I believe that humans are hardwired for intimate connection with others. Yet, many of us struggle to find the fullest expressions of that connection within our relationships with others and ourselves. Using an approach that is based in both Emotionally Focused Therapy and Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy, I encourage an exploration of your inner self that will help you pinpoint those potential barriers to your ability to thrive, identify patterns that no longer serve you, and heal past wounds and betrayals. We will work together to discover new possibilities for yourself and your relationships, moving beyond a place of pain and disconnection, into a place of healing, hope, and true intimacy.
Brooke specializes in…
- Licensure
- Marriage and Family Resident Therapist
- Clinical Supervisor: Alissa Goddard, MA, LMFT
- Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology–Clemson University
- Master of Arts in Sociology–Stanford University
- PhD in Sociology–Stanford University
- Student–Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy–Lewis & Clark College
My Journey
I come into this work with the background of a sociologist, the training of a clinician, and the heart of someone who has experienced the messiness of relationships and sexuality. As a child witnessing my own family’s struggles with romantic partnerships, I was fascinated by the ways that our emotional and sexual relationships could be either a source of deep pain and dysfunction or a path towards healing and pleasure. I began my professional journey as a sociologist with a specialization in marriage and romantic relationships. I worked on research that explored common problems experienced in marriage and parenthood and I taught classes on the Sociology of Sex and Relationships; Gender; and the Family. It was also during this stage of my life that I became open to exploring the lingering wounds of my past and the ways they were showing up in my own romantic relationships. Some years later, I felt called to transition from the more academic and research-oriented work that I had been doing towards more clinically-based work. And so, I began the journey of becoming a Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapist.
I believe that we are all works in progress. (Yes, even therapists!) I continue to invest in doing the work on myself and relationships that I encourage of my clients. You’ll find that as a therapist I’m warm and compassionate yet also direct—I will hold you in times of pain and suffering while also challenging you during times of stuckness when you might just need a little push.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two children. I love cooking (for pleasure, less so for picky toddlers), writing, and watching embarrassingly bad reality television. I thrive in the gloomy gray of winter, which is really lucky since I’m based in Portland, and in the dreariest months, I can often be found skiing on Mount Hood or sipping a mug of marshmallowed hot chocolate by the fireplace.
