Would we be a good fit?

We may be a good fit if…..

….you are motivated to take an honest look at your inner world and your history (even when it’s painful) and how it may be affecting your outer world and your present.

….you are ready to pursue internal transformation that has the strong potential to lead to profound external relationship, career, and life shifts. These shifts often bring about greater peace and clarity in both the present and moving forward into the future.

….you appreciate that your therapist is human. If you want a tabula rasa therapist (Freud’s idea of a blank slate), you may as well click off this page now, since that’s not me. I believe in bringing my humanity to the therapeutic relationship, and I don’t believe that a counselor should check their personality or heart at the office door.

….you value (or at least hold a curiosity about) music or other expressive arts and how they play a role in your own journey. Or perhaps you consider yourself a musician, an artist, or a creative of some kind, and you want to tap deeper into your own internal creative reservoir for inspiration and clarity.

….the below therapeutic models pique your interest.

….you want a personable, professional, and passionate therapist to help you navigate the healing path!

 

After working with hundreds of clients over the course of a decade plus (and also doing my own personal work along this journey), I have found certain methods and frameworks that resonate the most with my clients and with me as a therapist. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is one of those profoundly transformative models. Additionally, I also have a variety of training in many modalities that are rooted in the burgeoning field of neuroscience and take into account the importance of tending to the whole brain and the whole body in the healing process—not just thoughts and emotions. Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), Somatic Experiencing (SE), Community Resiliency Model (CRM), and Trauma-Focused Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (TF-EAP) are just a few models that fall into this category.

IFS is an elegant, intuitive, deeply spiritual model—although there is no need to hold any particular set of religious beliefs to find benefit from this approach. Through the lens of IFS, we can look at the parts of ourselves that might be showing up with self-destructive or self-deprecating beliefs or patterns. And in the therapy process, we carve out time and space for the healing of these parts, with the intention of beginning to change these patterns, these beliefs, and to truly help set these parts free. And setting these parts free allows space within ourselves to come home, if you will, to who we were meant to be—the best, most empowered, most brilliant version of ourselves.

And the various body-based (somatic) frameworks I draw from each take into account the neurobiology and energetic impact of stress and trauma. Using a non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing, science-based approach, these models explain what is happening in various parts of the brain and body when they are under stress and give practical tools to help re-regulate the nervous system and provide a greater sense of well-being, peace, and resilience in the body. In a culture that often elevates the value of the mind above all else, we are so often detached from and numb to our bodies’ experience. And without integration of physiology into the healing process, we risk foregoing lasting, whole-person healing.

IFS and somatic approaches blend together beautifully and can provide a solid platform to do powerful personal work.

I believe another facet of healing and wholeness has to do with getting a broad and honest assessment of your holistic health—your social supports, your spirituality, your hobbies, your physical health (exercise, nutrition, medical conditions), your creative outlets, including even what music you are listening to these days. (I may even have some suggestions for some soul-filling tunes as a part of your therapy recommendations!) I am a FIRM believer that music—and creativity and the arts in general—can be a profound part of self-nourishment, self-discovery, and the healing process. (Click on the music tab to read more about the music geek side of my life.) Office-based therapy can be a huge part of self-care, although it works best in conjunction with other healthy lifestyle patterns that reinforce the transformative work you are doing in session.

In addition to over 13 years of experience in the mental health field, here is a short list of just a few of the formal trainings I’ve received:
Internal Family Systems (Level 1)
Trauma Resiliency Model (Level 1 & 2)
Somatic Experiencing (Beginning I & II)
Trauma-Focused Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (Level 1–Fundamentals)
Somato Respiratory Integration–12 Stages of Healing
Interpersonal Therapy for Depression
Motivational Interviewing
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Community Resiliency Model
Coaching and Mentoring Certification Training
Seeking Safety Psychotherapy Model
Caring For Children of Veterans Training (Military Child Education Coalition)
Veterans Integrated Post-Combat Care Training

LICENSE
Licensed Clinical Social Worker for North Carolina—License #C006849 (NCSWCLB)

Services

IN-PERSON THERAPY
Click on “working with me” if you’re curious if we’d be a good fit. Or if you have further questions or want to schedule an appointment, click here!

ONLINE THERAPY
Existing clients can click here to enter an online session.

TRAINING & CONSULTING
I am available to train and consult on…

…self-care (practical steps and the deep beliefs and stories that can get in our way of nourishing ourselves).

…neurobiology of stress and trauma (a fancy way of saying how the brain and nervous system deal with stressful experiences).

….resiliency (bouncing back from and proactively protecting our bodies, hearts, minds, spirits, and energies from the inevitable stressors of life and work).

…working effectively with combat veterans and/or first responders.

…using music and the arts to nourish and heal the whole person.

…and more!

Please reach out to discuss personalized and customized training options for your organization.

Praise from Colleagues
Allison Puryear, LCSW
Abundance Practice-Building

Carolyn is someone I refer to all the time because she gets it. She has devoted much of her life to helping others. She knows that the magnetic power of caring can create a divide in your life and that as helpers we can sometimes give so much at work that we have nothing left for our families, friends, or least of all ourselves. She’s lived this and knows the ways to more fun and balance in life. A meaningful career is a beautiful thing, but not if it leaches meaning from the other parts of life. If you’re flirting with burnout, forgetting what fun feels like, or have gotten lost in the service of helping others, Carolyn can help you regain passion for both life and work.

Kristie Ihde, IFS Practitioner
The Selfward Journey

Carolyn is a rare gem as a therapist. She brings years of clinical experience to her practice with great warmth and genuine compassion. In her presence, you’re sure to feel a profound sense of safety–both in her skill to navigate extremely difficult situations, as well as in her calm presence. She is an expert in helping others discover the hidden answers that lie within themselves. If you want to heal, transform, and live your own brave life, you will love working with her!

 

Hillary Bolter, LCSW, LCAS
Bolter Counseling & Consulting

I have witnessed Carolyn Brown ‘walking the walk,’ not just ‘talking the talk,’ as a professional therapist for the past 10 years. Her passion for self-care is an essential ingredient. She is incredibly heartfelt, intuitive, and listens deeply. She has extensive experience with helping other helpers and supports clients to develop a gentle curiosity and self-compassion that can cause significant internal shifts.

 

Marisol Colette, LCSW, SEP, OICC
Therapeutic Image Consultant

Carolyn Brown has the gift of deep and authentic presence. Sitting with her for a moment or an hour leaves you feeling cared for and understood beyond measure. Carolyn’s gentle yet enthusiastic spirit blesses all she works with. Getting to work with her is an honor!

 

Kay Gardner, LCPC
IFS Senior Lead Trainer

Carolyn is an amazingly warm and gifted psychotherapist. She is caring and wise and deeply compassionate. She has spent many years working with other helpers, healers, and artists, holding a space of safety and support. I would feel confident about sending anyone to Carolyn for therapy; her gifts are immeasurable.

 

Bridget Truman, PhD
Clinical Psychologist

Carolyn Brown is truly a gifted therapist with a unique combination of authenticity, compassion, and an ability to be present in the moment with clients. She supports others in finding their inner strength and resilience as they move through challenges they face in life. When considering who is a great community resource as a healer, she is the first person who comes to mind.

 

Ready to bravely nourish your heart with some FREE creative reflections and soulful ponderings?