Meet Shaye Meissen | Licensed Professional Counselor

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

Hi Shaye, is there something you believe many others might not?
“Just be happy.” While it sounds nice in sayings or on a notecard, I have found that striving for happiness can be really problematic. All emotions, including happiness, are fleeting, which means they come and go. If the only goal in life is to be happy, then anytime another more difficult emotion comes along we feel like we must be doing something wrong. No one gets through life without difficulties and suffering. Accepting the fact that all emotions are ok has allowed me to embrace what is instead of striving for something else. And ironically, it leads to more contentment and joy! Instead, I try and focus on living a life that is meaningful and valuable to me, knowing that won’t always be easy. Starting my own business was a difficult and scary decision, but one I made for a bigger purpose of providing needed support to others and also for the needs of my own family. Adventuring is also a big part of my life. With two kids it can be hard to get out of the house and get outside, but we do it because it provides so much fulfillment and fun for our family. I prefer to remind myself that “what is meaningful is rarely easy.”

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?
I started Exploration Counseling and Consulting, LLC as a place to support parents and families, give back to the community, and encourage others to share our values of Relationships, Action, Community, and Adventure. I specialize in maternal mental health, parenting, and perinatal mood concerns because I don’t believe parents get the support they need. As a mom who struggled with postpartum anxiety after having my first child, I became very aware of the lack of professional knowledge, information, and resources about the issue…and I’m a counselor! My hope is that this practice is a place where people feel comfortable, welcome, and encouraged. I try to bring my own values into my work, which includes nature and the outdoors. I provide therapy outdoors in a way that I hope to be accessible to most. I also provide telehealth services and encourage my clients to take their appointments outside when they can! The mission of my business is to positively impact individuals, families, and communities through counseling, consultation, and collaboration. We do this through individual and couples therapy, community education and events, providing training and consultation to medical entities, and a commitment to give back financially- 5% of all revenue is donated to local organizations doing great things for families.
Creating this business was one of the most intimidating things I have ever done, but it just felt like the right thing to do. So I went for it. I decided to take things one step at a time, learn as I went, pray a lot, and remember to always go back to the mission and values as a guide for business decisions. I don’t regret it one bit!

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.
Most of my family and long-time friends are not from Colorado, so I absolutely LOVE when people come visit. My perfect trip would involve a day in Colorado Springs hiking through Red Rocks Open Space or showing off the rock formations at Garden of the Gods. Lunch would be at The Wines of Colorado and dinner would be something tasty from the grill at my home in Woodland Park, CO. We would definitely hit up Cafe Leo for brunch (they have the best bagel sandwiches!) and coffee, drive Rampart Range road for one of the best views of Pikes Peak, and maybe hike Rainbow Gulch Trail (a good one for people not use to the altitude). Depending on the season, an overnight to Buena Vista and Mt Princeton hot springs is a must. There are so many amazing hikes around there, and it’s often not too crowded. I love tiny mountain towns with great cafes, funs shops, and miles of beautiful trail nearby, and Colorado has so many to explore!

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 definitely say that Craig, my husband, is the reason my business even started. I don’t think he has ever once told me that my ideas were silly or crazy (even when they were). From the very beginning of Exploration Counseling and Consulting, he has been the support, the ear, and the shoulder.

Website: www.explorationcounselingco.com

Instagram: @the.exploring.therapist