Michael Pipich, LMFT
Specialties
- anxiety
- adults
- adolescents (12yo+)
- couples
- depression & bipolar disorder
- marital/relationship
- TBI
- PTSD
Education & Experience
- Loyola Marymount University: BS
- Calif. State University, Fullerton: MS
- LMFT since 1990
- Author & Lecturer on Bipolar Disorder
I always discuss goals with patients, whether they are adults seeking individual, group or couple’s therapy, or teenagers in individual, group or family therapy. So in your first session, you can get real clarity on how and why problems have developed, and what can be expected in the early stage of therapy.
Therapy style
Whether you’re seeking therapy for the first time or have been involved in therapy in the past, finding the right therapist can be a real challenge. If you’re feeling down, anxious or in some type of crisis, it’s important to get connected quickly with a clear therapy plan and sense of hope. It’s always my first goal to meet with you as soon as possible, and begin a comfortable and seamless process for our first meeting.
When I meet new therapy patients, I’m interested in understanding and discussing their presenting concerns. But we also explore personal life stories, including relationships, family, health, job or school, self-image, and just about every aspect of what makes a person who they are and what they’ve struggled with in their lives. I always discuss goals with patients, whether they are adults seeking individual, group or couple’s therapy, or teenagers in individual, group or family therapy. So in your first session, you can get real clarity on how and why problems have developed, and what can be expected in the early stage of therapy.
My therapy background involves psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, object relations and existential theories. My style is highly interactive. You’ll always have opportunities to share your feelings and thoughts in an open, emotionally safe and non-judgmental fashion, and I will provide you with ongoing feedback, insights into the meaning of your thoughts and feelings, with clearer ideas on how to manage life problems. I offer a deeper understanding of choices to life issues, along with the possible outcomes to those choices, so you can better take charge of your own life while preserving and enhancing your personal values.
I also help people understand repetitive patterns that cause disruption to personal, occupational, and relationship success. As we proceed in therapy, you’ll learn about your own patterns, so you can develop newer, healthier ways to approach life challenges. I’m especially aware of how many people come to therapy hoping to feel better right away, but instead struggle for a period of time. Sometimes people in the middle of therapy find that they do better in daily functioning before they feel better emotionally. But as therapy progresses into its later stage, we will work together for a happier, more hopeful future.
No matter your ethnicity, religious or cultural background, sexual orientation or gender identity, you are welcome to my therapy practice. I also welcome those who have had prior difficulties with therapy. You can expect a collaborative approach to care, which means you are free to let me know how I’m doing as your therapist, and whether or not my style of therapy is working for you. It is my personal priority for you to experience as much success in therapy as possible. Your well-being is my ultimate goal.
My Outcomes
Areas of Treatment
- anxiety disorders
- bipolar disorder
- childhood trauma
- chronic illness & pain
- depression
- marital/relationship problems
- military/law enforcement/first responders
- psychotic disorders
- PTSD
- traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- workplace stress
Schedule
Monday through Friday: 7:00AM to 6:00PM
Contact info & Fees
720-722-6714
$250 for 50-minute session
$375 for 75-minute session
$340 per month for group therapy
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
Nelson Mandela
web articles
Recent articles by Michael Pipich
professional articles
Published articles by Michael Pipich
- Laying the groundwork for a medication conversation. Counselor (2018) Vol. 19, No. 4.
- Closing the 10-year gap in treatment: A three-phase therapy approach to bipolar disorder. Family Therapy Magazine (2017) Vol. 16, No. 3.
recent interviews
Printed Interviews
Audio Interviews
- The Psych Files with Dr. Michael Britt
- Shrink Rap Radio with Dr. David Van Nuys on Youtube
- The Patricia Raskin Show
- MyNDTALK with Dr. Pamela Brewer
- The Psych Central Podcast with Gabe Howard and Vincent Wales
- Michael on KOA Radio Denver talking about Owning Bipolar
- Michael on KOA Radio Denver discussing suicide prevention with Marty Lenz
- Friends from the Bipolar Network sharing their stories about living with Bipolar
- Discussing Bipolar Disorder with Dr. Joe Shrand, M.D.
- Brainlash: Maximize Your Recovery from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with Gail Denton, Ph.D.
- Codependency, Narcissism and The Human Magnet Syndrome with Ross Rosenberg, M.Ed.
- Soldier PTSD and The Things They Cannot Say with author/journalist Kevin Sites
- Living Well with Chronic Illness with author Richard Cheu
- Preventing Teen Suicide with guests from Second Wind Fund
- Outsmarting Anger: Seven Strategies for Defusing Our Most Dangerous Emotion with Dr. Joe Shrand
- The Seven Mistakes Divorced & Separated Parents Make with Shannon Rios LMFT
- Surviving Childhood Sexual Abuse with guests from WINGS Foundation
- Almost Addicted with Dr. Wes Boyd
recommended books
Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder
In Birth of a New Brain, Dyane Harwood gives voice to countless women who’ve suffered postpartum bipolar disorder. As a therapist specializing in bipolar, I’ve seen how this condition can be misdiagnosed and mistreated, especially in the prenatal and postpartum phases. Dyane’s passionate story of missed opportunities to correctly identify and treat her mood swings show us how new mothers can fall through the cracks of a sometimes chaotic mental health system. But her relentless pursuit of the truth behind her anguish gives us hope. Through all the confusion, doubt and despair, she never gives up. Postpartum bipolar disorder is real! And Dyane is a living inspiration of how to thrive far beyond it.
Outsmarting Anger: 7 Strategies for Defusing Our Most Dangerous Emotion
Owning Bipolar: How Patients and Families Can Take Control of Bipolar Disorder
“Essential reading, not only for the person learning to own their bipolar, but for the support system members and treatment providers walking alongside them in their journey to hope and healing.”
–Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D.,
President,
United Suicide Survivors International
Living Well with Chronic Illness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide
Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder
Dyane HarwoodIn Birth of a New Brain, Dyane Harwood gives voice to countless women who’ve suffered postpartum bipolar disorder. As a therapist specializing in bipolar, I’ve seen how this condition can be misdiagnosed and mistreated, especially [expander_maker id="3" more="Read more" less="Read less"] in the prenatal and postpartum phases. Dyane’s passionate story of missed opportunities to correctly identify and treat her mood swings show us how new mothers can fall through the cracks of a sometimes chaotic mental health system. But her relentless pursuit of the truth behind her anguish gives us hope. Through all the confusion, doubt and despair, she never gives up. Postpartum bipolar disorder is real! And Dyane is a living inspiration of how to thrive far beyond it.[/expander_maker]
Outsmarting Anger: 7 Strategies for Defusing Our Most Dangerous Emotion
Joseph Shrand, MD & Leigh Devine, MSOwning Bipolar: How Patients and Families Can Take Control of Bipolar Disorder
Michael Pipich“Essential reading, not only for the person learning to own their bipolar, but for the support system members and treatment providers walking alongside them in their journey to hope and healing.”
–Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D., President,
United Suicide Survivors International