Narrative Therapists in 17050

I see psychotherapy as a process of discovery between two people that can yield great personal growth and transformation. I aim to promote a safe, supportive and trusting psychotherapeutic relationship that facilitates the exploration of areas of difficulty, hurt, and vulnerability. I work to guide my clients to have insights into their own unproductive behaviors from new perspectives, have increased confidence, and gain self-acceptance. I ask probing questions and point out inconsistencies while providing feedback, advice, insights, and observations.

Sometimes you want someone who understands your unique situation and can help you see that there is a way through. Experiences in life shape who we are. Whether it is navigating depression/anxiety, relationship challenges, or figuring out why you react the way you do (and what to do about it), I am here to help. With the belief that everyone's needs and path to change are different, I offer two areas of specialization: (1) Counseling women, teenagers, and those from diverse backgrounds and (2) Helping service providers process personal and work-related trauma; therefore being the “therapist’s therapist."

Are you a neurodivergent woman who feels like you’re living in a world that wasn’t made for you? The parts about yourself that you love—your interest in new hobbies, your tendency to daydream—make you feel like you don’t quite belong. You often feel bored, distracted, and disconnected from others, often analyzing social situations to try and pinpoint where you went wrong. You spend so much time masking your ADHD or autism that you’re not entirely sure who you really are anymore. You want to find a way to go through life that doesn’t force you to change, but instead celebrates the real, authentic version of you.

Greetings and welcome. My name is Elizabeth Brillon and I am an expert in managing anxieties and trauma. Life doesn't seem to work out the way we expect it to, does it? Do you ever feel like sometimes it is just too much to handle? When you pause to take a moment to think, are you pondering why your connections with others aren't allowing you to gain the elements you need to be at peace? This disharmony can be difficult to balance. It can feel lonely when you feel overwhelmed by those things in life that you cannot control. You are deserving of peace, safety, and healing. Caring for our being includes nurturing our mental health.

Whether you are completely scared of the idea of counseling, or have been in therapy many times before, I want you to know that that the therapy process can, and does help. We all want and need a safe place to talk and process what is going on in our heads and all around us. You are here because you want help, and believe that there is hope. Together we can build upon that hope, and can take some concrete steps to make real change happen.

You who are highly sensitive and feel more deeply, welcome! You'll explore more deeply with me than in traditional talk therapy. You’ve likely tried psychotherapy before but have noticed that the work has either gone nowhere or taken you only so far, or you felt misunderstood. With an uncanny and intuitive ability to really “get” people from many walks of life, I will invite you to go beneath your thoughts, connect with your body and emotions, and gently access the root of your emotional discomfort and hurts to facilitate noticeable shifts with each session.

We all have a story to tell. We are made of thousands of them– from the haiku to the novel. Whether you feel like you’re spinning in circles or out of ideas, therapy can offer a fresh perspective through a clear lens. It can help wipe the fog off your glasses with the help of an objective outlook. You may feel like you are seeing Signs. Or hearing Sirens. Maybe from a direct Trauma. Or things are manifesting subtly throughout the fabric of your relationships. Whatever it is, you don't need to manage Your Story alone. You are worth it.

I am a full-time Assistant Professor in Messiah University’s Graduate Counseling Program. I also works part-time as a clinician and am the owner of Courageous Hope Counseling LLC. I identify as an immigrant woman of Indian decent and have lived in several countries. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Elizabethtown College, a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University, a doctoral degree from Shippensburg University in Counselor Education and Supervision. and a postgraduate certificate in Social Justice from Harvard University.

My current focus is in working with those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD - Bravery, Perseverance, Determination) or have the symptoms of BPD (fear of abandonment, fear of being alone, low self esteem, lack of sense of self, mood swings, splitting, anger, emptiness, impulsivity, and lack of organization and structure), parents of those diagnosed with BPD, and all issues of high conflict divorce including Co-parenting, Reunification, and Custody Evaluation. I also enjoy couples work & use a Polarity framework. Treatments are Relationally-Focused, Trauma-Informed, and Evidence-Based.

