About Brad
Brad’s Bio
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC #48686) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC #106) in California. I’ve lived and worked in a small town in Northern California since 2006.
I have recently closed my private practice to new clients.
I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Union Institute & University in Montpelier, Vermont. I focused on Somatic Psychology, specializing in working with stress and trauma.
While living in Vermont, I worked as a counseling intern for two years at Johnson State College. I then worked as a psychotherapy intern in private practice. I had the great fortune of having several gifted somatic-oriented psychotherapists as supervisors. For 5 years I was honored to work closely with my mentor Peter Collins, of the Institute for Personal Growth in Montpelier, Vermont.
Since settling in Mendocino County, I worked as a psychotherapist in private practice with people of all ages. I worked for nearly 6 years at Redwood Community Services (RCS) with at-risk youth and their families. I also worked as an independent contractor and trainer with several agencies in Mendocino and Lake Counties.
I am also a college professor, teaching psychology courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels since 2004. I taught various psychology classes for Community College of Vermont and since 2006, I have been an adjunct assistant professor in psychology at Mendocino College. I have also taught as an adjunct psychology instructor at National University. I have taught a variety of psychology courses during my tenure such as: Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Counseling, Introduction to Alternative Therapies, Health Psychology, Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, Family Violence, and Psychology of Death and Loss. I have also taught in the master’s depth psychology program at Sonoma State University, a graduate seminar I designed entitled: Somatic Approaches to Trauma & Grief.
I am also an international practitioner and trainer in somatic-oriented psychotherapy, working with stress, shock and developmental trauma. I have great passion for learning more about the brain-body connection, and have focused particularly within the fields of Somatic Psychology, Attachment and Interpersonal Neurobiology. I have spent many years experiencing and training in many different Somatic Psychotherapy approaches.
I am a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), consultant and faculty trainer for the Somatic Experiencing Training Program. I have trained under and taught with Dr. Peter Levine, creator of Somatic Experiencing.
I was also a faculty trainer for Trauma First Aide Associates. In 2006, I had the opportunity to serve on a Trauma Outreach Program to Louisiana to treat survivors and train health care providers in Trauma First Aide, to assist them in dealing with the aftermath from Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, I had the great opportunity to help introduce Somatic Experiencing to mainland China. I also spent a year working internationally with Burmese refugees in Asia.
I am a HeartMath Certified Practitioner and have worked with other somatic approaches to supporting better self-regulation and increased resiliency for individuals and groups. I have also been trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Art Therapy and Family Systems approaches. My intention is to seek out and integrate various approaches to healing stress and trauma.
For nearly 25 years, I studied under and taught with my mentor Dr. Laurence Heller, creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®). I am now a Senior Trainer in NARM Therapist and NARM Master Therapist Trainings, taught through the Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC). I provide onging consultation and mentorship to NARM Therapists and other psychotherapists in my role as Training Director at CTTC.
I also enjoy teaching in a variety of other settings, including: community and social service agencies, clinics, hospitals, hospice organizations, schools, healing arts programs, spiritual communities, and in my home community as a community educator. I have trained and provided support for thousands of mental health and other helping professionals around the world.
I love designing and teaching classes and workshops, and stay busy offering these to anyone who wants to have me. It is my passion to support Healing Trauma as a Pathway for Personal and Collective Transformation.
Please look at my teaching schedule for the next courses offered.