Brady Mertens

Educated and trained initially at Franciscan University of Steubenville, I did my initial practice at a non profit serving impoverished individuals of the Ohio Valley, focusing on domestic violence intervention for perpetrators. I continued this work in Toledo and Columbus working closely with courts while using shame-aware and trauma sensitive models to address and reduce abusive behaviors. In addition, I worked with survivors, rural and inner city populations, and various faith and cultural backgrounds to address symptoms from anxiety, mood, and psychotic disorders.

While working in Columbus, I became specialized in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and treatment of avoidant, borderline, and obsessive compulsive personality disorders while better incorporating spiritual insights and faith (eg ritual, scripture, mysticism) to improve holistic care and even address religious traumas.

My approach to therapy includes improving your understanding of biological, psychological, and neurological sources of symptoms, paired with open and inquisitive exploration of lived experiences to better understand and connect a multitude of factors that affect your life and functioning so that you have a more complete path toward reaching your goals. I use Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy to help with addressing irrational expectations that produce problematic behaviors and emotions. I use DBT so support and develop skills to help with managing emotional turbulence and interpersonal conflict. I use Internal Family Systems to help parse out internal dynamics that lead to self sabotaging behaviors. All of these approaches acknowledge that you are always trying your best and that no matter what, I as a person myself have no room for judgement toward you.

You can expect to take the following away from sessions with me:

• New insights and knowledge about how your mind, body, and psyche function.

Actionable steps toward improving your symptoms.

Skills and resources to help guide you between sessions.

Improved internal cohesion and an openness to negative emotions.