Meet Devon Cozens | Therapist and Social Work Faculty

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

Hi Devon, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think that a high tolerance for (calculated) risk has been the single most influential factor in my career so far. I have never been particularly afraid of hearing “no” in professional or academic settings and this has allowed me to make some pretty big reaches that have turned into huge opportunities. I want to name that this experience is largely, if not entirely, rooted in some of my more privileged identities (white privilege, ability privilege, educational privilege, etc) and that these identities have allowed me to move through these experiences without barriers that many face everyday.

I am able to think of risk as a necessary part of growth, feeling nervous or afraid tells me that the thing I am working toward is important and meaningful. The most significant professional moves I have made in the last few years have required discomfort and major potential for failure, they have also produced life-changing results. I am a huge advocate for “shooting your shot” and try to encourage this in my clients and students, too.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Goodness Therapy is a private practice dedicated to helping individuals and couples identify and exit the negative patterns that block them from experiencing their most authentic and engaged connections. My work is Emotionally Focused Therapy informed and I have been fortunate enough to not only attend multiple high level trainings, but recently to come back as an assistant to help support new EFT therapists. I am deeply passionate about approaching my work with individuals and couples with anti-oppressive and trauma-informed lenses and am most proud of my ability to truly connect with my clients in a way that allows them to unlock their own growth potential and healing.

After years of working with young people and their families as a school social worker for Denver Public Schools, I realized I was ready to dive into deeper clinical work. I saw the gaps between the work I was able to do in that setting and the work that folks really needed, and decided to make the jump! I want to help people get to the heart of the matter, and this practice gives me the opportunity to do just that. Transitioning from social worker to therapist was challenging because imposter syndrome hit heavy. After I found my home in Emotionally Focused Therapy, I felt a lot more grounded and confident in my ability to help my clients where they need it most.

Deciding to open a private practice was also pretty scary! Overcoming those challenges was largely rooted in mindset work and challenging some myths that exist in the rhetoric around what it means to be in the helping professions. This required a lot of hard reflection and challenging my own beliefs about myself, hard work, and money.

The most important lesson the process of opening my own business has taught me is that I can trust myself. When I didn’t feel ready, I had good reasons and when I was ready, I did the thing! When people told me that my practice might fail and that I was better off staying at a group, I listened to my fear and met myself half-way. I started really small and just took one day at a time. I opened exactly the practice I wanted– I work with the clients I love that I know my skills are suited for. I work the hours that make sense for my family and other responsibilities. I balance a fee that supports my financial needs and those of my family with opportunities for ‘Pay What You Can’ spots in my caseload. I am really proud of trusting myself enough to build my dream practice and being honest with myself and the world about what that meant.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was here, it would probably be almost completely a food tour with live music and outside spots peppered in. Uchi, Safta, Konjo, The Bagel Deli, Somebody People, Palenque/Adelita’s and Aung’s Bangkok Cafe would all be necessary stops. Obligatory Red Rocks concert, of course. Maybe a win-win with another stop at the Gothic or the Mission Ballroom. Most of my drinking happens on South Broadway, the last time I went out I did a college throwback and played Stump at Doughrety’s… but classier faves (no offense, Doughrety’s!) include Middleman, Fort Greene, Thin Man, Hudson Hill, and if I’m feeling nostalgic, Forrest Room 5. I am a big fan of park hangs and picnics- Jazz in the Park at City Park or games/walks at Wash Park. Huge musical theatre nerd, so maybe we could hit the Performing Arts Center. AND get a tattoo from my favorite artist, Homebody Hand Poke. Probably some hiking peppered in and a visit to Movement if I can find a babysitter 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out my people; my partner, son, best friends and mentors. Nothing would be possible without them! Whether it’s the hype I need to seek a big opportunity or the shoulder to cry on when something goes wrong, connection to–and support from– my people is what allows me to take risks and make big moves. My partner is a constant source of hype and an entrepreneur himself. He (sometimes daily) debunked my fears around opening my own business and pushed me to take the leap into private practice– I’m not sure I ever would have been brave enough to do it without him. My best friends ride the waves of my experience with me and know exactly how to show up when and how I need them to, even if that means the constructive feedback I need to grow. My professional mentors have given me the practical advice and tools necessary to make big dreams come true and often removed barriers from my path in order to help me succeed. In particular, I’d like to shout out the professors from the MSU Denver Social Work Department who not only shaped me as a social worker, but supported me to return as a faculty member myself! My son is a constant source of inspiration and pushes me to be the best version of myself every day.

Website: https://www.goodnesstherapy.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devon-cozens-23228564/

Image Credits
Logo- Alexander Diner