My name is Brea Blackwell, and I am a graduate student at Depaul University studying clinical mental health counseling. However, I started as an elementary school teacher and quickly realize I was in the wrong field, not because of the physical aspect, but the mental aspect. However, the biggest reason I decided to further my journey in counseling was to Help the population of athletes on all levels to increase sports performance. As a collegiate athlete, I witnessed the injuries, the highs and lows that come with it and most importantly fearing the unknown. After facing injuries, not knowing my other identities, I was forced to just be a student versus a student athlete, not realizing I was much more than that. Currently, I am a sports coach and showing up for my athletes and making sure they have a safe space not only on the field, but beyond is one of the things that gets me up in the morning. I than realized everyone could benefit from learning more about themselves besides athletes. In my free time if I’m not outdoors on a run or a hiking, I am most likely at home spending time with my daughter and Fiancé .

 

At some point, we all experience changes that are difficult to adjust to. They throw us off balance and everything can seem more confusing, upsetting, and overwhelming. Working with clients to build their sense of self-worth, enhance self-efficacy, and reframe negative thought patterns are a few of my areas of interest. My goal is to provide clients the space to heal and the opportunity to grow into the parts of yourself that you love, and judge, the parts that you only somewhat know, the places you avoid, or the places you do not know at all. I like to utilize a Cognitive Behavioral Approach mainly. However, I additionally identify with other therapeutic modalities and pull in ideas from Solutions Focused, Coaching, and Client Centered. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy because everyone is unique.