Renee' is a trauma-informed therapist and former school psychologist with over 25 years of experience in educational and clinical settings. As a registered Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate in Colorado (MFTC #14833), she specializes in supporting children, adolescents, and families navigating emotional regulation, neurodivergent needs, and complex relational dynamics. Her therapeutic approach is systemic, creative, and grounded in evidence-based practice. I incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and trauma-focused modalities, along with expressive tools like Play Therapy, Art Therapy, and Sand play Therapy, to meet clients where they are and help them build emotional resilience, healthy coping strategies, and meaningful connection. Renee' also brings lived experience as a parent advocate. Her son was once assessed as two standard deviations below the bell curve—yet graduated college at 19 and was accepted into Howard University’s School of Dentistry. Her daughter, flagged for retention in kindergarten due to early academic concerns, went on to earn a bachelor's in chemistry with minors in Math and Chemical Engineering, having taken Calculus at age 15. These journeys deeply inform her belief: every child has brilliance that deserves to be nurtured—not underestimated. Val specializes in working with children and families who are experiencing challenges with neurodivergent behaviors.  Neurodivergence is a big word that basically means the brain processes information and interacts with the world differently than it might for the majority of others.  Families might recognize symptoms or behaviors of ADHD, Tourette's, dyslexia, bipolar disorder, OCD, synesthesia, sensory processing, or autism, to name a few. For the past many years she has worked primarily with children who have experienced attachment trauma, loss, dependency, neglect, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. She is  experienced with both neurodivergent and neurotypical children.  Val has worked closely the Department of Human Services providing support and therapy to children in foster and kin-like placements. As a military veteran, Val has a knowing and drive to support children and families of both active duty and prior service folks in need of support and guidance on development, empathy, nurture and attachment in the family system.  Val serves as an expert witness for the 4th and 18th judicial districts in the areas of child development, attachment, family therapy, and childhood trauma.  She has extensive training in parent child-contact issues, working with families with (unfortunately) high conflict divorce, and completing Parent-Child Interactional Assessments (PCIs). Val is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-focused CBT, synergetic play, experiential play, AutPlay® Therapy, directive play and non-directive play therapy modalities. She is a registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified Autism Specialist, Certified AutPlay® Therapist, ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider, and a licensed professional counselor (supervisor).  Val loves teaching grownups how to love, cherish and connect with their children (and themselves) and help them become functional, thriving, joyful members of our community.  She thoroughly enjoys integrating models of treatment and personalizing therapy for each family she works with. Professional Memberships: Association for Play Therapy (APT), Colorado Association for Play Therapy (CAPT), American Psychological Association (APA) Contact Val at: valbruno@willowscounseling.com Hover over the image of Val to see what she really looks like!