Awareness Is Key: Spotlight on Kim Stromgren, LPC

Maria Droste Counseling Center is a Denver-based nonprofit mental health service organization comprised of mental health professionals, learners and volunteers who are passionate about community, learning, and service. Our uniquely sustainable model of traditional and co-located mental health counseling and clinical training is delivered in collaboration with a group of expert private clinicians, The Therapist Group (TTG). 

The Therapist Group is a collective of licensed counselors, social workers, and psychologists with varied areas of expertise that are committed to providing high-quality, private counseling services to ensure that each individual is receiving the best care possible. With a unique model for giving back, TTG trains and supervises more than 20 graduate level therapists from six universities throughout Colorado. These student therapists treat individuals in a variety of settings including schools, supportive housing, and integrated care settings. They provide services to a diverse group of people regardless of their ability to pay. Learn more about our educational and service model here.

In 2022, we will be featuring a TTG member each month to highlight our many wonderful providers and the importance of the work they do with Maria Droste. This month, we will be featuring Kim Stromgren, LPC.

TTG Highlight: Kim Stromgren, LPC

Kim Stromgren, LPC first became a part of the Maria Droste Counseling Center community in 2009 when she was a Clinical Intern. Kim always knew she wanted to come back to Maria Droste because of its supportive community.

MDCC is a community of folks who truly believe in mental health access and actively breaking down financial and other barriers to counseling. I really appreciate being a part of a community with these values!

Kim Stromgren, LPC

In addition to love of the community, Kim shared that business considerations played into her desire to work with MDCC. Kim loves being able to work in private practice and the autonomy that provides. It’s important to Kim that alongside the benefits of private practice, she is still able to contribute to the mission. “It’s a lovely balance in a place that feels like home,” Kim said.

Supervisee Story

Kim’s current supervisee at Maria Droste, Sydney Focht, spoke with us about her experience working with Kim.

Sydney: I have had a great experience working with Kim this year. On top of being a great and funny human being, she has been a wonderful and empathetic supervisor. I really appreciate that she always reminds me it’s okay to be human! Our supervision isn’t just about how my clients are doing, but also about how I am. She always treats me like an equal, not an intern, which has helped me build confidence. In our supervision, she is great at providing positive affirmations and focuses on my strengths. This has been so nice and helpful as I grow as a therapist. Kim also challenges me to think outside the box and supports me in trying new interventions that I feel will best suit my clients!

Kim’s Approach: Mindfulness-Based

Kim received her masters degree rooted in mindfulness-based psychotherapy from Naropa University, which has centered her approach to her work. Naropa gave Kim the tools to empty her mind and take a beginner’s mindset to learning. Kim finds this helpful as an approach to therapy; she strives to keep an open mind with all of her clients.

Self-awareness is huge. To me, it’s the biggest container we can fill with other modalities. Trauma-informed, Gestalt, humanistic…awareness is the container that holds all of that. With awareness and mindfulness, we can understand ourselves and grow. We can create our freedom, strengthen our relationships, make more deliberate choices in our lives, and become aware of our patterns, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. Awareness really is the key.

Kim Stromgren, LPC

Kim also shared that she always goes back to mindfulness. More often than not, even clients who come in seeking long-term work on themselves desire short-term tools, she explained. In Kim’s experience, folks want to know how they can feel happier or less anxious. Even if there are deep rooted reasons for their anxiety, depression, or other mental health factors, it is a process to unearth each aspect of that. Kim finds it helpful to have a framework where people can learn in parallel. She has found value in helping clients cultivate these tools to create wellbeing. Clients are then able to use these tools during that journey of deep work as well as outside of therapy.

She notes that it’s nice for folks to have tools to fall back on, especially since our culture doesn’t frequently talk about emotional health. While life experience does provide its own lessons and tools, Kim has found that because of mental health stigma, folks have often not yet learned the how-tos of being kind to yourself and navigating your relationships. With a mindfulness-based approach, Kim strives to provide an open space for clients to self-reflect and build skills that will serve them well on their individual journeys. 

How to contact Kim

Interested in seeking therapy from Kim Stromgren, LPC? Feel free to reach out by calling her at 720-273-5101 (preferred) or by emailing her at Kim_Stromgren@MariaDroste.org. Kim can also be reached by requesting her through Maria Droste’s Access Center at 303-867-4600. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional or mental health crisis, please contact Colorado Crisis Services by calling 844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255.

Learn more about Maria Droste’s counseling services here.