I believe that when grievers tell their stories, they are often struggling to make sense of the event. Grievers, telling and retelling their stories, are an integral part of the grieving process. I developed an approach for the grief journey, that removes the traditional stages and timeframes and banishes the word closure. The approach is more about weaving your loss into your life and honoring your journey instead of treating it like a problem to be solved. I have found that, "the only cure for grief, is to grieve."

In-office and Virtual Sessions are available for Couples, Individuals (adults and children), and Families. Specialize in Couples and Adolescents. Many clients are challenged with Depression, Anxiety, Grief, Loss, Adjustment or transition into College, a new job, or Adulthood, Relationship Conflicts, Communication, Intimacy, ADHD, Trauma, Self-Harm, Gender Identity, and Drug/Alcohol addictions.

The work I do is unique to each individual. Your life story is your own and finding a place to feel empowered, validated, challenged, and grown in healthy and supportive ways is waiting for you. By utilizing numerous modalities, approaches, techniques, and skills, I am able to offer you a place to reconnect with or discover your worth and value. I typically see individuals ages 16 and over as well as couples.

Kids and teenagers encounter new challenges every day. School, sports, activities, and family dynamics can lead to anxiety, stress, and even depression. They may feel overwhelmed and struggle to talk about what is going on. They may be scared, feel embarrassed, or feel unsure of who to talk about what they are feeling. You may have noticed changes in their behavior or mood as a result. I work with kids, teenagers, and families to identify and gain understanding of what has led to their struggles and collaboratively work on how to move forward. I bring a different energy to therapy.

We all have times in our lives when we’re feeling stuck and our usual ways of dealing with problems aren’t working the way they once did. Maybe you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety for no apparent reason, or feelings that “just don’t make sense”. Perhaps you are questioning your relationships, life decisions, or even core aspects of who you are as a person. My approach to psychotherapy involves establishing a collaborative relationship, in which we will work together to understand your life experiences in the context of your life story, relationships, and cultural background.

My approach will be eclectic and blended to the needs of the client(s) and what will help in finding a resolution to each unique situation. Whether it is a mental health struggle such as depression or self-esteem issues, improving a marriage, or helping you redefine and embrace intimacy, my goal is to help you feel safe to explore and open your mind to ways of looking at things you may not have thought to try or explore before.

I believe that maintaining and focusing on our mental health should be as normal as attending to our physical health, and just as important. Therapy is a way to work through the challenges of life, understand ourselves more fully, and work towards a place of wellness unique to each person. Therefore, I use multiple evidence-based modalities, coupled with a therapeutic style that is impartial, non-judgmental, and encouraging, specific to each person’s needs. I enjoy working with children, teens and adults of all stages of life. I am passionate about working with women's issues & also enjoy working through spiritual/faith issues.

You probably already know at least some of what you wish were different in your life. Often the things we wish were different we have wanted to change for months, years, or even decades. Counseling often has a balanced focus on helping you learn how to cope with present day symptoms while at times looking back to become free from old patterns of responding. Those old patterns that at one time may have been necessary in order to survive, now may be the very thing limiting your ability to thrive and realize your potential. Click on the "website" button to the left to read more about me, my approach, and my specialties.

Are you having difficulty making decisions, expressing your emotions, or struggling to improve your personal relationship(s)? Working toward change can be challenging. I view the therapeutic alliance as a collaborative and empowering process best accomplished when the client feels safe to explore and challenge current mal-adaptive cognitive and behavioral patterns. This is accomplished through a variety of therapeutic techniques grounded in Cognitive Behavioral, Reality, and Rogerian dispositions. Evenings preferred.

Life is a roller coaster. We all experience ups and downs, twists and turns. And at the end of the ride, we survived even though we may have been anxious, scared or excited. I use a strengths based approach with clients to help them achieve their goals. I am passionate about helping clients find their inner strengths and become their own "cheerleader". Clients are not alone on the journey ... we will journey together to discover strength, resilience and manage the stressors that our roller coaster lives bring to us.