James Sims

James Sims, a Counseling Psychology Graduate Level Intern, is a master’s candidate at Naropa University, where he studies Clinical Mental Health Counseling and specializes in Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology. James will graduate in May of 2025. Seeing himself as a hypnotic permission slip through which his clients’ can access their own innate wisdom, James believes that all individuals carry within themselves Brilliant Sanity with which they are capable of healing themselves and gaining autonomy over their lives, merely seeing himself as a catalyst for his client’s healing and

transformational process. A firm believer in the power of self-compassion, James aims to encourage his clients to meet themselves with loving kindness and gentleness. As such, he works with his clients in such a way that they can see how their defense mechanisms have served them in the past. However, James is also well aware that these very defense mechanisms may be resulting in obstructions to their present goals of living a healthy life and healthily relating to others. In this light, James’ goal is to assist his clients in cultivating self-love and self-acceptance within themselves. In so doing, James’ hope is that his clients will pass along this kindness to others, thus expanding the collective healing process. James’ hobbies include writing, singing, meditating, communing with nature, spending time with spiritually nourishing friends, and philosophizing the meaning of life.

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Pronouns: he/him/his

Supervisor: Dan Baur, MA, LPC-S