Brett Stithem (he/him)

My Approach to Helping

My basic belief about therapy, and relationships in general, is that we primarily wish to be seen, heard, and understood. This requires a "safe enough" context in which to explore sometimes difficult feeling and patterns. While we may come to therapy hoping for immediate relief or resolution, we ultimately benefit from the opportunity to listen to ourselves in a new way, and to begin to trust our own authority. I do not subscribe to a technical or scripted approach to therapy. My primary goal is to allow for each relationship to develop its own organic pace, language, and approach. My training is psychodynamic and relational, which means that I believe it can be useful to try to understand how unconscious feelings, desires, and motives impact our lives. It also means that these aspects of our experience are likely to find their way into the therapeutic relationship, and that they can be effectively explored and understood through our collaborative efforts.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I earned my master's degree in clinical social work from the University of Chicago in 2010. I lived in Chicago for 15 years, where I worked with vulnerable and under-served populations in various roles and settings, including inpatient and residential care, therapeutic school, outpatient counseling and community mental health, hospital emergency departments, and private practice. I also worked for 3 years in the country's top-rated inpatient medical rehabilitation hospital, where I provided counseling to patients recovering from and adjusting to life changing injuries and illnesses. My training is primarily rooted in a psychodynamic, relational approach.