Raul Galindo, MA, LPC

Raul Galindo is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has been working with adolescents, families and adults in Colorado for many years. His empathic approach allows him to be completely present and join with his clients as they face struggles and fears on their journey of self-discovery. He believes in each person’s ability and desire to live a fulfilling life, and strives to create a safe environment that allows his clients to explore their life struggles and reconnect with their authentic selves. Raul graduated from Naropa University in 2005 with a master’s degree in psychology, with a focus in contemplative psychotherapy.

Currently, he is working toward a certification in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which expands his work with couples. Raul completed his one-year clinical internship at the Colorado AIDS Project and worked in the Prevention and Intervention Program at Mental Health Partners in Boulder, Colorado, for five years working specifically with teens and their families. This opportunity provided him with a deeper understanding of the struggles teens and families face, both within the school system and at home. Raul has also been a guest lecturer and a professor’s assistant for the graduate level family process course at Naropa University. He is a frequent presenter for Parents Involved in Education (PIE) on various topics related to parenting.

Raul’s experience working with couples, teens and families has taught him the importance of establishing a genuine, non-judgmental relationship as the basis for change. His work with clients is informed by attachment theory, and he believes in the importance of available, responsive and dependable relationships. Among many areas of focus in his work, Raul subscribes to the idea that often a teenager’s or adult’s “acting out” behavior is in response to broken bonds or challenging relationships with the people that matter to them, and the misbehavior is a misguided attempt to re-establish the relationships. His clients have often reflected back on their work together, noting that the practice of paying close attention to thoughts and non-judgmentally looking at oneself has helped them to see their life’s challenges as workable and changeable.

In his spare time, Raul enjoys camping, hiking and mountain biking with family and friends. His hobby is breeding color canaries and exotic finches from around the world. Raul is also actively involved in an African drumming circle and for the past five years has been volunteering with the Longmont Community Justice Partnership as a restorative justice circle facilitator. He enjoys reading about the latest in brain research and how mindfulness practices impact brain development. As part of his ongoing training as a contemplative psychotherapist, Raul maintains a daily meditation practice, which allows him to remain present and open when clients are faced with very difficult and painful situations.

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Alistair Hawkes, MA, LPC

Alistair is a licensed psychotherapist with 15 years experience providing clinical services and trauma-informed care to adolescents and their families. She received her bachelor of arts degree in 1998 from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, California, and master of arts degree in 2009 from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Alistair has specialized training in experiential therapies such as equine-assisted psychotherapy, yoga, and biofeedback. She also has experience working with clients in a variety of environments, including residential, day treatment, outpatient, and in-home settings. Alistair especially enjoys working with troubled teens, finding ways to help them and their families navigate this challenging and complex time of life, as well as supporting them in regulating their emotions, developing respect for self and authority, nurturing their self-esteem, and accomplishing their goals.

Alistair’s training in mindfulness, yoga, Aikido, and somatic counseling enables her to work creatively and in individualized ways to support her clients to move through mental and emotional barriers and create a body-mind connection. She encourages her clients to use their internal and external resources to promote healthy change and reach their potential. Alistair may also determine that the technique of biofeedback can benefit your treatment goals. Biofeedback is useful in enhancing one’s awareness of previously unconscious physiological states to produce emotional and behavioral changes.

For the better part of 38 years, Alistair has lived in Colorado where she enjoys the outdoors, yoga, dancing, reading, traveling, and learning about other cultures and their spiritual practices.

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Josh Stephens, MA, (MFTC 0013362)

After his undergraduate study, Josh worked as a residential advisor and a career prep counselor at Job Corps, advising at-risk youth for two years. During this time, he worked with individuals with a variety of challenges including substance abuse, truancy, and developmental issues. Since this experience, Josh has become passionate in working with kids, and the families who support them, as they struggle with social difficulties and building positive relationships in their lives. Josh received a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Saint Gregory’s University in Oklahoma in 2004. After moving to Colorado in 2007, he earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Regis University in 2012.

Josh completed an internship at Judi’s House, which is a center that supports children and their families who have experienced grief from the loss of a loved one. Josh was able to provide support and guidance through the grief process to individuals and their families in both individual and group counseling. He draws from his own experience of losing his dad as a young adult to successfully assist others in moving through the emotional stages of grief while navigating the many life and personal adjustments necessary when a significant loss is experienced.

