JD Goates, Ph.D.

jd.goates@birchpsychology.com | 303.529.8595 ext. XXX

Dr. JD Goates (they/them) is a post-doctoral fellow who provides individual psychotherapy services to adults of all ages and adolescents, as well as assessment services to individuals 8 and older. Although they see clients with a broad range of concerns and identities, they have a special focus on working with queer and trans folks, individuals recovering from trauma as well as early family and relational wounds, and those going through or recovering from faith transitions (both out of faith and toward a different faith). 

JD integrates a Liberation Psychology into their relational-cultural and emotion focus therapy approaches to assist clients in healing JD focusing on helping clients reinforce their strengths and develop self-empowerment and self-advocacy in their own treatment. JD believes that authenticity and collaboration are core to an effective therapy process with them. They also recognize and emphasize the role of identities and culture in mental health, particularly when those identities are the target of marginalization. Because relationships and emotions are often a focus of the work, JD also individualizes treatment based on the client and can integrate aspects from other therapies, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, to help clients develop skills to improve emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. 

JD has previously worked with clients across a range of settings, including community mental health centers, integrative care settings, college counseling centers, and community-based organizations. They have experience working with clients navigating suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, emotional regulation, and interpersonal and relational difficulties. They have also conducted assessments for academic, personality, mood, and neurodevelopmental concerns as well as pre-employment evaluations and disability evaluations in the citizenship application process. They believe assessment can be an empowering experience that can help guide treatment, connect individuals with appropriate resources, and provide insight into concerns impacting a client’s life.

JD earned their doctoral degree in counseling psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and holds a masters in Bilingual (Spanish) Mental Health Counseling from Teachers College at Columbia University. They completed their predoctoral internship at Aurora Mental Health and Recovery in Aurora, CO where they provided individual, group, and assessment services to adolescents, adults, and refugee and immigrants experiencing a wide range of concerns. 

JD can be reached at: jd.goates@birchpsychology.com | 303.529.8595 ext. XXX