Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing
with the darkness of other people. -Carl Jung
Hi! I’m Brittany…
I imagine you have a couple of questions before you will feel comfortable reaching out: a) How do I know this lady will get me? and B) What inspired her to become a therapist?
The answer to both those questions are related. I do this work because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be lost in the darkness, feeling hopeless about ever finding the way out. I understand what it’s like to work through the most traumatic and painful experiences of your life. I do this work to “pay it forward” in an expression of gratitude for the support I received in finding my way out of the darkness. Now, don’t get me wrong, we won’t just follow the path I made for myself. Everyone’s journey is different so every map out of the darkness and pain is different. What I can offer is that we will find yours together. You don’t have to do it alone.
Some Fun Facts: I went to art school before I decided to become a therapist. You can see some of my paintings in my office. My favorite mediums are acrylic paint and clay, and I especially enjoy working with color and form to express emotion. I am a life long cat lady and lover of animals. Now for the more formal stuff.
I will get to my qualifications and background in counseling in a minute, but first…
I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina (License # 11364). I received my master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University (2014). I also hold a bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Tennessee (2012). I have worked in community mental health agencies and private practice since 2015 helping people from all walks of life on their journey to feeling whole and healthy in their lives and relationships. I have a specialty in helping individuals who have experienced complex post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of childhood physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect and working with individuals struggling with repercussions of growing up in invalidating environments such as depression, anxiety, people pleasing, difficulty setting and holding boundaries, low self-esteem, difficulty managing intense emotions, coping with family estrangement, and more.
I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based approach to addressing and reprocessing traumatic memories known to reduce the distress associated with those memories without requiring you to retell details of your story. My EMDR trainer is EMDRIA certified. You can read more about EMDR here. I have additional training in Attachment-Focused EMDR and using EMDR to address dissociative disorders with Ego State Therapy.
I am also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based approach that combines structured behavioral skill building with individual therapy to help people gain mastery in managing the ups and downs of life without making things worse or creating more suffering. DBT focuses on developing skills in the following 4 areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. I have extensive experience teaching DBT skills groups and providing individual DBT therapy in comprehensive DBT programs. You can read more about DBT here.