Ellen Geoffrion

Ellen Geoffrion (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, and a Registered Dance / Movement Therapist (R-DMT) through the American Dance Therapy Association. She has been in professional practice as a counselor for over 10 years.

Ellen grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina and attended arts-based public education, dancing each day in elementary through high school. She graduated summa cum laude with honors in Dance, and Communication Studies from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. At Hollins, she studied dance under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield, and a variety of professional guest artists.

In March of 2005, during Ellen’s senior year of college, her mother died from an extremely rapid 3-month progression of lung cancer. In Ellen’s last days together with her Mom, Ellen became accutely aware of the full circle aspect of being present with a dying parent - the care that ideally first extends from parent to child through birth, and then from child to parent through death. When her mother could no longer speak, Ellen found an ease and potency in communicating non-verbally. She realized that when ready, she wanted to study grief and death, as well as the healing power of present, bodily aware nonverbal expression.

After graduating, Ellen lived in Virginia for a year as a Boys and Girls Club director and an aide to her college dance department, and then moved to New York City and Boston. She experienced transformative moments in the dance communities, including traveling to France to perform in her friend Emily Wexler’s company, and being cast in an evening-length work set to Mozart’s Requiem, choreographed and directed by Nicole Pierce. Ellen also worked for Boston Dance Alliance, a non-profit advocacy organization for Boston-based choreographers and dancers, and the Community Music Center of Boston, teaching dance outreach programs in several Boston Public Schools.

While teaching dance, Ellen noticed that students felt immense joy and relief, and yet the safety through movement often sparked conversations or gestures about the students’ challenging personal trauma. Ellen developed a curiosity for this trend, and began to research dance / movement therapy and mindfulness techniques. Through this inquiry, she found Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and moved across the country in 2010 to begin her graduate studies.

Ellen earned a Master’s (MA) in Somatic Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Dance / Movement Therapy from Naropa University. While there, she interned at St. Anthony’s Hospital and The Denver Hospice, offering medical, end-of-life, and grief counseling. She additionally directed, choreographed, and performed in the master’s program concerts. Her master’s thesis, written on the significant methodologies inherent within dance / movement therapy and their positive impact on children grieving a death loss, was selected for publication in the winter 2013 American Journal of Dance Therapy.

After receiving her masters, Ellen worked for 4 1/2 years in a group practice as a therapist and clinical mentor, and was a top-performer within the leadership team. In addition, Ellen also led a women’s group for 4 years.

Ellen then opened her private practice in the summer of 2018 after a trying birth experience with her daughter in the NICU. Ellen felt that it was time to be closer to her child, with more flexibility in her scheduling, and deepened client care. She immersed herself in the resources offered to her daughter: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, and Developmental Intervention. Through her personal experience with her daughter, Ellen also became increasingly passionate about supporting neurodiversity and a variety of sensory needs among her clients.

In her counseling practice, Ellen specializes in: the Spring Wind Resourcing Method of dancing and moving through life events to create deeper inner knowing, somatic and attachment based counseling for children and adults, and honoring the grieving process leading up to and after a death loss.

Outside of her profession, Ellen loves the study and healing power of Authentic Movement, as well as dancing, swimming, singing, and being silly with her daughter. She also likes to frequent the art gallery and creative space for artists that her husband owns in Estes Park, Aspen & Evergreen and Seed + Sage Studio. Ellen lives by the Middle St. Vrain River in the mountains of Lyons, Colorado with her husband, Jason, and daughter, Coraleigh.