Amy Skinner has been around here longer than most of us – more than 20 years in Gilpin County – and has more newspaper writing experience than many of us: she wrote columns on mental health issues for The Other Paper, in Central City, for nearly 11 years. She also wrote newsletter articles for the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church in 2010 and 2011. She’s just begun writing for The Mountain-Ear this last month.

As you might gather, writing is not Amy’s primary occupation. Mental health is. She’s had an office in Nederland as a counselor since 2008. Her credentials are multiple and impressive: Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado; National Certified Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors; Registered Play Therapist Supervisor through the National Association of Play Therapy (APT); Approved Clinical Supervisor through the Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc.

Amy’s education is commensurate: MA degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Counseling Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, 2008; and BA degree, cum laude, in English and Women’s Studies from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, 1999

Why the newspaper column? “Research shows that the more space in between homes, the stronger the social connections in between people. The Mountain-Ear is a critical part of this healthy connection! Additionally, isolation is one of the biggest challenges (if not THE biggest challenge) to mental health in our community, and The Mountain-Ear is a big part of the solution. Mental health: personal, familial, community, and out into the world!”

Amy’s commitment to her community is not limited to her counseling practice or her newspaper work. “I’ve been grateful to work in our mountain community since 2008. I’ve held board seats on TEENS, Inc. and Nederland Area Seniors, and supported a wide variety of programs through the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church. I started and manage the Mountain Health Collaborative, which offers local healthcare volunteers during mountain disasters via Red Cross and the Medical Reserve Corp.

“With my husband and business partner Richard Brandon, over the years we have supported a wide variety of local projects with our student interns at Peak to Peak Counseling: Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Alliance, Communities that Care, Food Pantry, TEENS, Inc., NES and Gilpin County school, Socks and Sandwiches, Rocky Mountain Mission, Nederland Area Seniors, and Gilpin County Seniors.”

Somehow, Amy finds time for snowboarding, hiking, playing the piano, clarinet and dulcimer, visiting museums, traveling, experiencing different cultures, attending concerts, cooking, and trying new restaurants. She is grateful for the opportunity to participate in The Mountain-Ear’s effort to keep local journalism thriving. “It’s such a gift,” she says.