Gray Space Counseling and Consulting
Finding the Space in-between.
Hi, I am Brenda and I’m a trauma therapist serving clients in North Carolina and Colorado. I am driven by my own journey toward embodiment and self-understanding. I am a “nuero spicy” woman who feels honored to help others develop self-understanding and self-compassion.
I believe that all living things are worthy and should be able to live a life free from oppression. I strive to better understand my privilege in the space in time that I am currently living in. I am a feminist, I am an anti-racist, I am a believer in the interconnectedness of life.
I view the world through a systems lens recognizing how interlocking oppression and intersecting identities shape our experiences and our beliefs about self and world.
I believe we all have “stuck” spaces where we are invited to pause and get curious about what are bodies and minds are trying to tell us. I aim to create therapeutic space to help identify stuck points and find balance, to find the “spaces in-between”. The spaces where conflict exists between the parts of us that are “stuck” in the past and the curious parts of us that long to feel connected and confident in the present.
Maybe you find yourself feeling unworthy, unlovable, or no matter how hard you try you continue to feel misunderstood or overwhelmed. Maybe you want to focus on an experience that continues to cause disturbance in your life. Or maybe you have a curiosity about how your past influences your present.
If any of this resonates with you please reach out for free 15 min consultation.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal emotional distress caused by disturbing life experiences. When our systems experience stress we can develop beliefs about self and world. We can get “stuck” in patterns that continue to resurface. EMDR offers a pathway to integrate and reprocess memories that moves you beyond just managing symptoms.
EMDR’s foundational theory is that we have an adaptive information processing system. When we experience a stressful or overwhelming experience and are unable to naturally process the event we may become “stuck”. In this stuck space the individual holds the images, thoughts, feelings and body sensations in a dysfunctional neural network. When this neural network is triggered after the event the system can feel that the original danger is happening again.
The 8 phase model is built to support the client in understanding the maladaptive network, to improve the ability to manage distress and then “light up the network” and “jump start” the natural healing process. Using a structured protocol and bilateral stimulation (tapping, eye movements, swaying)the client observes the memory while connecting with the negative belief, emotions and body sensations until they move toward a natural adaptive space and begin to identify and install a new positive/adaptive belief.
Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems (IFS or Parts Work) is a therapeutic intervention that believes that the answers to why we are stuck in certain patterns lie within our “parts”. It's a non-pathologizing approach, recognizing that our “parts” have positive intentions but at times when things feel overwhelming to the system these “parts” can get stuck in more extreme roles. The goal of IFS is to build more connection and integration to access the calm, curious and confident “Self” that lives in all of us.
Neuro-informed Therapy
I have benefited from understanding the way my mind works and how this has affected me throughout my life. I believe that each person who works with me should have the opportunity to inform me of how they navigate the world and I love opportunities to share what I have learned about neuroscience and neurodiversity to build awareness on how the brain and body work together and how with more understanding and compassion we can find a more positive space within ourselves which then translates to our loved ones, our community and the world.
EMDR Consultation
As an EMDR Certified Therapist and Consultant , I am dedicated to nurturing the well-being and continued growth of helpers dedicated to breaking down systems of oppression. I have extensive experience that spans various environments, including private-practice, community mental health, jail-based behavioral health, youth residential facilities, and street-based outreach.
I am particularly attuned to the complexities of trauma, including adverse childhood experiences, institutional abuse, racial trauma, intergenerational trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, and depression. With a heartfelt interest in supporting clients with ADHD, I am passionate about exploring how EMDR can provide healing and insight for neurodivergent individuals. At my core, I believe in the power of creativity, curiosity, and compassion to foster personal growth, self-compassion, and stability.
My aim is to empower therapists to center their practices around their clients, honoring the innate wisdom of the body. I approach my work with a neuro-informed and somatic lens, integrating Internal Family Systems and EMDR therapy in a way that respects each individual’s journey. I am a deeply committed to integrating anti-racism, anti-oppression, and harm reduction into the consultation space.
Counseling and Consultation:
Let’s get started.
Rates and Insurance
Insurance:
Aetna, Cigna in both North Carolina and Colorado.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado.
My out of pocket rate is $140 for a 53-60 min session.
EMDR intensive packages available upon request and can be built to meet the needs of each client.
Consultation
One hour individual EMDR Consultation rate is $120.
One hour group EMDR consultation rate is $40
BIPOC EMDR therapists are offered half price consultation rates.
