Conversations with Brittany Woodham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Woodham.

Hi Brittany, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I initially got my undergraduate degree in psychology because I was curious; I had grown up witnessing my little sister being diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficient Hyperactivity Disorder) and ODD (Oppositional defiant disorder) at a very young age. Furthermore, as a child, I remembered getting psychological tests such as the Rorschach and the (HTP) house-tree-person test and was curious why. In addition, I’d seen extended family struggle with substance abuse and domestic violence and wondered why people behaved the way they did. So during my undergraduate degree, I changed my major from Biology to psychology and loved it. I learned about how injuries to your brain can change your personality, about psychopaths, and how people in big groups behave differently when together. I felt like nothing could stop me and that I was this Brillant psychologist. It’s funny that during my undergraduate degree, no one explained that “you know, when you graduate, all you will be able to be is a behavioral health Technician.” I graduated with my undergraduate degree in psychology in 2013, and I went on to get my first Job in behavioral health which was the turning point in my career.

The Job was probably the worst I ever had, but it was what I needed to help me find my purpose. I worked at a behavioral health treatment center for children ages 12-17 in Scottsdale. The children would come in with problems ranging from substance abuse to high-functioning autism, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. They were admitted into our program, where they would stay night and day and attend school on campus and participate in our treatment program. While working at this program, I witnessed all kinds of behaviors, from cutting to suicide attempts to even a teen having a mental break and attempting to run through the streets while experiencing paranoia. I tried my hardest to help as much as possible, but with little training and experience, I felt I could not help or decrease their behaviors. I eventually quit that Job because I was angry that things were happening and felt no one was helping. So I went back to school and got my degree in counseling. It wasn’t until working at the following Job that I learned about therapy and that I could go back to school and help children and adults individually like I had wanted. I told myself I wanted to be the person my clients could trust and motivate them to make the necessary changes to meet their goals.

Furthermore, I wanted to be truthful with my clients even if they were not ready to hear the truth because I’ve always felt healing, knowing, understanding, and accepting it was a significant determinant in people’s willingness to change. Don’t get me wrong; there were many bumps along the way, but once I realized my vision was possible, there was no one to stop me. As of April 1st of this year, I opened my private practice. I work with Men and women ages 15-65 who have had a history of Childhood trauma, attachment issues, and problems maintaining healthy relationships. In addition to that, I’ve partnered with the local fire department, and I provide counseling to first responders who have experienced secondary trauma. My clients struggle with Anxiety, people-pleasing behaviors, low self-esteem, depression, ADHD, PSTD, postpartum depression, and co-dependent relationships. I have so much fun working with my clientele, and I often see myself in some of my client’s struggles, which motivates me to want to be the best at my Job.

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, not at all; there have been a lot of NOs along the way. My first No was in high school. I wasn’t the most academically gifted child; I struggled with everything and had to try hard to achieve decent grades. My high school counselor told me that I was not smart enough to go to a university and refused to give me the information needed regarding the requirements to get into a 4-year university; I was my high school psychology teacher and my English teacher who ended up helping me. My first time applying to colleges, I got a rejection letter after the rejection letter. I remember crying in the hallway of mountain pointe High School and one of my teachers ended up helping me write an appeal letter to ASU. I worked all senior year to get my grades up to a 2.5 GPA, and I got into ASU based on that. Another time I received a no was within the last couple of years. Once you graduate with my Masters in counseling, you’re considered an Associate level counselor and must be supervised by someone in the field for several years. I remember working for this lady in her private practice for almost three years, but when it came to signing off on my hours, she told me she did not recall me working that many hours which caused me to be behind in my hours toward my licensure. This No was a big reason I transitioned to private practice. I felt like I had placed my trust and respect in someone who took complete advantage of me and did not help me advance in my career. There were also times I wanted to quit along the way. During my senior year in undergrad, I had a baby, and it was rough; in my last year in graduate school, I was pregnant and had complications and was put on bed rest. I ended up having my second child a week before graduation.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a behavioral health therapist in the behavioral health field for over ten years. I have worked in various settings, from treatment facilities, to group homes and even with schools. I have worked with a wide range of populations, from children 3 months of age to clients in their 70s. I have worked with substance abuse, schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, etc. As a therapist, though, I am most passionate about working with Men and women between the ages of 15-65 who struggle with behaviors such as people pleasing, anger management, emotional regulation, resentment, self-confidence, postpartum depression, finding their purpose, and being able to maintain healthy relationships. My goal as a therapist is to help my clients understand how their life experiences have impacted and shaped who they are. To truly heal, you must know where you came from and where you want to go moving forward.

Furthermore, you must be willing to make necessary changes to change the negative thought processes of doubt and fear to see actual results. If you were to sit down and ask my clients or anyone close to me, they would say that I am a blunt and compassionate therapist. I work with my clients to challenge their thought processes and encourage them to try new things and think in new ways.

I currently find that many clients come to me for past childhood trauma and resentment. Many struggle with maintaining healthy relationships because of attachment styles and the lack of seeing healthy relationships growing up. Many of my male clients struggle with anger, depression, and emotional regulation skills. They struggle with understanding that having emotions and acknowledging them does not make them weak or less of a man. With my female clients, I see a lot of them struggling with having healthy relationships due to sexual/physical trauma. They also struggle with trusting and having confidence due to their childhood upbringing. Furthermore, I see a lot of men and women of color who struggle with being black in America and how society perceives them.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My transparency and determination; I am relentless at ensuring I know the things necessary to see my clients succeed, and when I don’t know, I enlist help.

Pricing:

• $130 a session for Individual counseling.
• $150 a session for couples counseling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.healingintruth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing_in_truth/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091638968635
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/brittany-woodham-chandler-az/929950 

Image Credits
Photos by Michael Woodham