Chris Bradt (he/him)

My primary background and expertise is in mindfulness and I have found, in my personal and professional experience, mindfulness to be especially well suited for working with anxiety. Mindfulness provides us with the techniques and skills to allow us to observe, rather than get swept away by, our anxiety. From that place, we can see it clearly - including that it is, basically and simply, an uncomfortable state of mind and body - and work with it, including with our thoughts and our bodies.

Depression can be a scary place to find yourself and I cherish the opportunity to meet people in their personal darkness. Utilizing mindfulness, gestalt therapy, and ACT, we can build a skillset and perspective of self-compassion that unlocks your innate drive for healing and growth. No matter how uncomfortable a state of mind or body, we can always mine it for wisdom. With an approach of curiosity and courage you can begin to find yourself again and take steps in your chosen direction.

I utilize my training in trauma-informed therapy, and EMDR therapy specifically, to provide a safe and supportive setting to help clients address trauma and heal from it. All life experiences, no matter how painful or unjust, are capable of being transformed from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth. To get there, we start with safety (external as well as internal through nervous system regulation) and provide a space for you to be truly seen and empowered.

My practice is rooted in the principles and practices of mindfulness. I have a long history of personal practice as well as a master's degree in mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling. I both provide a mindfulness-based context for our sessions - grounded in self-compassion, non-judgment and curiosity - as well as mindfulness-based content - skills to practice present-moment awareness and attentional control.

Gestalt therapy is an experiential, embodied, present moment-based approach to therapy. You explore yourself, including different parts of yourself that comprise the whole, and experiment with different ways of relating to those parts. Through this, you learn about yourself and discover how to help the whole system function more optimally. Our parts, which may be in conflict with each other and creating internal tension, can begin to work together harmoniously.

I believe that non-judgmental awareness, a crucial aspect of acceptance, is the most advantageous place from which to create change. You can let go of the internal resistance to the way things are and begin acting skillfully in response to reality to move your life in the direction of what you truly value. We can take that step-by-step, increasing skills of acceptance, clarification of values, and developing a plan of committed action.