Brooke Eolande

About Me: I am a therapist and I am also a white, agender, AuDHD person. Like many mental health professionals, my own mental health journey is what led me to this profession. I have been fortunate to have people in my life, including my own therapist, who reflected who I was back at me. These reflections made a huge impact on my ability to see and understand myself. Because of this, I am passionate about assisting others in navigating their own journey of authenticity. I learned early and I learned hard to mask who I was. It took a long, long time to realize that’s what I was doing. Each revelation came with new understandings on how to take care of myself. Getting to where I am now has not been easy but it has been worth it. I feel honored to share what I have learned and walk alongside people who are on a similar journey. I entered into the field of behavioral health as a domestic violence and sexual assault advocate and Behavioral Health Program Coordinator. Being an advocate gave me a strong appreciation of autonomy and a belief that we are all the experts in our own lives. This foundation has led me to prioritize anti-coercive therapy practices as well as mentorship vs. leadership. To increase my understanding of mental health, both individually and societally, in 2022 I chose to to pursue a Masters of Social Work from the University of Washington specializing in Community Centered Integrative Practice. During my second year practicum I found my affinity for working with queer and neurodivergent people. I stayed with the organization for two years after graduation and became the Director of Creative and Neurodivergent programs. Approach to Counseling: Human beings are wired for connection. People need to be seen and celebrated to thrive. I want my relationship with my clients to be a place where they feel safe enough to be vulnerable. It can be scary to look at yourself honestly and I strive to create a safe container for my clients to be able to do this important work. I believe that identity exploration is one of the most impactful therapeutic interventions. Masking, both externally and internally, can take a huge toll on your mental health. Trying to be someone you’re not is exhausting and often traumatizing, yet so many of us do it subconsciously. This seems to be especially true for queer and neurodivergent people and people from other marginalized communities. I want to help my clients unmask and understand, honor, and celebrate their authentic selves! A common counseling strategy is to focus on growing a person’s “window of tolerance.” I don’t believe that being able to tolerate more is the path to wellbeing. Most of us have been expected to tolerate huge amounts of distress in our lives and have already developed robust windows of tolerance without even realizing it. Instead of increasing their tolerance, I want to help my clients create a life with less distress to tolerate. I also write gender-affirming care letters of support for people pursuing gender-affirming medical care. Requiring letters of support before allowing access to gender-affirming care is inherently transphobic. My goal is to minimize harm while supporting people who are navigating a deeply invalidating system. Therapy is Political: Wellbeing is not individual and therapy does not exist in a vacuum. Historically, therapists have been expected to be politically neutral. I believe it is unhelpful and unhealthy to ignore how systemic oppression shapes our mental health. Without intention, therapy can reinforce and perpetuate the same oppressive systems that are making us unwell. Focusing on helping individuals adapt to these oppressive systems can come at the expense of community wellbeing. As a therapist, and as a person, I strive to always keep sight of our place in the whole.