Currently, I am navigating this beautiful business solo, so I am also the therapist, the secretary, the financial team, and the marketing department.. All The Things! It seems only fair that you know a bit about me if you are to decide to embark on a healing journey with me as your co-captain.
i’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Art Therapist in Pennsylvania.
Hi! I’m Brooke, the dreamer, and believer behind this little private practice.
about
Turns out grief is more than just tissues and tears and the color black. It’s also more than words could describe. I have had many experiences personally with the traditional talk therapy, and I do believe connection is crucial in validating the human experience. Yet in my experience with traumatic loss, there was no comfort in the "traditional". My journey lead me towards “non-traditional” practices and focused on whole body wellness. When my pain and suffering was too heavy for me to carry, and seemingly too heavy for most to approach empathically, I sought out practices that healed from the inside out. Art, Yoga, Reiki, Astrology, more yoga, more art, Meditation, Nutrition, more yoga, more Reiki... I built (and continue to build) the absolute best relationship with myself - mind, body, and spirit. We may not control what breaks us - and we can control our recovery and how we choose to begin again.
Be Here Wellness & Counseling became a dream after I began my own healing journey from traumatic grief and loss.
Is your spark gone? Do late nights keep you up mentally spiraling in the dark? Does life seem like it's just passing you by? Are you generally unhappy more days than you are happy? Have you thought that life would be better off without you in it? Maybe you want to cry, but you can't? Let's sit together & find some light!
depression
Do you worry about things you cannot control? Do the "what if's" keep you up at night? Do worries limit your future dreams? Does spontaneity scare the s%*! out of you? Let's find the balance between hermit & daredevil.. & unlock some personal freedom from your extra "safety gene"!
anxiety
This is a judgement free space, especially when it comes to events that have impacted your sense of safety, happiness, self-worth, worldview, and way of being. This includes witnessing trauma. Your story matters & I want to honor the space for you to tell it!
trauma
Wherever you are on your journey, whoever you are, whoever you love, and however you identify - you are welcome! Let me support you!
lgbtqia+
Adjusting to the independence of being a teen? Navigating #adultingishard? New baby? New relationship? Trudging through (or celebrating) a divorce? Stumbling through a major loss or surviving widowhood? Turning 30? 40? or 50? Let's talk about it!
Life transitions
specializing in
My current companion and co-pilot for all life’s offerings is Charlie! He’s 35 full pounds of snuggle, with some german sheppard and basset hound mixed in. Charlie was rescued and at times struggles with his own anxiety. Proximity, walks, and treats are his favorite coping skills. (Charlie does attend sessions at times, and respectfully takes vacation days for those who may be allergic.)
I am a dog person.
on the weekend’s you may see me riding around with my Law Enforcement motorcycle family. The longest trip I’ve taken was in June 2022 where I rode 1,056 miles in 19 consecutive hours to Hot Springs, Arkansas.
I am a dedicated supporter of our First Responders community
I took my last math class my senior year of high school and was still able to graduate from a 4 year art university and complete my Masters Degree. Sometimes your weaknesses don’t hold you back - they just become another part of your authentic self. (So grateful that my best friend is an accountant and she checks my math!)
I am not a math person
fun facts about me
Be Here Wellness & Counseling was made official in September of 2021 - there was fear, and I did it anyway! Craving more independence as a practitioner & having experienced my own success in healing through whole-body wellness approaches, I have created the foundation to grow as a network of support for all the changemakers that seek healing through wholeness - and I couldn't be more excited to continue this journey!
now
I transitioned into outpatient private practice and joined The Center for Creative Arts & Play Therapy in January of 2018. This was a step that felt premature (#impostersyndrome) - there was fear, & I did it anyway! During my time at The Center I was able to grow my clinical skills & develop my ideal client caseload. I was the go-to therapist for any and all "difficult" or struggling teens! And I loved it. During this time I became certified as a 200 hour Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance, passed my examination to become a Board-Certified Art Therapist and explored continuing education in expressive-based interventions such as Nature-based therapies, Mindfulness for Stress-based Reduction, Internal Family Systems, and more.
2018 - 2021
After graduation, I accepted a position at Sheppard Pratt Health Systems as an Art Therapist on the adolescent male unit - this is where I discovered my love for angsty, limit testing, misunderstood teenagers.. and I learned that inpatient hospitalization is nothing like the movies. While working at Sheppard Pratt, I also accepted a position as an agency contracted therapist with Juvenile Probation in a specialized intensive treatment program called JUMP Mental Health Treatment Court, in York, PA. More angsty, law breaking, misunderstood teens. I worked closely with these teens and their families in their homes and in the community to gain insight on their behavior and connections for support within the community.
2014 - 2018
I attended George Washington University located in Washington, D.C. and completed my Master's Degree in Art Therapy. I knew and was committed to making my dream career a reality. These two years were the most challenging and rewarding years of my education. With a program that specialized in trauma, I gained experience working individually and leading groups with various populations of individuals including: St. Elizabeth School (a non-public school for students on the Autism Spectrum) in Baltimore, MD, Oncology & Hematology outpatient services at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and George Washington University Art Therapy Trauma Clinic in Alexandria, VA.
2011 - 2013
I attended The University of the Arts located in center city Philadelphia, PA. Fun fact: I had NO idea freshman or even sophomore year what I wanted to be when I grew up. Junior year I had two options post-grad: Art Education or Art Therapy. I was strong in my opinion of not wanting to grade the self-expression of students and did not want to doom myself to a career smell of tempra paints. So... what was Art Therapy? Turns out, art therapy was exactly what I was intuitively getting out of being at art school - the ability to express creatively ideas and concepts that were driven by my emotions (minus the critiques - those were awful!)
2007 - 2011
BE here wellness & Counseling -
The Journey
Therapy is suppose to be hard - it's not for the fainthearted & it's not for everyone. This is why some may pass on the opportunity or bulk at the recommendation (thanks, stigma!). It's not instant, it's not a quick-fix - it does take time, patience, courage, and consistency. After all, this is your life we're talking about!
In order to be successful, be transparent & commit to your journey of healing & change. Therapy begins with developing a relationship built on trust for both the client and the therapist. Confidentiality is held in the highest regard to protect this relationship. Your safety is also held in that regard - a therapist has every right to express their concerns for your safety and to recommend actions to ensure your safety. If you are ever unsure of a situation, please keep you and your life a priority. If a friend told you, would you tell someone to get them help? Decisions will not be made without your knowledge and involvement - I'm not in the business of blind-siding anyone, and understand the impact of such.
this is a no bs zone.
Investing in yourself is the greatest act of self-love. It's not easy - it's not a quick fix. AND it's worth it because you are worth it. Are you ready to begin & trust the process?
