Darissa Brooks, LMFT

Who I Work With

Individuals, couples, and families

About Me

I have a passion for working with individuals, couples, and families to meet their goals of living in congruence to their values, especially with the values that are given to us by God in His Word.  I strive to communicate with compassion and directness to help you identify what is blocking you from achieving your goal of freedom from the pain of mental illness, trauma, loss, sin, and relational wounds.  I have focused my practice in the areas of Eating Disorders, PTSD, attachment issues, chronic pain, grief and loss, and the relationships impacted by these issues and disorders.

The landscape of life can be littered with all types of deep pain, and we can feel stuck or paralyzed, not knowing which way to turn to find a pathway free of these difficult obstacles.  I believe that whatever obstacle we face in life, it is not blocking us in our journey, it is the next step in the journey.  I work to support people in facing these obstacles to acknowledge and voice your experiences, clarify your options, and make healthy choices that align with your values and beliefs.  My worldview as a Christian comes from God’s Word, the Bible, which serves as a foundation for values and beliefs to guide our choices.  We can carry struggles, dilemmas, and heartache for a long time and the wounds can feel deep. 

I use Biblical Counseling, Attachment theory, EMDR, CBT, DBT, MBT, and Family Systems to work with you to create a space where you can intentionally face the deep pain and draw it to the surface to allow healing to begin. 

Over the last 29 years, I have worked with teens, adults of all ages, couples, and families.  I have specialized in group therapy and working with families to support loved ones in mental health crises.  I have mostly worked in clinics providing Residential and Partial Hospitalization, which are intensive levels of care.  In 2021, I came to Through the Sea to focus on helping at the weekly, outpatient level of care, which carries the challenge of dealing with difficult issues and pain while managing everyday life. 

I am committed to using evidenced-based treatment approaches resting on the foundation of God’s Word to address your spiritual, relational, mental, and emotional needs.

Licensures

• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #45240

Education

• Master of Science in Counseling Psychology—California Baptist University

Certifications & Training

• Certified Biblical Counselor (IBCD)

• Eating Disorders—Trained

• Relapse Prevention—Trained

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)—Trained

• TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)—Trained

• EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy)—Trained

• DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)—Trained

• MBT (Mentalization Based Therapy)—Trained

• IFS (Internal Family Systems)—Trained