening to stories, writing, drawing on thefloor with markers, or building a world in sand, she is flexible and considers her clients' needs.She combines narrative, (CBT) cognitive behavioral therapy, and (DBT) dialectical behavior therapy techniques and works collaboratively with clients to create a path forward that is in line with who they are and who they want to be.

Before joining Be and Belong Counseling, Alma was a graduate assistant who supported college students facing emergency situations with funding and community resources. She was also a public school Language Arts teacher for 20 years. Alma interacts with a sense of exploration, has an appreciation for human development, and enjoys being with and learning from people.Outside of therapy, Alma loves sharing food and music, coffee, connecting with loved ones, good stories, laughing, being outside, long walks, and couch time with her chihuahua.

Cultural Resume

• • I am a white, Hispanic American. My mother was born in the Midwest, and my father was a Basque immigrant from Spain.

• I grew up in rural Ohio in a small but close, middle-class family. My parents were married, and I had few extended family members in the United States.

• I'm the youngest of three siblings.

• I have lived experience with being a parent, married, and middle-aged. I have lived experience with aging parents, loss, and life transitions.

• I am the mother of a beautiful 13-year-old.

• I acknowledge that although I may share some identities with my clients, they are theexperts of their own experiences. I continue to learn more about myself and othersthrough reflection, ongoing education, and interactions.

• I acknowledge that the dominant identities that I have, which include being white and cis-gender, have given me unearned privilege. As a woman, I am working to unlearn internalized sexism and challenge societal messaging. I believe that addressing my own ignorance and biases, as well as continuous learning, are essential for deconstructing racism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination that cause harm to marginalized people.

Meet the Team at Be and Belong Counseling

Nicole Whynott ›
MSW, LCSW, SOMB Juvenile Treatment Provider
Maggie McEachern ›
MSW, LCSW,
Practice Manager
Tim Reid ›

MA, LPC,EMDR Trained

Jacqui Case ›
MA, MFT-C,
EMDR Trained
Inez Garcia ›
MSW, Bilingual Spanish
Cyndi Hawkes ›
MSW
Abby Esquivel ›

MSW, LCSW, RPT-S, ACS,
EMDRIA Approved Consultant, Founder and Clinical Director

Hennessy Mendoza ›

Counseling Intern

Kelly Cotton ›

Counseling Intern

Benjamin Curry ›

Counseling Intern