A gold-colored, ornate, circular geometric design with interconnected lines and shapes

about Ali Drucker, MA, LPCC

somatic psychotherapist & sex therapist, colorado

A woman with long gray hair standing outdoors among green leaves and trees during dusk or night, with a dark sky in the background.
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my journey

as a queer, neurodivergent, biracial kid, I often felt both “too much” & “not enough”.

While parts of me were nourished and illuminated, other parts of me grew in the shadows. I eventually found refuge in Buddhism, perhaps as a way to heal a lost connection to my Asian ancestry. This ultimately led me to get my Masters of clinical Mental Health Counseling at the Buddhist-inspired Naropa University. For a while, however, my bigness felt at odds with my zen-ness. How grateful I was to find the teachings of Reverend angel Kyodo Williams years later, who gave me permission to be a hyperactive, sexually liberated, ocassionally-angry Buddhist.

These days, I relish in the knowing that when I am being my full self, it gives others safety to be a little bit more of themselves too. That is my hope for whoever comes through my door - whatever identities you hold - that you find the safety, compassion, and freedom you need to be fully yourself.

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my mantra

“radical friendliness towards self”

While the word “radical” is generally synonymous with progressive, unorthodox, or innovative (all good things in my book!), I recently learned that the etymology of the word is in fact “root” - “vital or fundamental to the natural processes of life; inherent in the nature or essence of a person” (Oxford English Dictionary).

I love this double meaning, this seeming paradox. That being radical is both a departure (from convention), and a return (to one’s essence). As I continue to dance with my own paradoxes (can it really be okay to be a deeply serious/deeply goofy, mindful/wiggly person in the world of trauma healing?!), here is what I can confidently claim:

I’ve seen a lot and I can hold a lot. My wholeness loves your wholeness. I have become a friend to myself, and I would love to help you develop a radical friendship with yourself too, so that you can experience the fullness of you - no matter life’s twists and turns.

A woman with gray hair, wearing a black jacket and gray pants, stands near a river, looking towards the mountains. The landscape features a winding river, lush green trees, and towering mountains with some snow on their peaks under a cloudy sky.

some fun facts

I was a childhood performer and have performed in a few of the most beloved venues in America and Europe. And I’m delighted I’m too old for you to find receipts!

I ran a quirky movie theatre with a bar and a cafe for years. They were full of passion and I worked to create spaces that were warm and fun. I’m proud of that, and it feels very authentic to me.

I always have a rotating list of hyperfixations, but pretty long-term ones include pop culture (hence the movie theater), mustelids (weasels and wolverines) and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). This therapist will never admonish you for scrolling through cute animal content on IG.

I am a Buddhist and a hedonist. While I try to live in balance day to day, I love to offer myself the pleasure of incredible food, music, and transcendence - by both wholesome and unwholesome means. 

I moved from NYC to Crested Butte, Colorado, because I loved the quirky vibe of a town full of extreme athletes who hold wild events in costumes. And because mountains, streams, and snow ground me.

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my BIO

Ali Drucker, MA, LPCC, is a mindfulness-based trauma therapist with additional focus on sexual wellness and neurodivergence. She works with clients throughout Colorado online and in-person from her office in Crested Butte. She is currently enrolled in the sex therapy certification program at Sexual Health Alliance and received her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Naropa University, with a concentration in Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling.

Ali’s deep curiosity for the human experience took root as a theater major at Northwestern University. Once she began exploring Buddhism, compassion practice brought meaning to that curiosity. After years of running an independent movie theater and a coffee house, the global pandemic presented a call to work with people on a slower, deeper level. She realized a decades-old dream of attending Naropa University, founded by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa.

Ali lives in Crested Butte, CO, with her family and her beloved dog Korra (named after the Airbender character.) In her personal time, she tries to balance her love of the outdoors with her unabashed love of screentime entertainment.