Would you like to connect with someone who "gets it?" Someone who has been where you are? Someone who can empathize with you? Empathy, just like painting, is an art and a science. It has been shown to improve client outcomes in therapeutic counseling. Like great art, deep empathy involves nuance and complexity not necessarily seen on the surface of human interactions.
To paraphrase Carl Rogers, it rings a bell in the client and shakes loose what had previously been only dimly sensed. Ed Neukrug created a list of "novel and creative" ways of advanced empathy. These deeper modes of empathizing convey to the client that you feel the gravity of their experience. A counselor might convey empathy using visual imagery, analogies, and metaphors.
To paraphrase Carl Rogers, it rings a bell in the client and shakes loose what had previously been only dimly sensed. Ed Neukrug created a list of "novel and creative" ways of advanced empathy. These deeper modes of empathizing convey to the client that you feel the gravity of their experience. A counselor might convey empathy using visual imagery, analogies, and metaphors.
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As the parent of a struggling middle school student, or as an adult who wrestles with anxiety, depression and/or grief, you may wonder if it is ever going to get better. As a result, you have done countless Google searches (mental health therapist near me, adhd therapist, depression therapist, adolescent therapist), and perhaps talked to many friends and neighbors.
Let's be honest: children and adolescents push our buttons and they seem to seek to step on our very last nerve. Through seventeen years of teaching, I have struggled with and dealt with a wide array of behavior issues. I have wondered whether I was too soft or too firm on discipline. I have had many moments of not knowing what to do.
I have over 20,000 hours of face-to-face interaction with children and their parents. I know the school system inside and out, including IEPs, 504s, and teacher student relations. As a teacher, I was responsible for managing the behavior of 20 plus children at a time, while motivating them to learn.
You are more irritable than normal. You seem to be less motivated. Sleep is a distant dream. Worst of all, you do not enjoy your favorite activities anymore. As a mental health therapist, I know that nearly everyone experiences periods of sadness and times of anxiety. But how do we know if we are clinically depressed or clinically anxious?
Would you like to connect with someone who has walked a mile or two in your shoes? My mother died when I was eight years old. I resolved some of my grief then and some was carried, unresolved, into adulthood. So I have grieved as a child and as an adult. I have worked with grieving children through Comfort Zone Camps.
Reviews (6)
Maggie Reeves
Jun 29, 2021
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I'm guessing that many people reading this are in the same situation I was 16ish months ago: tired of living with anxiety and depression, ready to improve but not sure where to start, and looking for insight from other people's experiences with therapy.
Well my friend, you need look no further. Coming out of a season of huge personal loss, in a new city with precious few friends, Dr. Jeff Brockman helped me first get my head above water, and then pull myself out of the pit I'd been stuck in. He's knowledgeable, compassionate, and great at strategizing coping mechanisms for when things get hard
Well my friend, you need look no further. Coming out of a season of huge personal loss, in a new city with precious few friends, Dr. Jeff Brockman helped me first get my head above water, and then pull myself out of the pit I'd been stuck in. He's knowledgeable, compassionate, and great at strategizing coping mechanisms for when things get hard
Jan Michael Aldea
Jan 06, 2019
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Beth McDuffie
Dec 20, 2018
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I’m not sure I know exactly when I met Jeff, but I feel like I’ve known him forever. He is such a kind and compassionate person and his dedication to helping others is felt the minute you meet him. I would highly recommend Jeff for any counseling need - he is well qualified and committed to helping others.
Sarah Shadburne
Dec 04, 2018
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Cindy Winter
Jun 18, 2018
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Jeff is a truly genuine and empathetic person and I would highly recommend his services as a counselor. The fact that he has experienced so many different things in his life gives him a broad perspective in his work with children and families, those experiencing grief and loss, and those looking for insight on their spiritual journey.
Barbara Kissam
May 03, 2018
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Jeff understands, teaches, and practices effective communication skills such as mirroring, in order to ensure that both children and parents accurately hear and understand each others’ perspectives. I highly recommend him as a counselor!!
Barbara Kissam, M.D.
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician
Child Psychiatrist
Barbara Kissam, M.D.
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician
Child Psychiatrist
