Q and A with Heather Brooke, LPC
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Heather Brooke is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with over ten years of experience. She offers teletherapy for individuals aged four and older in Colorado, Georgia, and Tennessee, as well as in-person sessions in Tennessee. Heather offers neurofeedback intensives and life coaching for couples, families, and groups nationwide. Born and raised in Central Texas, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an Associate of Arts in Business from the University of Phoenix, as well as a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adams State University. She is a member of the Chi Sigma Iota National and Professional Honor Society, the Colorado Counseling Association, and the National Board of Certified Counselors.
From personal struggle to inspiring others. Our therapist Heather Brooke - Author of '"Where's My Hair? A Trichotillomania Story for Children" - sharing her empowering journey at The InspireU Awards Ceremony. 📚💪
On October 7, 2023, Heather received an award in the Children’s Book category during The InspireU Awards Ceremony. In a heartfelt moment during her speech, Heather expressed deep gratitude and humility, attributing her book's success as the author of "Where's My Hair? A Trichotillomania Story for Children," to a higher purpose and divine intervention. As a therapist, she openly shared her personal journey dealing with trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, and how her prayer to overcome it was answered in a different way than expected—through writing a book that now brings solace and support to countless children. This touching moment highlighted the power of turning personal challenges into a source of inspiration and support for others, beautifully reflecting Heather's compassion and resilience in her work at Forward Counseling. Heather is also the co-author of "Reigning Resilient Queens" (currently in production). She is also a public speaker and brand ambassador. In addition, Heather also will be competing for Miss West Tennessee for America in April 2024. Her platform will focus on "Finding Purpose in Your Pain," discussing personal experiences like trichotillomania, sexual assault, narcissistic abuse, and emotional freedom.
Let us delve deeper for an exclusive Q&A session into what Heather has to offer her clients.
What made you choose to work in the mental health field?
I developed trichotillomania when I was about ten years old after experiencing trauma. As a child, I lived in an area where counseling wasn't readily available, so I was sent to a psychiatrist who just wanted to medicate me rather than get to the bottom of my issues. As a therapist, I want to help others experience feeling seen, heard, and understood—something I didn't get in my experience.
Can you tell us more about your experience as a licensed professional counselor and the areas of therapy you specialize in?
I have been an LPC for over ten years. My early career was spent as an early childhood specialist who worked with students and teachers in pre-k through elementary school in a classroom or school setting. At the same time, I was also a school-based clinician, working with elementary through high school students in the school with behavioral issues as a referral from their school counselors. I then went into working with children and their families in community mental health before adding adults and couples to my background in 2017. Since 2017, I have been working with children, teens, adults, couples, families, and groups. In addition to being an LPC, I am also a neurofeedback specialist. My areas of expertise include trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse recovery, anxiety, depression, trichotillomania, skin picking, self-esteem issues, communication issues within relationships, and providing Christian counseling to those who are seeking that modality.
How does being a board-certified telemental health therapist impact your approach to therapy, especially in today's digital age?
Being a BC-TMH helps me to identify better those clients who are and aren't appropriate for teletherapy services and also gives me additional tools for providing teletherapy services to clients. While teletherapy is a great and convenient way to access counseling, it isn't appropriate for everyone. Children under the age of four are not appropriate candidates for teletherapy. Clients who are experiencing suicidal or homicidal ideation are also not good candidates for teletherapy, as it is more difficult to ensure the client's safety and the safety of others through this modality.
Could you explain what neurofeedback therapy entails and how it can benefit clients?
I am trained in the Othmer Method of neurofeedback. I apply sensors to the scalp to detect brainwave activity. (Nothing goes into the brain. This is not a brain stimulation technique.) The tiny brain signal is amplified, and then by way of signal processing, the activity at certain key brainwave frequencies is extracted. This signal stream is then reflected back to the trainee's brain by way of a video display (DVD, YouTube, etc.), auditory feedback, and tactile feedback. The trainee is engaged by the game while the brain learns from the information embedded in the signal. The trainee can even be watching a movie while the brain learns. Cognitive engagement with the signal is not required.
I choose what sensor placement to use and what frequency range to work in. This choice is based on the totality of client complaints, which are evaluated in the context of personal and family history. Interpretation is in terms of the key failure modes of cerebral regulation, which then specify the appropriate protocols. I optimize the training parameters on the basis of the reaction to the training. Other protocols are then added to target the remaining patterns of dysregulation.
