Brittany Sawrey-Coulson

Licensed Associate Professional counselor

“Courage, dear heart.”

— C.S LEWIS

I Specialize In:

About Me

I have always loved stories for as long as I can remember. I craved them, dreaming of a life that was a true adventure. Very early in my childhood, I deeply absorbed the belief that in order to be worthy of others’ love and attention—and even to be worthy of having my own story—I would need to accomplish and impress. I set about my work diligently, trying desperately to prove that I was worthy. It worked just well enough to keep me addicted to the high of accomplishment—that moment where you feel, just for a second, that you are enough. But over time the high faded, and anxiety began to grow in the shadows. By my twenties, I was debilitated by anxiety and daily panic attacks. Seeking my worth and identity externally wasn’t just not working, it was slowly destroying me. Finding a therapist that could sit with me in the darkness, gently challenge me, and invite me into the light was a lifeline and a saving grace. The therapeutic relationship helped me have an anchor to confront some of these deeply held fears, begin forming a secure identity, and learn to love out of my true, authentic self. 

I still love stories, and I believe that each of us has an incredible story unfolding under our fingertips. The best stories are not all sunny days or mountaintops but include the caves and rocky passages that help us learn our strength and courage. As a therapist, I love being your fellow traveler, pointing out areas you might not have noticed before, wondering alongside you how we came to this path, and even in the darkest sections reminding you where the stars are. My approach is to give you tools for what you’re experiencing in this moment, whether that’s anxiety, indecision, depression, relationship struggles or more, but to also swim upstream to wonder where these difficulties are stemming from. I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) to explore the various parts of your system, mindfulness experiences to help us come into the present moment, and Polyvagal theory, believing that our minds and bodies are inseparable. Choosing to step into therapy is already an incredible example of courage in your story; I would love to explore it more with you! 

Education

Arizona State University, Masters of Counseling 

Imperial College London, Masters of Conservation Science 

Pepperdine University, Bachelors of Science 

Training

I am currently working toward independent licensure under the supervision of Kelly Ontiveros (LMFT #15325)