Coto Counseling

Who I work with

You don't have to figure it out alone.

Every stage of life comes with its own challenges. I work with people across all of them.

Children

Primarily ages 5–11

play therapy · sand tray · creative arts

Kids are still learning, developing, and figuring out the world around them. That process doesn’t happen through words. Play is how they communicate, process, and express what they’re carrying. The playroom is their language. The toys are their words.

“Birds fly, fish swim, and children play.” — Garry Landreth

Pre-Teens

Ages 9–12

talk therapy · narrative · creative arts

Pre-teens are in the middle. They may be too old for the playroom but not quite ready for the couch. They are working on figuring out who they are in this world, navigating school, friendships, and family, and they don’t always have the words or the brain development yet to make sense of it. Sessions can be a mix of art, journaling, play, and real conversation to meet them where they are.

Teens

talk therapy · identity work · creative arts

The beautiful, complicated in-between from childhood to adulthood. I work with teens to help them navigate this fluctuating time in their life. Finding their footing, figuring out who they actually want to be, managing social stressors, school, and staying connected to their family. Sessions are a mix of talk, creativity, and real fun. A comfortable teen is an open one.

“The brain of an adolescent is not a broken adult brain. It’s a brain that is doing exactly what it needs to do.” — Dan Siegel

Adults

talk therapy · meaning-making · life transitions

Life is complicated. That’s part of being human. I work with adults to create a space to slow down, get honest, and start moving toward something more grounded and meaningful. Whatever brings you in, we work through it together. Real conversation, making meaning, and staying creative and adaptive to whatever actually helps.

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” — Carl Rogers

Parents

parent coaching · behavior support · family work

Parenting is its own kind of work. The hardest job there is, and no one hands you a manual. I help parents understand their own experience and how it shapes the way they show up for their kids. We work on making sense of your kid’s behavior and emotions so you can build a real, lasting connection. Through parent coaching, individual parent sessions, and family sessions, I support parents in the hardest and most rewarding thing they will ever do.

“Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about them.” — Urie Bronfenbrenner

What I offer

What I specialize in.

I work with a wide range of people and concerns, but these are the areas I know best.

Play Therapy

CCPT · Sand Tray · Creative Arts Therapy

Kids communicate, process, and learn through play. It is how they work through their experiences and big feelings. The playroom gives them a space to do exactly that, with a therapist who knows how to hold that space so it feels natural and safe.

Parent Coaching

Person-Centered · Attachment-Based · Whole Brain Child

Parenting is hard and nobody hands you a manual. I work with parents to understand what is going on with their kid or teen, make sense of their own reactions, and build what we all want as parents: a stronger connection with their children.

Anxiety

ACT · Person-Centered · Existential · Creative Arts Therapy · Mindfulness

Anxiety shows up differently for everyone. Whether it is constant worry, avoidance, or physical sensations you hate, we work on understanding it and building a life that does not revolve around it. The harder you fight anxiety, the harder it fights back. I help you learn to make room for it so it stops running the show.

Depression

ACT · Person-Centered · Existential · Creative Arts Therapy · Mindfulness

Depression is more than feeling sad. It is the flatness, the disconnection, the sense that things will not get better. I help you untangle those thoughts and feelings and reconnect to the version of yourself you know is in there.

ADHD

ACT · Person-Centered · Strengths-Based · Psychoeducation · Mindfulness

ADHD is not just about focus or being hyper. It shapes how you move through the world, how you show up in relationships, at work, and with yourself. I help you understand how ADHD affects you specifically and find ways to make it work for your life rather than against it.

“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”

— Sheryl Sandberg

Colton Ralphs, therapist at Coto Counseling in Reno, Nevada

About

A little about me.

I'm a Clinical Professional Counselor based in Reno. I work with people across the lifespan: kids, teens, adults, and parents. I specialize in play therapy, anxiety, parenting, ADHD, depression, and the general difficulty of being human.

I was born and raised in Las Vegas and came up to Reno for school, getting my undergrad in psychology and my master's in counseling at the University of Nevada, Reno. I fell in love with the community and never left. I also met my wife here, and we now have three-year-old twins. Being a dad is one of my favorite things. Outside of work I make art, listen to a lot of music, go to concerts, ski, and run.

More about who I am

How I work.

My approach starts with person-centered therapy. The relationship between us comes first because that is what makes real change possible. From there I weave in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to help thoughts, feelings, and sensations move through without getting you stuck. I also draw on existential, mindfulness, and creative approaches, staying flexible and meeting you where you are.

With kids, I work from a CCPT (Child-Centered Play Therapy) approach. The therapeutic relationship creates a nonjudgmental, caring space where the child leads through their play and processes in the way that comes naturally to them. I also weave in creative arts and sand tray therapy along the way.

Work with me

Outside the office

A little more about who I am.

Knowing who your therapist is as a person matters. Here are a few things that make me, me.

Husband & twin dad

I have a wonderful wife and two twin boys. Parenting is hard and I get that from lived experience, not just the reading I have done. I am figuring it out as I go too.

Artist

I make art on my own and with a collaborator. My favorite medium is tufting, also known as rug making. I have also done public art for the city of Reno and enjoy digital work. That creativity bleeds into how I do therapy too.

Nevada Native

Born and raised in Las Vegas, I have called Reno home for the last 15 years. I came up for school at the University of Nevada, Reno, earning my undergrad in psychology and my master's in counseling, and never left. Now I am raising my family here and could not imagine a better place to do it.

Music Nerd

Music has always been a big part of my life. I played instruments, DJed, and am constantly listening. I go to as many concerts as I can. Music is powerful and it is something I can bring into the therapy room when it fits.

The Outdoors

I also enjoy being outside. Usually running, skiing, taking walks with the family, and chasing my three-year-olds around. Reno is a great place for all of it.

Random Tidbits

Huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Coffee is important. I love dogs. I enjoy video games when I have time. I also love a good psychology book.

A place to connect, feel, heal, and find a meaningful life.