How does this specialization influence your practice, and what kinds of issues do you typically address as a certified sex therapy-informed professional?
This helps in a variety of cases, including providing age-appropriate sex education to children, teens, and adults, in addition to teaching them how to have conversations around the topic of sex. Within adult relationships, this specialization helps me work with couples on how to communicate their sexual needs within their relationship, how to be more intentional and/or responsive to their partner's sexual needs, and how to overall improve intimacy at all levels of their relationship. It also aids in working with clients who have experienced sexual trauma through molestation or rape and are having that trauma impact their functioning in their relationships.
Could you share some insights from your work as an LPCC supervisor? What do you find most rewarding about this role?
I am a certified LPCC supervisor in the state of Colorado. I think a lot of people, including those going through their master's programs to become counselors, don't realize that school doesn't teach you how to communicate and engage with your clients. School teaches you theories, how to use the DSM, how to do reflective listening, and how to maintain ethical standards. Our individual techniques and specialties are picked up and learned through our experiences with our clients, in addition to CEU trainings throughout our career. This can be very overwhelming for a new graduate in the field. My role as a supervisor is to make sure that they understand the laws and ethics, learn how to set personal and professional boundaries (for themselves and clients), give accurate diagnoses, provide constructive feedback in regards to clients they are working with, and provide education and encouragement for clients they may be struggling with. My overall job is to support and continue to educate them on their journey to full licensure. The most rewarding part of this role is hearing a LPCC come back and say, "I used this technique you told me about, and it was so helpful." I remember at times early in my career being at a loss with some clients, and it was so helpful to have someone who could guide me in those times. Being able to offer that back to LPCCs and see them flourish as a result is very rewarding.
What inspired you to write the children's book, "Where's My Hair? A Trichotillomania Story for Children.", and how do you see it helping children and families?
As I previously mentioned, I've had trichotillomania since I was about 10 years old. However, what inspired my book was a young client. I often use books to relate to my child clients. This particular client was between 12 and 14, had been diagnosed with autism, and was non-verbal. Her stepmother had brought her in for some other behaviors, but she had noticed the little girl had begun to pull out her hair. The stepmom told me the child's OT told her the girl had trichotillomania and then started giving me all kinds of information from the OT about the disorder that was just inaccurate. I educated the stepmom on the disorder and then went to find a book I could buy to read to the girl to help her understand. In my searching, I found books for therapists, books for parents, and books for adults, but nothing specifically for children. So I sat down at my desk and wrote, "Where's My Hair?" loosely based on my own experience. I sent it to my mom, who illustrated it and then found a publishing company, and it was released in 2018. It is up for an Inspire U Award in October 2023 for Children's Book of the Year.
Can you tell us about your upcoming book, "Reigning Resilient Queens"? What's the central message or theme you aim to convey with this book?
"Reigning Resilient Queens" is a collaboration by a number of women who have stories of inspiration, encouragement, overcoming obstacles, and resiliency. My specific chapter in the book is about surviving a narcissistic relationship.
As a public speaker and brand ambassador, what topics or causes are you particularly passionate about advocating for?
As a speaker and brand ambassador, I've spoken on topics including trichotillomania, dating/domestic violence, narcissistic abuse, relationships, and my personal freedom testimony (Christian faith testimony).
How do your favorite activities, such as traveling and going to the beach, contribute to overall well-being?
I'm happiest near the water. I prefer the beach (my happy place), but a lake is a close second. I make sure that I plan at least one trip to the beach annually. I also make it a point to try to travel somewhere every 2-3 months, even if it's just for a weekend. I have two daughters, so for birthdays and Christmas, we plan trips in place of gifts. I prefer to give experiences over something that will get thrown away, misplaced, or isn't used. Trips are much more meaningful.
Could you share an example of a particularly memorable or inspiring moment from your career as a therapist that has stayed with you over the years?
It's hard to pinpoint just one memorable or inspiring moment from over ten years in this field. I'm constantly in awe when I have clients who come to me for counseling and don't want to talk but actually want to do the work. When they invest in themselves that way and begin to see positive changes in their lives, relationships, and functioning, it makes me feel like I've done my job. Every life that is changed through counseling is an inspiration.
