Meet Ulla Ellison | Project Director for Golden Wellness
We had the good fortune of connecting with Ulla Ellison and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ulla, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Golden Wellness is built around the idea of a third space, a place where people can come together in person in a world that is becoming increasingly virtual.
A lot of people right now are overwhelmed and isolated, and looking for something that feels more real. We have more access to information and flexibility than ever before, but we are also lonelier. People are looking for connection, meaning, and a sense of how to actually live well.
What we are creating is a space that responds directly to that.
Many systems still approach wellness as something to fix quickly. Symptoms are treated, often with a clear division between mind and body. Our approach is different. We see the mind and body as inseparable, and we understand wellness as something that happens through relationship, creativity, and movement.
Golden Wellness brings together art, movement, education, and therapy under one roof, with connection as the common thread. It is a place where people can take a class, attend a group, move their body, create something, or simply be with others in a meaningful way.
We also support practitioners. Our model is designed to make it easier for teachers, whether they are established or just starting out, to share their work with the community. We provide space, visibility, and a network so their offerings can reach the people who are looking for them.
At its core, the impact we are trying to have is simple. We want people to feel less alone and more connected, both to themselves and to each other.
For me, healing is about becoming whole. It is a return to the self, and what many healing traditions recognize is that this happens most powerfully in connection with others.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve spent most of my adult life in caregiving roles. I have about 18 years of experience in education and caregiving, and for a long time I was focused on supporting children and families while raising four kids of my own. At the same time, I developed a parallel skill set in project management and hospitality, creating environments that are both functional and welcoming.
What I’m doing now brings those worlds together.
I’m currently in graduate school for counseling, and my work as a therapist is focused on people navigating complex life stress, especially caregivers, individuals in high-conflict situations, and people in moments of crisis or transition. My approach is grounded in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, which means I’m not trying to keep people in therapy indefinitely. I’m focused on helping people create meaningful change quickly, especially when they need support the most.
Alongside that, I’ve spent years studying psychological astrology and depth-oriented frameworks, which has shaped how I think about meaning, narrative, and human behavior. Even when I’m working in a brief, practical way, I hold a deeper respect for the patterns and stories people are living inside of.
What I’m most proud of right now is building Golden Wellness Community Center. It’s a space that reflects what I’ve learned over time, that healing is not just individual, it’s relational and communal. We’re creating a place where people can access therapy, movement, art, and education in one environment, and where practitioners can share their work in a way that feels sustainable and connected.
It hasn’t been easy to get here. I’ve built this path while raising four children, going through divorce, and returning to school. There have been times where things felt uncertain or overwhelming, and I’ve had to learn how to move forward without having everything figured out.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that healing is about wholeness. It’s not about becoming a better or more perfect version of yourself. It’s about becoming who you already are.
What I want people to know about me and my work is that I care deeply about helping people move forward in real, tangible ways. Whether that’s in therapy or in building community, I’m interested in what actually helps people feel more grounded, more connected, and more able to live their lives.
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.
I’d start by taking them up to my cabin at 9,300 feet, which is technically still Golden. On the way, we’d grab something to eat at Public Market in Edgewater, then head into the hills.
From my front door, we’d hike into the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest. There’s a good chance we’d see moose or turkeys, and the views stretch from Mount Blue Sky to the south to Longs Peak to the north. That night, we’d light a fire in the wood stove and sit out on the balcony looking at the stars.
The next day, we’d head down to Salida, stopping on Kenosha Pass for photos of South Park. In Salida, we’d grab a Reuben from Sweetie’s and spend time on the Arkansas River Valley trail system. After getting good and sweaty, we’d order a pie from Moonlight Pizza and have a local beer.
From there, we’d head to Hooper Hot Springs and soak in the greenhouse pools. We’d stay the night, and the next day, weather permitting, we’d go to the Sand Dunes, which is one of my favorite places on earth. Zapata Falls is the perfect way to cool off afterward.
The next day, we’d head up over La Veta Pass and through the town of La Veta. We’d stop at the co-op for snacks, then take in the beautiful countryside and hike the Western Spanish Peak. We’d camp overnight, then make our way back north.
On the way back, we might stop at Castlewood Canyon for a hike through the creek before heading into Denver.
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 shout out Mary Dohrmann.
She offered me the Project Director role at Golden Wellness based on our relationship through supervision and her confidence in my ability. As a single mom in graduate school, supporting four kids, that kind of trust and opportunity meant a lot.
She didn’t just offer me a role, she created a space where I could bring together the things I care most about. Movement, art, therapy, and wisdom traditions all have a place here, and I’ve been able to step into my strengths in a way that feels both meaningful and aligned.
Mary took a chance on me, and that has opened up a new level of possibility in my life.
Website: https://goldenwellnessco.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582517458499
Other: Golden Wellness Community Center (both handles)
Image Credits
These are all images that I have taken.
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
