Supporting Our Community's Mental Health: Meet the Counselors of Stanley Marketplace
At Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado, community is everything. We're more than a collection of local businesses, we're a gathering place where neighbors from Aurora, Denver, Stapleton, and Park Hill connect, shop, and care for one another. That's why during Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to spotlight something we're especially proud of: the talented therapists and mental health counselors who call Stanley home, and the meaningful work they do to support our community's well-being.
Mental health is just as essential as physical health, and we believe access to compassionate, quality therapy should feel close to home. We sat down with two of our counseling tenants — Nicole Hepler of Awakening Serenity Counseling and Sarah Spurlock of Denver Counseling Solutions — to share their wisdom and a few practical takeaways for anyone curious about starting therapy in the Denver area or simply looking for ways to feel better today.
Nicole Hepler, Awakening Serenity Counseling
Nicole is a licensed therapist in Aurora who works with individuals and couples, specializing in high-achieving women in the medical field, trauma therapy, chronic pain, and chronic illness. She also offers EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based approach for healing from trauma.
Many of her clients are the ones others rely on — capable, driven, used to pushing through until it stops feeling sustainable. "You don't have to be in crisis for counseling to be helpful," Nicole shares. "A lot of the people I work with are high-functioning. They're showing up at work, taking care of their families, doing what needs to get done. But internally, they feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or stretched thin. Therapy isn't about 'fixing' you. It's about understanding the patterns shaping how you feel so life can feel more manageable."
If you're noticing signs of burnout such as irritability, fatigue, body tension, or sleep changes Nicole's advice is to slow down, reconnect with your support system, and remember that rest is a need, not something you have to earn. Working with a therapist near you can be a powerful part of recovering from burnout and supporting your mental health long-term.
Five things you can do today for your mental health:
Step outside for 5 minutes and breathe deeply, noticing the sights, sounds, and smells.
Pick one small cleaning or tidying task and complete it.
Take a walk without your phone.
Reach out to a friend or loved one.
Wait at least 10 minutes after waking before checking your phone.
Resources Nicole recommends:Mindful.org for guided meditations and Insight Timer body scans for releasing tension.
Sarah Spurlock, Denver Counseling Solutions
Denver Counseling Solutions is a generalist counseling practice serving individuals, families, children, teens, and couples across the Denver metro area — with multiple locations, flexible price points, and therapists offering a wide range of specialties, from anxiety and depression to family counseling and couples therapy.
"We love the environment at Stanley Marketplace," Sarah says. "It feels very relevant to today's society and has a vibrant atmosphere." Clients are drawn to the practice because the services are accessible and affordable, the therapists are authentic, and the treatment is goal-oriented and client-centered.
Sarah's biggest message about finding a therapist? "Therapy is about a relationship. Being comfortable with your therapist and building trust is the most important thing. Therapists are here to support and facilitate, clients do the work to create meaningful change in their lives."
Her advice for burnout is refreshingly simple: slow down. "We live in a fast-paced society. It's okay to savor moments, do less, and value people over work." And for things you can do today? Drink more water, take a nap, take a walk.
A book she recommends:Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.
A Community That Cares
We're grateful to have mental health practitioners like Nicole and Sarah at Stanley Marketplace, people who make therapy in Aurora feel approachable and human. Supporting our community means making sure resources for well-being are right here, woven into the everyday places you already love to visit.
If something here resonated with you, take it as a nudge. Reach out, ask questions, learn more about counseling options near you.
Stop by Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado to learn more about our counseling tenants and the wellness community we're proud to call home.