Josh is currently registered with the State of Colorado as a Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate and is progressing towards his state licensure. He believes in building trust and a strong relationship within the therapeutic environment to assist clients in obtaining their personal goals. With this focus, Josh has a passion to continue working with families to help strengthen the parent-child relationship when faced with common challenges as children grow up. He uses a strength-based approach and family play therapy interventions to help encourage creativity to resolve conflict.

In his free time, Josh enjoys hiking, cooking, and white water rafting. He is also newly engaged and plans to be married in the fall of 2014.

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Mary Marcantonio, Founder

As the founder of Equinox Counseling and Wellness Center, Mary believes in defining success—who and what you want to be in this world—and then going after it with all your heart. In her case, she set her sights on creating therapeutic solutions in an innovative, comprehensive and compassionate way for youth and families experiencing complex challenges. Mary has dedicated her work with Equinox to developing a therapeutic learning environment in which youth and families no longer have to move from one treatment setting to the next in order to get the help they are seeking. In 2009, after 22 years in the mental health networks of Colorado, Nevada, and North Carolina, Mary assembled what would soon become the Equinox leadership and treatment teams. These professionals have come together to challenge the status quo and re-invent how community counseling is delivered to Colorado families.

Mary received her bachelor’s degree in business management and therapeutic recreation from Mesa State College and attended the University of Northern Colorado and Lesley College for master’s coursework in clinical psychology. She has over 28 years of experience in developing and delivering programs to youth and families with special or unique needs. With skillful expertise, Mary has developed specialized programming for youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (specifically Aspergers Syndrome and High Functioning Autism) and troubled teens who are experiencing significant difficulty across a broad spectrum. Utilizing her extensive background in developing and running residential treatment programs as well as wilderness therapy programs, she has successfully implemented similar intensive programming that allows these youth to remain in their home environment. With engaging venues for treatment interventions, youth are taught skills that are generalized from environment to environment, relationship to relationship, and, very importantly, are sustainable over the long haul.

Mary is a national trainer, speaker and clinical program evaluator. She speaks and trains on topics that include: sexual safety for children; developing competent, confident children; how to raise responsible teens; and rewards and consequences and the dangers of using these systems. Additionally, Mary has been featured on the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and ABC’s Nightline for her work with military youth and families experiencing significant challenges as a result of their parent’s multiple military deployments.

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Eileen Courtney Scheibe, MA, LMFT

Parent Coach

As a valuable complement to her duties as clinical administrator of Equinox, Eileen also provides Parent Coaching services to our families. In her role as a parent coach, she offers guidance, support, and solutions for parents struggling with the many challenges of raising children. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the states of Colorado and California, and has provided therapeutic services to individuals, couples, families, high-risk adolescents, and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder for the past 24 years. Eileen’s academic background and training includes a bachelor’s degree in child development and masters degree in clinical psychology. As a result of her experience and education, Eileen has a passion for providing parents extensive knowledge and specific skills in relation to child development, parent/child dynamics, and successful strategies for effective parenting.

Eileen believes that despite the frustrations, problems, and barriers that arise with raising young children with behavior issues or troubled teens, there are strengths and successes to build upon in every family. She approaches every parent’s situation from a place of compassion and understanding, while also focusing on creating solutions and positive change in the family system. Coaching sessions include helpful techniques, effective strategies, and weekly homework to help parents generalize information back into the home.

Parent coaching is offered through Skype, phone and email sessions, an approach that has been part of Eileen’s practice for several years and which gives parents greater flexibility and access to coaching support. Session length and goals are designed to specifically meet the unique needs of each parent.

To learn more about Parent Coaching services, contact Eileen directly at [email protected] or visit Parent Coaching on our website.

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Tim Burke, BA

Director of Wilderness and Adventure Programs

As a managing partner and director of wilderness and adventure therapy at Equinox Counseling and Wellness Center, Tim brings a unique blend of technical acumen, therapeutic insight, leadership, quiet confidence and an easygoing personality to our team. He believes that the use of thoughtful and expert-led wilderness interventions is a complement to traditional therapies and often a critical component in helping people gain valuable insights about themselves and the world around them.

