My name is Elaine O’Reilly

Golden is the place to be

I’m originally from New York. I traveled around a lot before finally settling in Colorado.

I earned a Master’s Degree in counseling psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 1975. I loved Alaska. In New York, it felt like people were in charge of everything. In Alaska, it felt like nature was in charge.

But I love Colorado, too. I’ve lived in Golden for about 27 years. I live on Lookout Mountain. It’s quiet, peaceful and in nature. It makes me feel like we’re a part of nature. To me, Golden is the perfect place to be. You can easily go to the mountains, or into the city.

Family life

I’m married. My husband is an EMT in the emergency room at Denver General Hospital. Both my sons were raised in Golden, and they both graduated (college) from CU. They are 23 and 25. My older son is taking a year and traveling Australia, and my younger son is training on the Douglas County Canine Search and Rescue Team with his dog.

I love the outdoors. I do boating, kayaking, sailing and camping. I also enjoy painting and reading.

Meaningful work in a pretty building

When I was a kid thinking about a career, I wanted three things –; something I could be good at, something I enjoyed doing and something I thought was meaningful. Therapy does all three of those. I’ve never gotten burned out and I find it exciting.

I’ve had my practice since 1975. I do psychotherapy, divorce mediation and shared-parenting consultation. I have a private practice. My office is in the historic stone house in Evergreen.

The stone house is a nice place to be–;I like the building a lot. It’s very comfortable. And, it’s pretty. I have a nice view of the mountains.

Teaching the next generation of therapists

I also teach family therapy and couple’s counseling in the graduate counseling program at Regis University.

I was awarded Teacher of the Year for 2014 by the Colorado Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. It was an out-of-the-blue surprise. It was really nice –; I have a plaque in my office.

I’ve been teaching for six years. I love teaching. I’m grounded in my practice, and I’m at the age that I want to mentor other therapists. I want them to flourish in their career as therapists.

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