Meet Brittany
Brittany Briceño (she/her/hers)
MS, LCMHC, NCC
I'm a cis gender, straight, mixed/biracial, bicultural, white, half-Mexican, and small fat, neurodivergent, able-bodied female living in Asheville, North Carolina.
I feel empowered as a proud daughter of an immigrant, 1st gen US-citizen, and 1st gen college graduate. I identify with my low-income, working class upbringing and Southernisms as a lifelong NC resident.
I love being the *cool aunt* to my three nephews and two nieces, and unashamed cat momma to two rescue kitties, Jack and Bud.
Autumn is my favorite season, and I love spending as much time as possible near a body of water. I'm an amateur hiker and kayaker, and I'm known to appreciate a clever bumper sticker. Some would say I collect "too many" coffee mugs, and chances are high that you'll run into me at a local coffee shop when not in the office.
A pivotal point in my journey to becoming a counselor occurred in the client's seat as an anxious, self-conscious middle schooler seeking to understand why the negative thoughts wouldn't stop and everything felt like too much.
The compassionate understanding and support I received from counselors during my adolescence was the spark that ignited a fierce curiosity for all things mental health, and now I'm here- bringing things back to full-circle.
I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) with my BA in Psychology. I spent a few years gaining experience in patient services and clinical research before returning to UNCG to pursue my MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
I've obtained my state licensure as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in NC and national certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC).
What I Value:
Consistent reflection of my own lived experiences and intersectional identities
Ongoing commitment to my own therapeutic journey
Honoring my own boundaries and capacities, including embracing rest and setting limitations around work as an act of radical rebellion within our capitalistic society
Regular participation in supervision and continuing education
Centering the lived experience of my clients and their roles as experts in their own lives
Efforts to counter the inherent imbalanced power dynamics in the therapeutic relationship
Practicing critical awareness of the systems in which we participate
Intentional learning, unlearning, and relearning to address innate biases
Prioritizing training and education led by those speaking from their lived experience as members of the communities I serve
Divesting from the standard oppressive & pathologizing model of diagnosis and treatment (while still recognizing both the usefulness diagnosis can have for self-understanding and the frustrating limitations imposed by insurance companies)
Leading with compassion, humility, and validation
Remaining appreciative of how clients’ various experiences, cultural identities, and viewpoints may influence their lives and be an integral part of their healing
“I have come to the conclusion that human beings are born with an innate capacity to triumph over trauma. I believe not only that trauma is curable, but that the healing process can be a catalyst for profound awakening—a portal opening to emotional and genuine spiritual transformation.”