ABOUT DR. OLSON-MADDEN
Licensed Psychologist in Denver | Burnout & High-Functioning
Anxiety Specialist
I believe human beings are meant to grow.
Not perfectly. Not efficiently. But courageously.
As a licensed psychologist based in Denver, I work with high-achieving adults who appear capable and accomplished on the outside but feel internally exhausted, self-critical, or disconnected from their deeper values. Many of my clients are professionals, parents, leaders, and women navigating burnout in a culture that rewards productivity over presence.
My work is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and process-based approaches — but what matters most is psychological flexibility: the ability to stay present, open, and aligned with what truly matters, even in the face of uncertainty, injustice, or self-doubt.
What Makes My Approach Different
Burnout is never just about workload.
It is personal.
It is relational.
It is cultural.
I help clients explore both their internal patterns (perfectionism, high standards, rigid self-stories) and the broader systems that shape their lives — including achievement culture, gender expectations, and inequity.
Healing requires nuance.
I am deeply curious about who you are — your history, your temperament, your gifts, and your capacity for growth. Therapy with me is collaborative and engaged. I am alongside you, not above you.
Why I Do This Work
I did not choose this work by accident.
Like many of the people I sit with, I have lived inside achievement culture. I have known the pull of perfectionism, the fear of not being enough, and the quiet burnout that can accumulate across roles — as a student, an athlete, a professional, and a parent.
Burnout taught me something essential:
Integrity requires radical honesty with ourselves.
Change is hard.
And growth is always possible.
I believe human suffering is inevitable — and sometimes deeply unfair — but it can also be transformative. I believe we are always evolving. I believe we do not have to be perfect to belong.
This is why I do this work: to help people reconnect with their own intuition, choose their values over fear, and build lives that feel internally aligned — not externally performed.
I feel most at home working with:
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High-achieving professionals who doubt themselves
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Women navigating burnout in motherhood or leadership
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Individuals in identity transitions
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Adults ready to examine the stories that have quietly shaped their lives
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People willing to be honest, messy, and real
My clients often say I “get the nuance” of their experience — especially the tension between striving and self-doubt.
Professional Experience & Expertise
In addition to private practice, I bring more than two decades of clinical, research, and leadership experience to this work.
I am licensed in Colorado and authorized through PSYPACT to provide telehealth services in participating states. I earned my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Denver and completed advanced clinical training in medical and hospital-based settings, including the VA system.
Earlier in my career, I served as a Clinical and Research Psychologist and Principal Investigator, contributing to large-scale suicide prevention and mental health initiatives and training other professionals in evidence-based interventions. I also served as the Director of Training for the Advanced Psychology Fellowship Program and achieved the academic rank of Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in the Departments of Psychiatry and of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
I have published, presented and consulted on this body of work throughout the past decades. One of my proudest accomplishments was co-leading a multi-million dollar Department of Defense–funded clinical trial on cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (CBT-SP) in Veterans. I also co-led the clinical implementation of CBT-SP in the Suicide Prevention 2.0 Clinical Telehealth initiative and this intervention was successfully adopted into national use across the VA system. It continues to serve as a primary treatment for Veterans at risk for self-directed violence as well as a training model for clinicians nationwide. This study was recently published and can be reviewed here (DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.10.056)).
You can also find selected publications of my work on ResearchGate.
While credentials matter, what matters more to me is how they serve you. My background allows me to integrate scientific rigor with deep relational work — blending evidence-based therapies with compassion, cultural awareness, and respect for the whole person.
What I Protect Fiercely
Psychological flexibility.
Your ability to choose your values over your defenses.
Your capacity to stay open rather than rigid.
Your right to belong without being perfect.
My Hope for Our Work
When clients complete therapy, I hope they leave with:
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A stronger sense of self-trust
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Greater psychological flexibility
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A deeper understanding of their patterns and gifts
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The courage to choose values over fear
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A more compassionate relationship with achievement
You can strive and soften.
You can hold both ambition and tenderness.
You can grow without abandoning yourself.
Consult With Me
2000 S Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222
*SERVICES ARE VIRTUAL ONLY
720-588-3823