Heather Thompson is many things: a licensed therapist, a veteran, a mother, a wife, a friend, a volunteer and the 2025 Colorado Providers Association (COPA) clinician of the year.

Heather began working for AllHealth Network in 2021. Two years ago, she expanded her role and became the Team Director Veterans Specialist in partnership with Douglas County Veteran’s Services Office (DCVSO). Heather helps clients gain access to more resources with the goal of a good quality of life and normal functioning as well as facilitating PTSD recovery work.

It has been a good fit. Heather started with one clinical day in Castle Rock and quickly doubled her schedule to two full days at DCVSO. This past May, the county commissioners recognized Heather’s work with veterans. The COPA recognition was important not just to Heather personally, but also to the DCVSO because it speaks to the importance of close collaboration between the community and needed services. “This is a program we want to sustain,” Heather said regarding the partnership between AllHealth Network and the county. “It’s been really helpful to veterans to get more funding and services through their disability claims,” she said. DCVSO has a grant that pays therapy copays.

Heather is passionate about mitigating resource and service gaps, the unseen issues and unexpected difficulties when clients need support but do not have a support network of family and friends. That usually looks like transportation to and from medical appointments or someone to take care of pets if the client needs hospitalization. Heather’s COPA award and recent recognition has helped begin dialogues between different community resources, which in turn creates more new approaches to fill the needs.

A typical day for Heather is filled with six or seven clients and at least one meeting. She primarily works with veterans but also works with folks who are recovering from addictions. She feels pride in assisting people. “I really love working with clients. With my military service, we have enough things in common that there’s a bond,” she said.

Heather grew up in southwest Colorado in Bayfield and went to high school in Durango. She said that growing up there was a melting pot of several different lifestyles, from reservations, farmers, wealthy skiers, and everyone in between. “There was a lot to learn culturally, but it was a good experience,” she reminisced.

Heather met her husband in a class at Baylor University where they both were in the Air Force ROTC program. They were commissioned together, side-by-side and started service full-time in 2002, having joined up shortly after 9/11. Heather was active duty in supply and logistics for three years, until the armed forces were reduced in 2005; she shifted to Inactive Ready Reserve.

Heather earned a masters degree in clinical mental health counseling from Denver Seminary in 2020. After understanding that many of her patients struggle with mental health and substance abuse disorders, she furthered her licensure to include addictions counselor.

The Thompsons have been married for 25 years and have two sons, one college-aged and the other in high school. They have a black lab named Strider.

Like many Coloradans, Heather loves the outdoors. Hiking and geocaching are some of her favorite activities. She is also naturally very curious and loves to learn new things on a variety of topics from home renovation by watching YouTube videos to researching ADHD and autism. She also volunteers with Scouting America and her son’s high school marching band.

 

By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Heather Thompson