About Brittany

My journey to becoming a therapist started from a very early age with family and friends always coming to me for advice, love, care, and encouragement. I began attending Abilene Christian University as Pre-Med major studying to become a pediatric oncologist. However, I learned during my first year at ACU, even with good grades, that pediatric oncology was not the path that God had in store for me. When having anxiety on what direction to take, my husband suggested that I become a therapist and he couldn’t have been more right. His reasoning for this path was that it was something that I had always done and do every day by showing the love of God to others through words and listening. From that point, I changed my major to psychology, finished my Bachelor’s of Science, and enrolled into Abilene Christian University’s Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am a fully licensed as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Counselor. I worked for Texas Health Behavioral Health Hospital in their inpatient and intensive outpatient units before working full time in private practice in Denton, TX at Lifeway Counseling Center. Hope for the Heart Counseling in Denton was opened in January 2017, later changed to Steady Heart Counseling, PLLC, with the help of God and my husband, to continue to allow me the opportunity to walk hand and hand with others that are needing hope in their hearts.

My education is founded in systems theory, which means that in order to create a system that works for all members, the expectations, needs, desires, and behaviors of each person must be considered. When issues arise in an individual or family, the breakdown is due to a collapse in systemic interactions rather than the deficiency of one person. Systems theory means to work from a holistic approach rather than an individual approach. The main theory that I work from is Internal Family Systems that focuses on a differentiated sense of self, mainly due to past trauma or trauma wounds, that leads to increased insecurities, loss of self-worth, value and hope. When one loses their sense of identity they themselves become out of balance and so does their relationships.  Not only do I incorporate IFS in session, but I also use EMDR to help minimize negative self beliefs that are a result of past attachment wounds. It is my goal in therapy to help my clients pursue joy instead of happiness that is very fleeting. Joy in life occurs when one leads from their true self that contains the 8 "C"s of Christ, that characterize the Holy Spirit: calm, clarity, curiosity, compassion, confidence, courage, creativity, and connectedness. This allows one to wrap their arms around the entirety of who they are.

I place a strong emphasis on: positive self-worth, healthy communication, understanding, acceptance, and healing to allow my clients to see a glimmer of hope in any circumstance. While the theories I work with is from a Christian perspective, individuals and families from any religious background is welcome and therapeutic models will be tailored to their belief system.  My experience entails working with families, couples, individuals and adolescents with a wide variety of presenting issues that are searching for their true self. To love others, you must love yourself first.