Tara Jackson brings over 25 years of experience working directly with families in Durango, Colorado. 

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She understands the local community and is well-networked with schools and various complimentary providers in the area which supports a holistic approach to care.

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Tara is a Licensed Professional Counselor living in Durango, transplanted from Michigan in 1992. She graduated from Fort Lewis College with a BA in English/Secondary Education and worked as a teacher in several local preschools and elementary schools. Before pursuing a career in counseling, Tara taught Early Childhood Education courses for several years at Pueblo Community College, opened her own pre-K school, and directed and taught at several other educational programs.

Tara earned her Master’s degree at Adams University, following which she worked at Axis Health System in the in-patient and crisis department. She then transitioned to working as a school-based mental health consultant (middle and high school) before going on to help develop an integrated behavioral health program in a primary pediatric clinic. Tara has followed her passion of working with families, children, and adolescents; growing her private counseling practice in Durango, CO.

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Tara is a certified Synergetic Play Therapist incorporating a variety of modalities including mindfulness, somatic interventions, EFT (emotional freedom technique), DBT, CBT, EMDR, parent coaching and more. Tara brings over two decades of experience working with children and adolescents.

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Tara is best known for bringing experience, insight, humility, authenticity, and humor to her work. She is a lifelong learner, constantly exploring and studying to bring the most evidenced based treatments to her clients.

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When not working, Tara can be found exploring and enjoying the surrounding landscapes with her two young adult children and dogs, tending her gardens, contemplating the interconnectedness of all things, minding her bee hives, spending time with friends, reading anything she can get her hands on, or taking a course to learn something new.  She is a self declared "foodie" and has spent decades studying food, nutrition, herbology, and wellness.  She is one of those rare people whose favorite season is Winter. Tara is also a long time practitioner and student of Vipassana Meditation and Eastern Philosophy.

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EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS

• Fort Lewis College 

• Adams State University 

• Mental Health First Aid

• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) 

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

• Synergetic Play Therapy (SPT)

• EMDR

• Massage Therapy Certification

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