ABOUT

Mission

Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™ guide teens to self-empowerment in a safe and inclusive space.  My mission is to empower high school girls, neurodivergent teens, and teens in the LGBTQIA2s+ community the tools and practices to become self-aware, self-accepting, and authentic adults who thrive.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Dawn K. Gibson, LCSW offers virtual sessions to clients in Colorado and Texas, with in-person sessions available in Fort Collins, CO. My services extend to teens, parents with gender-expansive identities, parents of teens with eating disorders or disordered eating, and mindful moms in all stages of motherhood. 

With 25 years of experience, I am in trauma-informed and trauma-trained. My background and experience encompasses working with children, teens, and adults from diverse backgrounds, ages, and struggles. Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™ are facilitated by me.

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For over a decade, I counseled teens in the school setting, who faced various mental health and peer-related issues. Witnessing the lack of connection teens and their parents faced, I expanded my work to support struggling moms and caregivers to help them heal and create deeper connections with their kids. However, my passion for teen empowerment never subsided. 

Over time, I became sick and tired of witnessing girls and teens with gender-expansive identities experience shame, anxiety, judgment, toxic diet culture, “mean girl” and anti-LGBTQIA+ issues. This led me to create Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™. These programs provide a safe and inclusive place for teens to explore, connect, and grow authentically. 

I’ve been told by the teens who have experienced my programs that the space I create not only feels safe for them to explore general teen struggles, but it also gives them “permission” to fully be themselves WITH their peers. This safety allows some of them to share their gender identity and sexuality explorations as non-binary and transgender teens, even in the presence of their cisgender peers—without fear of judgment.

Please note: we cover a multitude of topics. Sexuality and gender identity are only one small piece of the entire program. However, if you aren’t comfortable with your teen discussing these topics, then Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™ may not be the best fit.

Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™ are focused on empowering girls (trans and cis) and teens who have gender-expansive identities. While some group programs specifically serve LGBTQIA2s teens, others welcome girls who identify as open-minded and affirming allies.

I seek to provide high-quality programs that promote self-awareness, personal growth, self-acceptance, self-compassion, empathy, and connection. Each program combines mentorship, teaching, and peer support. Former teen participants have expressed appreciation for the education, personal growth, self-awareness, and peer support they receive.

I also offer group therapy and individual psychotherapy to teens and other clients (visit dawnkgibsondotcom to learn more).

 

Experience and Training

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s degree in Social Work-Direct Practice, I bring 25 years of experience in individual and group counseling across various settings, including middle and high schools, non-profit organizations, and private practices, and with various populations.

Currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado, I provide psychotherapy both in-person and online throughout CO and TX. My work extends to supporting parents of teens with eating disorders and disordered eating, young women, parents with expansive gender identities, and mindful moms in all stages of motherhood. Visit dawnkgibsondot.com to learn more.

  • I’ve completed a very advanced and extensive eating disorder training program for therapists through Ample + Rooted. This program is rooted in fat liberation, body liberation, anti-oppression, anti-diet culture, anti-racism, intuitive eating, trans positivity, social justice, and more to add to my current knowledge and experience with eating disorders and disordered eating. Click the icon to learn more about my training:
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  • I’m currently enrolled in the year-long Body Trust® Certification Training Program.
  • I’ve received training in Somatic Therapy, including Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy and NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Sensorimotor, and Motivational Interviewing. Over the years, I’ve been trained in various modalities, and my approach depends on the specific needs of my clients and the issues they bring. I’m not limited to one modality and often blend techniques to best serve each individual I work with.  
  • I am trained in Trauma-Informed Yoga, Qoya (divine feminine dance), Reiki 1 and 2 Energy Work, a 2-year Energy Training program with the Lotus Energy Institute, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/TFT/tapping), Meditation, HeartMath, and other modalities. These diverse trainings inform the transformational mind-body-spirit work that I facilitate with teens, young adults, and moms.

