About Me
My approach, training, and philosophy
My name is Peiper Kirkendoll and I am a counselor and contemporary psychoanalyst. I live and work in Telluride, Colorado and I also work with adult patients in Colorado, Louisiana, Washington, DC, and Virginia. I am an advanced candidate in psychoanalysis at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis (ICP+P) and am an instructor in ICP+P's Fellowship program. I received my doctorate in Counseling from The George Washington University and have worked in university counseling centers at The George Washington University, American University, and Loyola University in New Orleans. I am involved in board leadership for Telluride, Colorado nonprofits including Telluride Academy and the Telluride Mountain School. In my free time, you can find me cruising mountain trails by foot, ski, or bike.
My Philosophy
We will work collaboratively and I will listen deeply to understand what you are expressing and how you are feeling so that I can help you develop insight into yourself. I believe that an individual's history of relationships influences current relational patterns and beliefs about oneself. I consider current difficulties as patterns that may have once felt both helpful and important to coping with distress or challenge but now feel limiting. These entrenched patterns can keep us disconnected from ourselves and others.
By focusing on the collaborative relationship between us, I strive to create a safe environment to practice and internalize new ways of relating to yourself and others. The therapeutic relationship offers the opportunity to be understood, to be curious about our emotions, and to experience a safe and supportive environment for introspection. I believe it is through this relationship that you will be better able to use the resources you have, develop new coping skills, gain insight into patterns of behavior and relationships, and ultimately, discover emotional freedom and healing.
Professional Memberships
I am a member of the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis (ICP+P), the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, and the New Orleans Birmingham Psychoanalytic Center. These professional affiliations keep me connected to the broader psychoanalytic community and current developments in the field.
Contemporary Psychoanalysis
My psychoanalytic work draws from contemporary approaches including self psychology, relational theory, and attachment research. These perspectives have transformed psychoanalysis from its historical roots into a collaborative, empathic form of therapy grounded in current understanding of human development and relationships.
Self psychology emphasizes the fundamental human need for empathic connection and understanding. Relational theory recognizes that we are shaped by our relationships and that the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a powerful vehicle for healing and growth. Attachment research provides scientific evidence for how our early bonding experiences influence our adult relationships, emotional regulation, and sense of self.
These approaches inform my psychoanalytic practice which is deeply attuned to your emotional experience, values the therapeutic relationship as central to healing, and understands how patterns formed in early relationships continue to shape your life today. This work is not about distant interpretation, but about creating a genuine human connection where insight and transformation naturally emerge.