LUCIA DIVIESTE-SEVERTSON, LPC

I am a licensed psychotherapist in Denver, Colorado, specializing in treating women with anxiety disorders.

We each have a self narrative that has been largely influenced by our families and the society we live in. We are cast into roles, told what we should believe, and conditioned to meet other’s expectations and needs instead of our own. Because of this influence we are taught that our worth becomes defined by others’ perceptions of us

I am the Founder and Program Director of The Brave Women’s Transformation Project in Denver, Colorado which is dedicated to giving women who feel disempowered, inadequate, irrelevant, and invisible the tools and experiential learning necessary to break free from anxiety and self limiting narratives, so that they may pursue their personal and professional desires with bravery and courage. Through the use of drama therapy, dance/movement therapy, and exposure and response prevention therapy, women can expand their identity and bravely transform their life circumstances to reflect their most authentic selves.

I offer both individual and group programming.
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What Is Drama Therapy?
Drama therapy is an embodied practice that is active and experiential. This approach can provide the context for participants to tell their stories, set goals, solve problems, and express their feelings. Through drama, the depth and breadth of inner experience can be actively explored and interpersonal relationship skills can be enhanced. 

Drama therapy utilizes play, embodiment, role play, storytelling, witnessing, performance, and improvisation to help people make meaningful change. 

What is Dance/Movement Therapy?
Dance/Movement Therapy is based upon the assumption that the body and mind are connected. It is by exploring this connection through the relationship with the dance/movement therapist that one can expand their abilities and knowledge of the ways in which they can adapt, communicate, and express themselves. By utilizing information from the body, one can live a more fully expressive, healthy life.

What is Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy?
The exposure component of ERP refers to practicing confronting the thoughts, images, and situations that make you anxious and provoke ruminating thoughts that are hard to control. The response prevention part of ERP refers to making a choice not to do a compulsive behavior once the anxiety or ruminations have been “triggered.” Compulsions can be behavioral or come in the form of thought obsession. Replaying the scenario over and over again, for example .

Exposure therapy purposefully provokes an anxious response so that the brain can practice tolerating fear. The power of exposure work is in the practice of non-avoidance. Through these interventions we learn that we can face hard things and move towards the life we want with courage.