Psychotherapist opens Salida practice

by Kirsten Laskey
Mail Staff Writer

Psychotherapist Kekuni Minton, who recently opened a private practice in Salida, provides couples and group therapy and works with individuals on trauma and other issues.

In addition, Minton plans to offer free lectures once a month focusing upon topics such as couples therapy, trauma or sexual abuse.

He explained the lectures will help make psychotherapy more “user friendly” for people inexperienced with the field.

Patients will receive a free initial consultation to help them understand how therapy will be useful to solve a problem they are having.

To Minton, psychotherapy “comes down to a process where you study your own habitual and sometimes dysfunctional reactions to certain experiences that you have in life.

“Learning how to recognize them and transform them through experiencing different mind and body possibilities which are ... tried through the psychotherapy process ... applies to communication, relationships, daily life, sexuality and so forth.”

Minton said the field appeals to him because of his “fascination with human behavior ... (and) an early traumatic experience I had in Europe which changed the direction of my life – particularly about understanding how to heal myself and others.”

Before establishing a practice in Salida, Minton worked in Boulder and Denver for 16 years. He decided to leave big city life and move to Salida three years ago.

In addition to operating a private practice, Minton taught psychotherapy students enrolled in the Naropa University graduate program for 11 years.

Minton taught psychotherapy in Ireland, Germany, Australia, New York, Boston, Chicago, New Zealand and Hawaii through the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute for 13 years.

He continues to be active with Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute and teaches in Boston, Ireland, New York and Santa Fé once a month.

“Teaching,” Minton said, “keeps me sharp. Psychology is fascinating work and it’s always evolving.

“For instance, treatment plans and techniques for relationship dynamics and trauma have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. (It’s) much more effective.

“A major breakthrough has been the greater understanding of the functioning of the brain – that’s been major. We really know about the function of the brain in traumatic or threatening situations.”

He added, “It’s a fascinating field – (that’s) made a lot of progress ... (we have) a better understanding of how the mind and body work together.”

Minton co-authored a book, “Trauma in the Body” with Pat Ogden of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute. The book will be published by Norton Publishers and is set for release in the spring.

He is involved with the Matru Project in Boulder – a nonprofit organization that subsidizes psychotherapy sessions for people who can’t afford them.

Although Minton continues to teach, he wants to “scale back. At 51 I’m ready to slow down and enjoy each day.”

Minton lives in Salida with his wife, Terrell and daughter, Malie, 7.

He has lived in Colorado since 1988. Minton earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Union Institute in Ohio.