MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST CANDIDATE
Most of us were taught how to behave long before we were given space to figure out
who we are.
My work focuses on the things that quietly shape how we relate: the roles we learned to play, the stories we tell ourselves about who we’re supposed to be, and the assumptions we make about the people we love.
I care deeply about helping people live in alignment with their values, rather than in reaction to old wounds or inherited expectations.
Hi! I'm Adrienne Bratton.
People often come to me when they’re stuck in the
same loops.
The same argument that keeps resurfacing
The same moment with their child that leaves them feeling helpless or guilty or unsure
The same internal ache of
knowing something isn’t working, even though you’re trying so hard to make it better
You may not know what to do yet, but you’re beginning to realize the roles, expectations, and beliefs that shaped you somehow don’t belong to you.
My role is to help you leave therapy feeling steadier, clearer, and kinder to yourself–free of old expectations and familiar patterns and able to choose the kind of life and legacy you always imagined for yourself and future generations.
Types of Therapy I Provide
Compassionate counseling for adults, teens, children, couples & families
Individual Therapy
A space to get honest about what keeps pulling you off course and to sort out what belongs to you versus what you learned to carry, with questions that help you see yourself clearly instead of through old expectations
Family Therapy
Work that looks at the whole system, noticing how everyone influences one another in real time and helping families replace familiar reactions with choices that actually fit who they want to be
Child Therapy
A place where children can be free to show what is happening inside through play, while learning that their feelings make sense and that adults can understand them
Teen Therapy
Support that treats teens as the experts on their own lives, helping them put words to what feels overwhelming and build confidence in who they are becoming
Parent Coaching
Practical guidance for parents who want to handle hard moments with confidence, turning guilt and confusion into clear next steps that match the kind of parent they intend to be
Couples Therapy
A place where partners can slow down the cycles that take over conversations, learn how to listen without defending, and practice responding from values instead of frustration
How I Work: Heart-Centered, Curious, & Guided By Integrity
"To me being heart-centered means not necessarily trying to understand from a logical, diagnostic space. It’s more like, 'Okay, you’ve got all these things coming up. What does it feel like?' And if it doesn’t feel good and it doesn’t feel in alignment with what you want to feel like, then let’s work on that from a heart-centered place.”
Compassionate Honesty
How would you describe your therapeutic approach?
"I listen closely, notice patterns, and reflect what I see with honesty and compassion. I never want people to come to therapy to have their worst fears about therapy be proven true. You know, 'Oh, I'm gonna get chastised, or they're gonna make me feel bad about myself.' I will challenge you, but never in a way that feels sharp or shaming, so when something isn’t lining up with what you say matters to you, I’ll name it gently and explore it with you."
Softness, Trust, & Safety
What is your favorite part of being a therapist?
"I love watching families soften toward one another, parents begin to trust themselves more, and children feel safer being exactly who they are. Those moments are quiet, but they’re powerful."
"Aha" Moments
How do you help parents in therapy?
"I love those light bulb moments when parents realize, 'Oh yeah, that doesn't really align with the goals that I previously established,' or, 'Oh, I'm repeating the same patterns that I hated when I was growing up,' or, 'Oh, okay. I see why that would have negative effects on my kids.' And that's why I could do this work all day and all night."
A Systemic Approach
Why did you decide to become a Marriage and Family Therapist?
"Kids are my passion. As a former elementary education teacher and case worker, I started to realize, 'Well kids don't grow up in a vacuum, so what can I do to help?' And that's when I got into the more systemic piece of things. That’s where the real work is–with families."
Techniques Tailored for All Ages & Stages
How do you approach working with kids of different age groups?
"With teens and older kids, it’s often about putting them back in the expert seat and getting curious with them about what worked last time or what has worked before, and then asking them, 'Can we do that right now? Can you teach me?' That one hour is a place that they can have that full control and start to differentiate between what's theirs and what's not theirs; they learn to find that balance of what they can control and what other people might control and how they get to experience and express things.
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​"With my little, little guys, we play a lot and we connect through play and they get to be free for an hour."
People I Work With
Families
Parents
Children
Teens
Women
Men
LGBTQIA+
Modalities I Integrate
Family Systems Therapy
Play Therapy
Marital Therapy Models
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
EMDR
Challenges I Help With
Family Conflict
Co-Parenting
Parenting Stress
Child Behavioral Issues
Teen Issues
Anxiety
Depression
Living in Alignment
Life Transitions
