J.P. Mertens is a licensed professional counselor who earned his Masters of Arts degree in Counseling through Colorado Christian University. He received his Masters of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Leadership and Pastoral Counseling from Denver Seminary in 2001. J.P. received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Theology from Trinity Christian College in 1998. He has been trained in EMDR, EFT, and Gottman. He has spent the last 18 years serving in ministry as an associate pastor in churches in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Chicago as well as a department head at Focus on the Family. As an ordained minister, he has had the honor and privilege of providing pastoral counseling to thousands of individuals, couples, and families. He loves working with teenagers, college students, adults, couples, families, and military.

J.P. seeks to create a counseling environment where people feel safe, heard, valued, and honored. His counseling style is very relational, collaborative, encouraging, and empowering using evidence-based models of therapeutic care. He feels that people can bring their frustrations, anger, fears, sadness, anxiety, ambivalence, and dissatisfaction into the counseling process. J.P. believes that genuine healing, transformation, and restoration are possible to help people experience a significant, meaningful, and extravagant life.

Originally from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, J.P. grew up along the Western Shores of Lake Michigan, and he has been married for over 20 years to the love of his life, Caroline. They have a very busy home as they are raising three teenage daughters as well as a rescued chocolate Labrador retriever, Ranger. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to climb Colorado’s highest peaks, explore our fascinating National Parks, and kayak the raging rivers of The West. J.P. loves creating fond memories with family and friends as well as growing and serving with his church family.