Connect: 720-939-4000 | mona@akbaritherap.com
Why work with Mona?
I specialize in helping clients work through anxiety, depression, trauma and life transitions using evidence-based therapy combined with holistic practices like meditation and movement. My approach focuses on building lasting resilience and creating a life aligned with your values. I am bilingual in both English and Farsi and can provide therapy sessions in either language.
Getting to know each other starts here
My approach
My therapeutic approach is grounded in the belief that meaningful change occurs through a collaborative, respectful, and compassionate process. I strive to meet each client where they are, honoring their lived experiences with empathy, curiosity, and cultural humility. Therapy is tailored to each individual and informed by evidence-based practices that support emotional regulation, self-awareness, and long-term resilience.
I integrate evidence-based therapeutic modalities with holistic and somatic-informed practices, including meditation, movement, journaling, and intentional goal setting. This integrative approach supports mind–body connection, nervous system regulation, and deeper emotional processing, helping clients build resilience and create lives aligned with their values.
In addition to my clinical work, I teach yoga and meditation and incorporate somatic awareness when clinically appropriate. Body-based practices can be effective in addressing stress, trauma, and emotional dysregulation by supporting greater awareness of internal states and facilitating safe release of stored tension.
I work with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, burnout, relationship challenges, and life transitions. Together, we focus on developing insight, strengthening coping strategies, and cultivating balance, well-being, and sustainable change.
My vision is to create a compassionate and nurturing space that empowers clients to experience meaningful transformation at their own pace, embrace their unique healing journey, and unlock their untapped potential.
I am currently working toward licensure and practice under the supervision of Cait Duncan, LCSW. Her mentorship provides ongoing clinical guidance and ensures that my work adheres to ethical standards and high-quality, evidence-informed care.
Tools & techniques
Therapy modalities
Healing isn't one-size-fits-all. I draw from a range of evidence-based approaches to create therapy that fits your unique needs and goals. Whether you're working through difficult emotions, past experiences, or patterns that no longer serve you, we'll find the right pathway forward together.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
CBT is a highly effective, evidence-based approach that helps identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns. By understanding the link between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, CBT provides practical strategies for reducing anxiety, lifting depression, and creating positive change. The focus is on building skills that you can use every day to support lasting well-being.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT provides practical skills for navigating intense emotions, improving relationships, and staying grounded in moments of distress. By blending mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, DBT supports clients in finding balance between acceptance and change. Together, we build tools that empower you to respond—rather than react—to life’s challenges.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative Therapy invites clients to re-author their stories. Often, the way we talk about ourselves is shaped by pain, trauma, or limiting beliefs. This approach helps separate you from the problem and empowers you to reclaim your narrative—one that reflects resilience, strength, and possibility.
Trauma Informed Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Being trauma-informed means recognizing how trauma impacts the mind, body, and relationships—and approaching healing with compassion, safety, and empowerment at the center. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, this approach honors your lived experiences, builds resilience, and restores a sense of control. It’s about moving from surviving to thriving, at your own pace.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT helps clients build a new relationship with their thoughts and emotions by fostering acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Instead of struggling against painful experiences, ACT teaches you to notice them with openness while staying grounded in your values. The goal is to help you live a life that feels authentic, meaningful, and guided by what matters most to you.
Object Relations Therapy
Rooted in psychodynamic theory, Object Relations Therapy explores how early relationships shape the way we see ourselves and connect with others today. By bringing awareness to these patterns, therapy can open the door to healing old wounds, building healthier relationships, and fostering a stronger, more compassionate sense of self.
Somatic & Meditation Therapy
This modality integrates body-based awareness with mindfulness practices to support healing and growth. Through gentle movement, grounding techniques, breathwork, and guided meditation, participants learn to connect with the wisdom of their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and release stored tension or trauma. By combining somatic practices with meditative reflection, individuals build resilience, deepen self-awareness, and cultivate inner calm—empowering them to respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity and balance.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
IPT focuses on the important role that relationships play in emotional well-being. By exploring patterns in your connections with others, therapy helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while building healthier, more fulfilling relationships. The work centers on communication, support, and navigating life transitions with greater ease.
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) is a contemporary, attachment-based, emotion-focused form of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Diana Fosha in the late 1990s. It’s grounded in psychodynamic theory, affective neuroscience, and transformational studies but what makes it distinctive is its emphasis on healing rather than pathology.At its heart, AEDP assumes something profoundly hopeful about human nature: that within each person there exists an innate drive toward growth, connection, and transformation what Fosha calls the “transformational strivings of the self.” Even when trauma or loss has caused immense suffering, AEDP works to access and amplify this natural capacity for healing through emotion and relationship.
About me
I immigrated from Iran to the United States at age 14, an experience that shaped my understanding of resilience, identity, and healing. My personal and professional journey informs my therapeutic approach and deep commitment to supporting individuals through life’s challenges with compassion and cultural humility.
During my graduate training, I worked with refugees and asylum seekers at Lutheran Family Services, where I gained extensive experience supporting individuals navigating displacement, trauma, and major life transitions. I later worked at Denver Health in both Integrated Behavioral Health and the HIV clinic, further strengthening my clinical skills in trauma-informed care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and culturally responsive treatment.
Following graduation, I served as a primary clinician in a substance use disorder treatment program, providing individual and group therapy and facilitating a women’s group. This work deepened my understanding of addiction, vulnerability, and the complex processes of recovery and healing.
I approach therapy with the belief that growth and healing are always possible, even during periods of feeling stuck or overwhelmed. It is an honor to walk alongside clients as they build resilience, reconnect with their inner strengths, and create lives that feel grounded, authentic, and meaningful. I offer therapy in both English and Farsi (Persian).
My vision
Experience, expertise, and a commitment to your wellbeing.
My vision is to create a compassionate and nurturing space that empowers clients to experience meaningful transformation at their own pace, embrace their unique healing journey, and unlock their untapped potential.
Services
Finding the right support for your unique journey
Discover expert guidance for a healthier mind and balanced life.
Therapy
Individual therapy offers personalized support for navigating life's challenges, from anxiety and depression to self-esteem and personal growth. In a confidential, non-judgmental space, we'll work together to understand patterns, develop coping strategies, and help you move toward the life you want to live.
Therapy & Yoga
This integrated approach combines traditional therapy with yoga practices to support your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Through talk therapy and mindful movement, we'll address challenges like stress, anxiety, and trauma while building body awareness, resilience, and inner peace. This holistic method helps you heal from the inside out, creating lasting change in both mind and body.