About

LICENSED GRIEF, TRAUMA, & RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST IN COLORADO

A blue outline illustration of a basket containing a bottle and lemons, representing life after trauma and loss.

A pile of bright yellow lemons with textured skin representing life after trauma and grief with therapy.

Hannah Dudley is a therapist for grief, trauma, and relationships and is pictured smiling outdoors, wearing a white sleeveless top and showing a colorful floral tattoo on her arm.

Hi, I'm Hannah

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate trauma, grief, relationship challenges, and life's unexpected turns.

My work is grounded in evidence-based approaches and guided by the belief that therapy should be as unique as the person sitting across from me.

My Lemonade Life

CONTENT WARNING: MENTION OF MEDICAL TRAUMA AND LOSS

My husband and I left my 20-week ultrasound appointment feeling hopeful and relieved that our long journey to parenthood was finally coming to a successful end. After six years of infertility, countless disappointments, taking out a loan to pursue IVF, and ending up with just one embryo, it felt like everything we had endured had finally paid off. In fact, the doctor looked me in the eyes and said, “Hannah, relax—you’re having this baby.”

A week later, I was unexpectedly hospitalized with an extremely severe and early case of preeclampsia. In many ways, I was lucky—despite the seriousness of the medical crisis, I survived without seizures or a stroke. At the same time, I was forced to face the devastating reality that I would not be bringing our daughter home.

Instead, I was faced with the devastating decision to end a deeply wanted pregnancy in order to save my own life (termination for medical reasons, or TFMR). Our daughter was stillborn on 02/16/2019. She was too young to survive, and I was too sick to remain pregnant—despite every desperate attempt to bargain for more time.

In the months and years that followed, my husband and I explored other possible paths to parenthood. Several opportunities appeared briefly, only to fall apart before they could become reality. Eventually, after profound grief, repeated disappointment, and the emotional and financial strain of continuing to chase possibilities that never fully materialized, we reached a painful acceptance: this was not the life we had planned or chosen–our identity was now being Childless Not By Choice (CNBC).

What remained was the work of learning how to live inside a life that had fundamentally changed—grieving our daughter, healing from trauma, and slowly making room for a future that looked nothing like the one we once imagined.

This experience forever changed not only who I am personally, but also how I sit with others in their grief, trauma, loss, and life-altering change.

How I Work With Yours

AND THE VALUES THAT GUIDE MY WORK AS A THERAPIST

I believe some experiences divide life into a “before” and an “after.” Trauma, grief, infertility, medical crises, relationship rupture, family wounds, and unexpected life changes can alter not only our circumstances, but also our sense of identity, safety, and direction in the world.

My approach to therapy is grounded in the belief that moving forward does not come from minimizing pain, rushing acceptance, or forcing meaning before someone is ready. Instead, I strive to create a space where the full reality of your experience can exist honestly, without judgment or pressure to be anywhere other than where you are.

Therapy with me is an active, collaborative process. I ask thoughtful questions, share observations, offer perspective, and gently challenge patterns that may no longer be serving you. When things feel overwhelming, I also help provide steadiness and support as you find your footing. Together, we work to understand what has happened, make space for what you’re experiencing, and find ways to live more fully within the life that exists now.

When trauma or painful experiences leave you feeling stuck, I draw from approaches including EMDR, Brainspotting, cognitive-behavioral, motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, and parts/ego states work, tailoring the work to you rather than following a one-size-fits-all model. I value these approaches not only because of their clinical foundations, but because I've experienced meaningful trauma therapy from both sides of the room—as both therapist and client. That perspective gives me a deep respect for the courage and trust this work requires.

Yellow and orange melons and fruits in a reusable netted bag representing therapy for life after grief and trauma.

Grief, trauma, and relationship therapist Hannah Dudley is a woman with curly dark hair, wearing a white button-up shirt and hoop earrings, sitting on a tan leather sofa with a cushion, holding a ceramic mug and smiling.

CERTIFICATIONS & EDUCATION

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) - State of Colorado, since 2012

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Certified and Approved Consultant - EMDR International Association, since 2022 and 2023

AAMFT Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor - American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, since 2012 and 2014
Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) with specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy - Colorado State University, 2009
Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) and Gerontology Interdisciplinary Certificate - Colorado State University, 2004

Previous workplace experience focused on grief and loss includes Judi’s House and Pathways Hospice, as well as intensive family therapy experience at Jefferson Center for Mental Health.

