Meet Selina Church: A Compassionate PTSD Specialist Helping Patients Heal from Complex Trauma

If you’ve been quietly living with the weight of trauma—especially complex PTSD—you’re not alone. And you’re not broken. At Axis Integrated Mental Health, we know how important it is to find a PTSD specialist who truly listens, understands, and offers evidence-based care that goes beyond prescriptions. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Katharine"Selina" Church, PMHNP, an experienced psychiatric nurse practitioner serving patients in Boulder, Denver, and Westminster.

Selina brings more than 15 years of combined experience in inpatient psychiatry and medical care. Most recently, she treated patients in crisis at Centennial Peaks Psychiatric Hospital, specializing in medication management, crisis intervention, and collaborative treatment planning for individuals facing serious mental health challenges.

But what really sets her apart is her ability to blend science and compassion, bringing a holistic lens to every patient she sees.

A Unique Path to Psychiatry

Selina didn’t start her career in medicine. She was originally a software developer in Europe before discovering her passion for yoga and making the leap to train as a nurse in Colorado. Her curiosity about how the mind works, paired with a deep respect for the body, eventually led her to integrative psychiatry.

“I was extremely interested in how the mind works even before becoming a nurse,” she says. “I gradually drifted toward psychiatry because I saw how deeply mental and physical health are connected.”

What It’s Like to Work with Selina

Patients who meet Selina describe her as warm, grounded, and deeply thoughtful. Her approach combines evidence-based medication management with practical strategies that support the whole person—mind and body.

As a complex PTSD specialist, Selina works closely with patients and their therapists to gradually optimize their medication regimens, while also encouraging lifestyle changes like nutritious eating, regular exercise, mindfulness, and nature walks—all proven to support better outcomes.

One surprising tool she swears by? Box breathing. “It’s so simple, but it works anywhere. I recommend it all the time.”

Lived Experience Informs Her Care

Selina doesn’t just talk about resilience–she’s lived it. “I experienced some difficulties in childhood,” she shares. “Several people made a life-changing difference by offering support and resources. I believe access to knowledge is essential for building resilience, whether that comes from people or books.”

It’s why she’s so committed to being a source of knowledge and stability for her patients, especially those who have felt unsupported or misdiagnosed in the past because of gender bias or just a general lack of knowledge about the cutting-edge treatments that are now available like TMS or Spravato.

Complex PTSD: A Different Kind of Trauma

Unlike PTSD from a single traumatic event, complex PTSD (CPTSD) develops over time—often from repeated emotional or relational trauma. Many of Selina’s patients have experienced childhood neglect, abuse, or long-term invalidation, and are now navigating symptoms like:

• Chronic anxiety or fear

• Emotional numbness

• Difficulty trusting others

• Persistent self-doubt

• Physical symptoms that don't respond to medical care

Selina offers a safe, structured space to explore and treat these symptoms—not just with medication, but with tools that empower you to take your life back.

Outside the Office

When she’s not helping patients, Selina spends her time doing yoga, hiking or skiing in the mountains, and enjoying cherry pie while streaming movies (yes, she’s human too). Her love of nature and balance isn’t just personal—it’s professional. “If I could get more patients to do one thing, it would be walking in nature,” she says. “It changes everything.”

Ready to Heal? You're in the Right Place.

Whether you're looking for a PTSD specialist in Boulder, complex PTSD support in Denver, or a compassionate psychiatric provider in Westminster, Selina is here to help.

She’ll meet you where you are and walk with you, at your pace, toward a life that feels more whole.

FAQs

1. Are medications and option for complex PTSD?

2. What's the difference between PTSD and CPTSD?

3. What is PTSD?

4. What causes PTSD?

5. Is PTSD a disability?