Low Cost Therapy
Lower cost therapy conducted by CBT Denver psychology externs - advanced PhD students supervised by Dr. Keri Johns and Dr. Nicole Cross.
Cindy Villanueva - CBT Denver Extern
Cindy Villanueva is a 6th year trainee in the University of Colorado Boulder’s clinical psychology PhD program. She has training and experience with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and motivational interviewing (MI).
Cindy enjoys working with individuals on identity exploration and navigating various life transitions, whether that be entering new life stages such as college or retirement or redefining a sense of self following a relationship ending, a career transition, or a role shift such as becoming a new parent. Clinically, she emphasizes a person-centered and collaborative approach that integrates a multiculturalism lens to help clients pursue a values-guided, meaningful life.
Cindy’s research focuses on emotions and risk for mood disorders, particularly in Latinx populations. She is passionate about improving mental health equity in research and treatment, including expanding access to care for marginalized groups and rural communities, such as among her hometown of migrant farmworkers.
Cate Pappano - CBT Denver Extern
Cate is an extern at CBT Denver and a third-year doctoral trainee in the Clinical Health Psychology program at the University of Colorado Denver. She is passionate about creating a warm, nonjudgmental, and supportive space where clients can feel heard, understood, and empowered to work through life’s challenges.
Cate helps individuals navigate relationship issues, life transitions, body image concerns, eating disorders, anxiety, ADHD, phobias, and illness. Her approach is grounded in evidence-based practices, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI), all within a person-centered framework. She works with both adolescents and adults, tailoring therapy to meet each person’s unique needs and goals.
Beyond therapy, Cate’s research explores predictors of distress in family caregivers of cancer patients, with a particular focus on young adult caregivers. She also has experience in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy research, supporting individuals with advanced cancer and existential distress. In her free time, Cate enjoys spending time with loved ones, baking, playing board games, hiking, and skiing.
