AJ Bruce, MA, Professional Counselor Associate
Supervised by Tameka Gibson, M.A., LPC-S, NCC, ACS, CRC, LADAC, BC-TMH
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
-Carl Jung
My Approach to Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Do you feel stuck, wondering why simply trying to 'not think that way' or 'not feel this way' hasn’t worked? Instead of avoiding painful thoughts and feelings, we can work to fundamentally transform your relationship with them, paving the way for true healing and change.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence based approach to therapy that helps us process and change our relationship with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, rather than push them away. The beautiful thing is that when we make room for life’s less comfortable experiences we also make room for the joyous ones.
Rather than trying to ‘conquer’ your struggles, ACT empowers you to transform them into stepping stones toward personal growth. In our work together, we'll guide you to wholeheartedly connect with your life's passions and values, bringing greater depth, meaning, and joy to your journey.
Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness and attunement to the present moment are a core part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and are research supported methods to reduce symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
In our work together, we may incorporate mindfulness training, including guided meditations and practical exercises, to help you develop a deeper connection with the present, yourself, and your world.
The Therapeutic Relationship
While all the fancy stuff is great, I have consistently seen the therapeutic bond we can build be one of the most healing parts of the process. My goal is to build a space for you that feels consistent, comfortable, and free of judgment; somewhere where you can show up as you are. I’m genuinely curious about your life, your circumstances, and what makes you, you. Whether we are navigating everyday struggles or life's greater challenges, I want our work together to be a place where you feel supported and understood by a genuine human being sitting across from you.
Also, I can guarantee we will find some joy and silliness along the way :-)
“As we ‘grow up,’ we get sophisticated out of enchantment and become too smart about the things that cause children to wonder… We may have to return to childhood and recover its truths, its vision, its logic, its sense of time and space, its extraordinary cosmology, and its creative physics if we want a way out of the black and white world of disenchantment.”
-Thomas Moore
Specialties
PTSD
Anxiety
Loneliness and Isolation
Social Anxiety
Attachment Issues
Fears / Phobias
Major Life Transitions
Relationship Issues
LGBTQ+ Therapy
Anger Management
Highly Sensitive People
Depression
“Humor, more than anything else in the human makeup, affords an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.”
-Viktor Frankl
Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation
Interested in working together? Send me an email, or fill out the info to your right, and I’ll be in touch shortly!
ajbruce@healingtrailscounselingllc.com
(503) 451-5673