About
Brittani Antunes
"Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken"
- Oscar Wilde
When I was nine years old I made a list of what I wanted to be when I grew up and it read:
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Psychologist
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Physical Therapist
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Flower Deliverer
(this is a 100% true story and I will gladly post a photo of it when I find it one day!)
I remember knowing that I wanted to make peoples lives better. I feel like becoming a therapist was part of me since I was little and it was bound to happen. Becoming a physical therapist may not have been that far off base as I am intrigued by and continue to learn more about how we store trauma in our bodies and how I can incorporate that into sessions (so stay tuned!). As for a flower deliverer, perhaps that will come into play in the future, I mean, who can resist the opportunity to bring joy to people all day long?
I am originally from Maryland and made my way out to Arizona to escape the cold and soak up the heat (believe it or not). I’m a rare breed who doesn’t really mind the heat and will take it over the cold any day.
My Approach
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
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A.R.T. (Accelerated Resolution Therapy)
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IFS (Internal Family Systems)
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Body-focused/somatic approaches
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Throughout my career, I have worked with people on a wide variety of issues- ranging from discomfort with a minor life change to helping those diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) find sobriety, and everything in between. These experiences, along with my drive for lightening the emotional weight of others, have lead me down the path to get my Masters of Counseling degree and become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a clinical supervisor, National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a certified EMDR therapist. My specialty has developed into healing trauma. My goal is to heal as much trauma as possible and change as many lives as are willing. I help people put trauma in the part of the brain that keeps it from bothering them anymore, it's what I do best.
A big take away I have gained over the years is how things from our past effect us more than we could ever imagine, even contributing to medical issues. A band-aid and Tylenol can only do so much when a splinter is infected. Our bodies cannot heal until the splinter is completely removed. Our minds work the same way. Therefore, I have found a balance in helping to both alleviate current emotional pains (fear, lack of worth, anger, guilt, etc.) as well as healing the original cause to provide lasting relief (utilizing the Tylenol for in the moment and removing the splinter for good). Fortunately, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that brings that balance to life.
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I also utilize ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), which is another form of therapy that uses eye movements to heal trauma quickly. It's motto is 'Keep the Knowledge, Lose the Pain'. It allows you to hold onto the facts, you'll still know what happened, but it will be more difficult to access the images of it and the pain associated with it will be reduced or non-existent. This process can be emotionally intense with profound results.
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At times, I may also integrate a type of therapy called IFS (Internal Family Systems), which is a very non-judgmental way of viewing and understanding the various, and often protective, parts of ourselves.
I view things through a somatic (body) lens, paying attention to and inquiring about what may be happening in the body as we work through the different parts of your memories. For example, you may get a knot in your stomach or find yourself clenching your teeth when thinking about your trauma. Noticing that in the moment can help clear out those feelings, those body responses, healing you as a whole.
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If you would like to feel less emotional pain from something that has happened, I can help you. I believe that, together, it is possible to lighten or even rid the weight of the things you carry that prevent you from living the life that you want to live.
Why We May Work Well Together
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I am genuinely invested in your unique story
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We will be productive in each of our sessions together
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I will listen to and learn who you are, customizing my approach to what will work for you
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If you find a certain technique calming, then that’s what we’ll do
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I have an unusually large variety of tools to teach you so we will certainly find some that work for you
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I have been trained by excellent professionals over the years and strive to provide the most effective therapy
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My top priority is always keeping you emotionally safe
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I will create a space where you can feel free of judgment and comfortable being your true self
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I have heard many stories, experiences, and issues that my clients have thought were insurmountable and we have gotten through them together
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If you do happen to feel uncomfortable sharing something that comes up in therapy then there are ways that we can be just as productive without you having to share that thought/image/memory aloud with me
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I am authentic
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I care
The Counseling Space
* These are photos of my former office space. Although I am only meeting virtually now, I am keeping these up to help convey more of who I am as a therapist and the vibe that I hope to create with you even if it's not in this exact space.