A Peek Inside My Office

Framed display with a large number '5280' at the top, an open magazine with a beach scene and the title 'The Art of Dying Well,' and a vertical list with an image at the bottom.

A cozy living room corner with a textured gray sofa, a cushion, a patterned blanket, a tall wooden bookshelf with plants and books, a salt lamp, and black decorative wall art. Natural light coming through a window with blinds.

A white sideboard with five potted houseplants in front of a window with closed blinds, and a white table lamp to the right.

A wooden desk with a salt lamp on the left, a decorative sign saying 'Believe in your own magic' in the center, a colorful fabric item and a box of cards on top, and a white container holding various cards and papers on the right. There is a green pl

Living room corner with a gray leather armchair, a striped pillow, a cream blanket, a white cabinet with potted plants, a window with blinds, a table lamp, and wall-mounted bookshelves with books.

Organized black containers on a table holding colored pencils, markers, crayons, and Play-Doh containers.

A living room with a gray fabric sofa, two white pillows, a black floor lamp, wall decor with black spiky circular art, a bookshelf with books, plants, and decorative items on the left, and a mirror with a black frame on the right wall.

Indoor collection of potted plants on a white surface near a window, with a black sign reading 'the possibilities are endless' in front.

Coffee station with Keurig machine, mugs, coffee pods, disposable cups, and stirrers on a glass table.

A refreshment station with a coffee maker, Keurig machine, mugs, cups, and an assortment of sweeteners and accessories on a two-tier glass table against a white wall with framed art.

A living room scene with a brown fabric sofa, two white pillows, two oval-shaped black devices on a wooden table, and a white audio scan device with knobs and lights.

Decorative wall with framed signs, a macramé wall hanging, and a potted plant beside a window with blinds.

Indoor arrangement of potted houseplants on a white surface near a window with blinds, with a black sign reading 'the possibilities are endless' in front of the plants.

A silver bowl filled with various colorful toys and objects on a wooden table in front of a gray sofa with white pillows.

A wall with a teal round clock showing 12:15, and two wall shelves filled with a stack of books relating to therapy, grief, trauma, and resilience. A decorative twisted driftwood piece is also seen on the left.

Room number 210 door with a sign that says 'This Lemonade Life Therapy' and a plaque with therapist's name Hannah Dudley, LMFT, EMDR, offering individual, couples, and family therapy, marked as available.

A potted green plant in a white ceramic pot on a round metallic gold table. Next to the plant, there is a box of tissues, a small round pink object, and a white remote control. In the background, there are shelves with various bottles and containers.

Hannah Outside The Office

01

Horse Gal

I've loved horses for as long as I can remember, and thankfully have had the opportunity to begin riding again. They continue to teach me some of life's best lessons—patience, trust, resilience, and the importance of paying attention to what isn't being said.

A vintage photo of grief, trauma, and relationship therapist Hannah Dudley as a girl with a baseball cap leaning her head against a brown horse's face in an open field.

02

DIY-ER

I genuinely enjoy tackling home improvement projects and recreating Pinterest posts. There's something deeply satisfying about taking something that feels overwhelming, breaking it down one step at a time, and watching it come together - or laughing at the outcome when it looks nothing like the inspiration!

A vintage green Singer sewing machine on a wooden table with a partially sewn floral fabric, next to a potted green plant against a white textured wall.

03

DOG MOM

Our dogs are beloved members of the family and expert reminders to slow down, get outside, and appreciate the little things. Don't be surprised if I ask to meet your furry family members during a telehealth session!

Two German Shepherd dogs lying on a brown dog bed on a hardwood floor; one is black and tan with its tongue out, and the other is mostly brown with black around the face.

04

MID-LIFE GARDENER

I discovered gardening later in life and have embraced the learning curve—successes, failures, weeds and all. It's a reminder that growth rarely happens overnight, and some of the most worthwhile things simply take time. Regular weeding has also greatly increased my audiobook listening.

A garden bed with orange, pink, and purple flowers, including marigolds and possibly dianthus, with mulch on the soil surface.

05

EMERGING AUTHOR

I'm currently co-authoring a book about grief, with the hope of publishing it by early 2027. It's an opportunity to bring many of the conversations I have in the therapy room to a broader audience and offer support beyond the office.

A speech bubble with two outline figures and speech clouds, with the words 'Post Mortem' at the top.