Hi, I’m brittany
I’ll be honest, I tried very hard not to be a therapist. I didn’t have anything against them; in fact, I saw several of them throughout my life. I just didn’t want to be one.
What I do like is helping people. I was a member of AmeriCorps and briefly worked for a nonprofit that mentored at-risk youth in North Philadelphia. Although I was helping those in need and loved what I was doing, I was giving from an empty cup. I struggled with an eating disorder for about a decade as a way to cope with childhood trauma. Through my own therapeutic journey, I discovered the healing powers of yoga. I then became a registered yoga instructor and focused my practice on helping people love their bodies as they are and connecting the mind and body through movement. However, it still did not feel as though I had found my purpose.
After I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, I was still trying to figure out my path. I had worked through my trauma and was in recovery from my eating disorder. Although I was healing, I was trying so hard to separate myself from my past experiences. And in doing so, I was losing part of myself. In order to be my best self and live my life to the fullest (and free), I needed to embrace all parts of myself and my experiences- they make me who I am. I didn’t need to hide them away. My trauma no longer had power over me and by embracing myself wholly, I took that power back.
After this growth, I quickly found that I couldn’t help people the way I wanted to without another degree. I finally realized that there was already a job out there that allowed me to help people the way I was looking for; it was called a therapist. I then received my Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. During my practicum I became a Certified Trauma Professional so I could acquire the specific knowledge and tools to help those who had gone through trauma.
My therapeutic philosophy is to utilize a strengths-based approach to help you reconcile your past trauma so it no longer takes over your present life. I am simply the scaffolding supporting you while you are on your journey to full self-acceptance. If I can create a space for my client to feel seen and safe without judgment, I know I have done my job.
so you know I’m legit
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) | 11211-M
Clinical Social Work Intern (CSW-I) | IC-2356
Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) | 366733
Registered Yoga Teacher, 200 hours (RYT 200) | Yoga Alliance ID 222693