THE TEAM
Lauren Hassan, LCSW
Lauren is a licensed clinical social worker and has been a practicing therapist specializing in trauma integration since 2008. She has experience in non-profit, academic and community mental health clinical settings. After establishing her private practice in 2013, she began to focus her attention on serving those in first responder roles and noticed a more generalized need. This inspired the development of the Colorado First Response Coalition (CFRC). The CFRC is currently contracted with several local first responder agencies to provide individual and group support around ongoing stress, trauma exposure and resilience.
On a personal note, Lauren is a Boulder native! She whole heartedly embraces Colorado life and all it has to offer and lives deeply in her values around supporting our communities and the people who help them thrive.
Ellie Wilkins, LPC, MSC
Ellie has a wealth of experience and exposure in the world of trauma resolution and her deepest orientation is that healing is possible. Ellie graduated from Prescott College with a Clinical Mental Health Master's with an emphasis in Somatic Therapy. Somatic therapy refers to 'body based' therapy, during which the senses and other systems of the body are engaged to find balance. Over the last 2 years spent with Boulder Strong Resource Center in a therapeutic role of supporting a community impacted by traumatic events, she has begun to focus and bring these skills to an important population, first responders.
Ellie also utilizes AcuDetox (an acupuncture protocol) as an immediate and effective tool to help promote relaxation and wellness. As part of this work, Ellie is informed by neuroscience to understand more deeply and accurately the wisdom of our body's mechanisms. Our nervous system, our brains, and our bodies have been designed by evolution to support and protect us, and Ellie reflects a knowing in how to work with these systems effectively.
The work of tending to our minds and bodies may feel like a luxury in our busy world where we may be juggling many priorities but it is actually a necessity for our sense of wellness, wholeness, and vitality.
Ellie's self care often involves a trip to the dog park with her furry family member, daily exercise, partner dancing, and collecting different artistic hobbies.
Judy Taub, LCSW
Judy Taub is a licensed clinical social worker who has been practicing in Colorado for the past thirty years. She is a strength-based therapist who connects her clients to a greater self-understanding to support their growth and development. She specializes in working with individuals who
struggle with mood and anxiety difficulties, trauma, substance abuse
and relationship struggles.
She is an active and engaged therapist who uses humor, compassion and the relationship to support her clients in doing the work they want to do.
Judy has dedicated much of her social work career as the Associate Director of Clinical Services at the University of Colorado-Boulder Counseling Center. During her tenure, she provided individual and couples therapy, and led a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group for over fifteen years. In her administrative capacity, Judy oversaw all clinical services and collaborated extensively with various departments, clinics, and clinicians.
During her time at CU, she worked closely with the CU Police Department to develop protocols and procedures for better supporting students. This collaboration led to the creation of a co-responder program, which deepened her understanding of the department's culture, their role within the community, and the challenges they face. This experience has greatly enhanced her appreciation for the complex work and responsibilities of
first responder professionals.
While Judy retired from CU, she has not retired from social work and joining the CCFR team has felt like a natural fit for her to continue
the work she is passionate about.
In her spare time Judy loves to spend time with her family, preferably engaging in any outdoor activities in the mountains or on a lake.
Amanda Roland, LPC
Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked in the mental health field since 2007 and obtained her Masters's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of Mary in 2018. Amanda is especially passionate about supporting first responders and their families. For six years, she worked as a mental health co-responder at both the Greeley Police Department and Boulder Police Department giving her both a profound respect and understanding of the unique challenges
faced in the first responder world.
Amanda's therapeutic approach is built on authenticity, warmth, and a solution-focused mindset, with a dash of honest, raw, and sometimes sarcastic humor. She believes in showing up as herself with the goal of creating a comfortable, non-judgmental environment where we can use a bit of laughter to navigate the path toward meaningful life change.
A Midwest native at heart, she also finds balance and joy in the great outdoors. When not in the office, you can find her snowboarding, playing video games, reading, camping, or hunting/fishing. Amanda's small hobby farm keeps her busy with a chaotic but lovable collection of dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, goats, and chickens.
Ashley Shires, MFA, MA, LPC
Ashley Shires, MFA, MA, LPC, specializes in mindfulness-based practices. She works with clients through life transitions, relationship loss, anxiety, depression, PTSD and substance use struggles, using research-based tools for emotional regulation.
Ashley is a certified Brainspotting practitioner, a trauma-informed modality that evolved from EMDR, and she is trained in DBT and CBT skills. She is an AcuDetox (acupuncture) practitioner, offering a specialized protocol to help calm the nervous system. She has worked in settings including Boulder Strong Resource Center and AIM House, helping clients find relief from flashbacks, rumination and sleep disturbances.
Ashley supports her clients with warmth and presence, drawing from her experience as a yoga instructor and memoir writing instructor. She has volunteered for over four years as a coach for the Boulder High Mountain bike team, certified in Wilderness First Aid; she loves being outdoors, exploring local trails with the teens.
Lisa Young, LCSW, CAC II, CRNC II
Lisa Young is a licensed clinical social worker who has been providing trauma and addiction recovery therapy services for individuals and groups since 2008. She began specializing in her work with emergency responder communities in 2017, working with Revital, Building Warriors, Foundation 1023 and now CFRC. Her latest project is the creation and implementation of the Chief-to-Chief Program, a peer-support-like program available for all interested Colorado fire chiefs.
She enjoys presenting as well as engaging in therapy.
Lisa considers herself a holistic therapist. She offers evidence-based psychotherapy for trauma recovery with a mind-body-spirit approach, and when appropriate, engages her clients in Mental Health Nutrition. For some individuals, starting with nutrition coaching is preferred, while for others diving into psychotherapy is where they want to begin.
The combination creates a comprehensive sense of wellness for the individual moving into their recovery.