     

    I’ve developed and led Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™, and currently lead EMPOWERED as a program. Continuously, I develop new groups and programs based on the needs of my clients and our community.

  • I’ve helped teens, young women, and parents heal or manage issues such as complex trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, disordered eating, depression, peer issues, relationship issues, self-esteem, and more while helping them cultivate self-compassion, build confidence, and learn important & lifelong tools and practices.
  • I have a deep understanding of brain development and attachment which helps moms learn to self-regulate and co-regulate so they can build connections with their children and teens as they grow.
  • I’ve supported teens, young women, and parents in addressing issues such as complex trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, disordered eating, depression, peer conflicts, relationship challenges, and self-esteem concerns. Through this process, I assist them in developing self-compassion, boosting confidence, and acquiring essential lifelong tools and practices. 
  • I’ve helped many transgender and other gender-expansive teens explore their identities, accept who they are, work through their issues, and navigate social and/or medical transitions if this is what they chose.
  • I have personal experience with many of the issues I address in my work. I’ve had to navigate and overcome my own challenges, and I’ve also supported and continue to support my teenagers through theirs. 
  • For information on my private psychotherapy and group work with moms, parents, and caregivers, please visit: dawnkgibsondotcom or email me: infoatdawnkgibsondotcom

Dawn’s Story

When I was younger, I was a D1 competitive swimmer and felt pressured to lose weight during high school and college. As a highly sensitive person (HSP), this had a profound impact on me. By ninth grade, my life revolved around calories burned, the scale, diet pills, caloric intake, excessive exercise, and the size of my stomach.

As a D1 college swimmer, our coach required daily weigh-ins, exacerbating my struggles with disordered eating and body image. I battled with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and trauma, feeling ashamed of my body and unworthy of love and joy. Consequently, I sought external validation and lived in crisis mode during my teen years and early young adulthood.

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At 20, I started therapy, leading me to heal my trauma, manage my eating disorder, move through depression, and begin to accept my body. 

As a clinician, I’ve received training in eating disorders and disordered eating, along with so much more professional training. I advocate for body acceptance and rejecting societal size expectations. Additionally, I stand for marginalized folx and strive to learn and minimize negative impact regardless of intent.

Unlearning diet culture’s impact takes time, and I’m committed to supporting others on their journey, no matter what yours may be, whether it’s trauma recovery, anxiety management, addressing body image issues (if present) and/or healing deep-rooted childhood issues. My journey, advocacy for social justice, and commitment to equity and inclusion led me to my work today and continue to positively impact it and my personal life.

With 25 years in the mental health field and supporting clients with a multitude of issues, I prioritize professional, personal, and spiritual growth, in addition to alcohol and drug-free living. This ensures clarity and presence in my work with clients. I prioritize self-care, self-compassion, conscious living, and mindfulness, reflecting this in my parenting and professional practice.

I remember being a traumatized teenager and a depressed and anxious young woman, overwhelmed with shame, self-judgment, lack of self-compassion, and disordered eating. These experiences enable me to empathize deeply and connect with teens and young women today.

Additionally, I’ve personally faced many unexpected challenges in motherhood as well—feeling overwhelmed, anxious, weighed down by guilt and shame, and worried I’m not “doing it right or good enough.” But I’ve also taken the necessary steps to move through those emotions and I love helping others do the same.

I’m passionate about working with high school girls, LGBTQIA2s+ teens, parents and teens with gender-expansive identities, young women, moms, and caregivers of all backgrounds to aid in trauma recovery, pattern shifting, and more.

I offer psychoeducational Teens Rising Empowerment Programs™, private and group psychotherapy, and parent support to assist you in coping with life’s struggles. You too can heal and live authentically with courage and time.

For more information on my work with moms, parents with gender-expansive identities, and parents of teens with eating disorders, visit www.dawnkgibson.com or email me at info@dawnkgibson.com. 

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