Tim is originally from Buffalo, New York, and earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences before moving to Colorado in 1996. For over 16 years he has been designing and guiding wilderness and adventure therapy interventions for youth, adults and families with great success. In addition, Tim has extensive experience and knowledge from his seven years working in residential treatment centers and community-based counseling and supervision programs. These experiences have shaped how Tim approaches his work and are most evident in his uncompromising approach to safety. His mantra is “nothing we accomplish here is worth anyone being hurt over,” and when you work with him you see this firsthand.

Since the start of Equinox in 2009, Tim and the Equinox leadership team have played significant roles in serving our nation’s military families during some of the most challenging times in recent history. Tim is proud to have helped deliver Healing Adventures Family Retreats (a National Military Family Association Program), the US Army Chaplains Group Family Resilience Program and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program to name a few.

The common theme throughout all Tim’s work is simple; help clients learn from these experiences and then apply the learning into other important areas of their lives for increased effectiveness.

Tim feels fortunate to combine his passion and his work. An avid rock climber, ice climber and mountaineer, he holds climbing guide certifications from two national (the PCIA and PCGI) and one international organization (the AMGA). Tim also maintains certifications in wilderness medicine (WMI), avalanche safety (AIARE), challenge course facilitation and critical rescue skills (the ACCT).

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Anil Arora

Therapeutic Care Specialist & Youth Mentor

Anil is a Colorado native, born and raised in Denver. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Anil brings extensive experience and passion to every interaction, skillfully engaging and helping young people in the community. He is dedicated to maintaining emotional and physical safety as he creates opportunities for our teens and young adults to build new coping skills and competencies, and enjoy healthy social experiences. As a strong advocate for youth challenged by mental health issues and neurodiversity, which includes being a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Anil is dedicated to not only connecting with his clients, but educating and informing parents and other adults on how to provide opportunity and learning in the home, school, and community.

As a Therapeutic Care Specialist and Youth Mentor with Equinox Counseling and Wellness Center, Anil also brings considerable skills building rapport, identifying needs, and promoting the balance of responsibility and play to the youth he serves. He works closely with teens and young adults to help them have fun in healthy ways, meet academic and vocational responsibilities, and develop an overall sense of pride in relationships and accomplishments.

Anil has been a key contributor in creating programs and developing a project with the counseling and psychological services on campus for the students at CU-Boulder. His project works on empowering students with general health and well being throughout their college experiences by helping to improve study habits during times of stress, sleep deprivation, and anxiety. Anil has also helped pioneer programs with clinicians at CU-Boulder, with a special focus on a motivation workshop for students, and has worked with The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect to support children who have experienced trauma. He continually volunteers inside and outside his university to help build a deeper sense on community.

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Elizabeth Bowling, BA

Therapeutic Care Specialist

Liz is passionate about the importance of understanding both the research and the clinical process of working with youth and adults. She combines her knowledge in these areas with her love for adventure, outdoors and athletics to successfully engage and promote positive change with young people.

She received her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Bates College in Maine. During this time, she served as a mentor for Somali youth, a teacher’s assistant working with struggling teenage students, and a counselor for victims of sexual assault. Much of her undergraduate time was spent researching questions regarding troubled teens, including patterns of decision-making, high risk sexual behavior, and gang violence. Alongside her work at Equinox as a Mentor and Therapeutic Care Specialist, Liz is also collaborating on a research project with the University of Denver and Denver Health Medical Center to study emotion regulation and coping strategies in cancer patients.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Liz spent the summer in New Hampshire working for an Americorps sponsored residential treatment center. She worked primarily with 17 year-old boys suffering from anxiety, depression, and trauma related issues. With a passion for the outdoors, Liz recognized the need for these youth to get out of the office and utilize the outdoors for clinical process. She developed and led a kayak adventure program which exponentially changed the course of treatment for these youth. Additionally, Liz taught meditation techniques in managing stress and anxiety to children ranging from 6-18 years. As a person who also enjoys travel and finding opportunities to learn about people, Liz then chose a job in Rome, Italy as an au pair for an Italian family. It was during this experience, she knew she would continue her work with youth and families, especially has she learned more about the impact of culture, diversity, and socio-economic status on the family unit.

A fun fact about Liz is that she spent five weeks driving solo from Maine to California shooting a documentary and blogging about different lifestyles around America. She hopes to inspire others to pursue a photo or video project to help answer questions about the world. As a Colorado native, Liz enjoys doing Bikram yoga, biking around Sloan’s Lake, hiking 14ers, and eating delicious food.

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