Meet Tiana Mile | Psychotherapist & Mindfulness Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiana Mile and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiana, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks, or engaging with what life presents, has required me to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Truly listening and acting on what is calling us requires mindfulness, deep courage, and a faith that failure does not really exist. We may be choosing to walk away from what is mainstream, sensible, or comfortable towards what is scary, unknown, and vulnerable. There are big and little risks, but all can be opportunities for deep transformation depending on our mindset. We will need to learn to embrace fear, versus avoiding it, and move towards curiosity, purpose, and truth. By loosening our grip on a certain outcome or what we believe the result says about us, we can learn to see life more as an adventure. There may be pain or suffering along the way. And the lessons and learnings may be obvious or maybe initially unclear. But by following what makes us feel most alive and having the bravery to be uncomfortable, we will lead an authentic, purposeful life. For me, this has looked like backpacking the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail alone as a woman; maintaining a remote, off the grid backcountry hut in the winter where my only friend was a fox; traveling in countries where I didn’t speak the language or know where I was going to stay the next night; ending a long term relationship that I thought was the “one” but no longer made me feel good; becoming a mother; being vulnerable and sharing what I’m actually feeling; and becoming self-employed.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I offer individual therapy in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Denver that is heart-centered, holistic, affirming, and informed by 20 years of experience in wilderness therapy and community mental health. I work with adults who are experiencing anxiety, depression, life transitions, and/or relationship and life challenges. While I work with adults of all ages, I specialize in working with “20-30 somethings” in the midst of their ‘Quarter Life’ calling. This time of young adulthood is often characterized by deep questioning of direction, relationships, and/or purpose and can include healing early trauma and establishing one’s own identity. I see this time as a unique opportunity to discover one’s values and create an authentic life path. I honor the unique strengths and experiences that each of my clients have, and am comfortable exploring culture, history, identities, beliefs, and processing style in our work. My style, whether we are focusing on a trauma that my clients have experienced or not, is always trauma informed. My training is in Trauma Recovery, Mindfulness, Neuroscience, Attachment Theory, Emotion theory and Somatic, Experiential Approaches. My style involves an integration of traditional, relational psychotherapy with experiential and somatic techniques to support my clients in shifting patterns which no longer serve them and discovering their core self.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Considering that it is the season of co-vid, I would take my best friend on a quiet hike in the mountains and out for a beer at a local brewery (Cerebral, Great Divide, Wit’s End). My favorite places to eat in Denver are Vital Root, Root Down, Corner Beet, City o City, and Abyssinia Ethiopian restaurant. A concert at Red Rocks or a nordic ski at Eldora would be a fun adventure.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank all the mindfulness, psychotherapy, and trauma mentors and teachers who have taught me what I know, including but not limited to Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Diana Fosha and her model of psychotherapy that I practice called Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Peter Levine, Pema Chodron, Dan Siegel, Deb Dana, and my supervisors Jenn Edlin, Lia Jones, and Ben Lipton. I also give credit to my family and friends who inspire me each and every day. My partner and my daughters teach me about unconditional love. Last but definitely not least, I bow in gratitude to my clients who demonstrate such courage, trust me with their hearts and stories, and allow me to join them on their journeys of healing.

Website: www.tianamile.com