Maggie E Kerrigan

Maggie Kerrigan: A Journey in the Healing Arts

My path to becoming a psychotherapist has been a lifelong journey rooted in a deep desire to care for others. What began in hospital work and volunteer crisis counseling evolved into a passion for listening, understanding emotions, and helping people heal.

After discovering the power of compassionate listening, I trained as a massage therapist at the Florida School of Massage. For more than ten years, I worked collaboratively with psychotherapists, helping survivors of childhood abuse, including those diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (formerly called multiple personality disorder), to rebuild trust and experience touch as safe. This work taught me how deeply our emotional and physical experiences are connected.

In 2001, a nine-year dream led me to Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and subsequent licensure as a therapist. Through an internship and subsequent employment as a crisis worker at a mental health center, I developed skills in mental health crisis management.” Later, I went on to complete specialized training in Hakomi, a mindfulness-based, body-centered psychotherapy, and Somatic Experiencing®, a trauma-focused approach developed by Peter Levine, PhD. These approaches deepened my understanding of how trauma affects us emotionally, physically, and mentally.

Education and teaching have remained important parts of my life. I spent 11 years as an adjunct instructor at Naropa University, helping graduate students understand the effects of trauma and the importance of working with the whole person and supporting the spiritual side of their life.

After 35 years in the healing arts and more than 20 years in counseling, I remain passionate about helping trauma survivors reconnect with their innate capacity for healing. I believe the body holds important wisdom, and that lasting change often begins when we learn to listen to it.

Beyond my work, I enjoy hiking Colorado’s mountains, attending Rockies games, exploring high mountain passes, dancing, soaking in hot springs, and bringing neighbors together to play board games. My Shiba Inu dog, Whimsy, is a big support to my clients and me. A self-made therapy helper dog, she attends all the sessions when she knows her presence is needed. I volunteer locally in support of agencies serving immigrants. I believe healing, like life, is an ongoing journey of discovery, courage, and connection.