Dana L. McDowell, MA, LPC, CEDS
I don’t just sit with people in their pain. I sit with them in their potential.
The Long Version
I’ve been a therapist since 2006. I’ve sat with people in many different kinds of pain — and I’ve paid close attention to what actually helps people change.
What helps, in my experience, is rarely more information or more insight.
It’s going deeper — but in a way that’s grounded, relational, and actually integrates into your life.
I’m less interested in whether something sounds insightful, and more interested in whether it actually changes how you live, relate, and feel in your body.
My training reflects this. I hold a Masters in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University — one of the few programs in the world where Buddhist psychology, somatic awareness, and Western clinical training are genuinely integrated, not merely adjacent. That foundation shapes everything about how I work.
I also bring lived experience. I’m familiar with the terrain of this work — and I meet you in it, rather than positioning myself above or ahead of you.
What I Bring to the Room
Clinical rigor without rigidity. I draw from multiple modalities — Hakomi, IFS, ACT, CBT, somatic and trauma-informed approaches, ketamine-assisted therapy, psychedelic integration — and I use what fits the person in front of me, not a predetermined protocol.
A strong attunement to the body and present-moment experience. My Naropa education means I hold silence well, I work in the body as well as the mind, and I bring a quality of presence to sessions that clients often describe as distinctive.
Honest, grounded engagement. I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear. I’m also not going to be cold about it. My aim is a kind of clear-eyed warmth — the kind that actually helps people move and transform.
Experience with both conventional and non-ordinary states of consciousness. I don’t approach psychedelic-assisted work or integration intellectually. I’ve done my own depth work in this territory, and I bring both clinical training and personal experience to it.
I started my journey and exploration of psychedelics in 2016 as a way to deepen my own personal healing and to understand first-hand the growing body of psychedelic healing research.
I offer a complementary, 20-minute initial consultation. I do not accept insurance but am an out-of-network provider for most insurance companies.
Education
Naropa University
MA Contemplative Psychotherapy
Miami University
BA Journalism & Speech Communication
Training and Experience
Founder and former President of the Denver Metro Int’l Assoc of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp) chapter
Denver Institute of Integrative Yoga – Yoga Teacher Training
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Trauma
Solution Focused Therapy
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Testimonials
“Dana has been fantastic to work with. I started working with Dana during a very trying time in my life. I lacked the hope to be able to see my potential or move forward with my goals. Dana has helped me see that I can overcome many obstacles and has given me many tools that I will use throughout my life as I face my trials. I would recommend her services to anyone that I care about.”
A.P., age 25
“Working with Dana has been an amazingly healing experience. After struggling for years with bulimia, negative body image and depression, I’m finally at the end of the tunnel and loving life! Dana’s kindness, compassion and gentle guidance have allowed me to break old patterns and create a new, positive and healthy outlook on life. I look at the world with new eyes and my experiences feel so much richer. I could never thank Dana enough for helping me improve the way I relate to myself, better the quality of my thoughts and my overall attitude on life.”
F.L., age 30
“Part of what I have found with Dana is that I am able to open up to her on a level that is not only spiritual but practical. She guides my consciousness in a way that allows me to be curious about myself rather than judgmental. I have never worked with someone that is so able to be authentic and hold the space for me to become authentic as well. Not only has Dana taught me things about myself, she has taught me how to delve deep in a safe way, while alone with my journal.”
J.J., age 37
