Our Staff

I wear many different “hats” at CBR, but my main one is overseeing the navigation of everything. You can catch me almost everywhere.

I have been a therapist for almost a decade. I grew up in these mountains, and found myself in them too. I strongly identify in the autism, queer, and chronic illness communities. I believe that the world wasn’t created for folks like me, so I found others and created a space that felt safe and healing. I am not everyone’s “cup of tea”, and I am finally okay with that.

In my spare time you can catch me collecting tiny objects, going to Sylva Belles Drag Shows, reading queer sci fi novels, and taking naps with my Saint Bernard named Walt.

May we all have a space to be vulnerable, seen, heard, and affirmed.

Brit is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT), Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), community care worker, and parent of two kiddos. Brit has over 8 years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults through expressive arts therapy and mental health counseling. Brit is excited to join CBR to further expand access to clinical therapy services for marginalized individuals and families within the WNC community.

I am a recent graduate of WCU's Integrated Health Sciences program with a concentration in Health and Wellness. My goal is to move onto a Masters in Public Health, as it is my wholehearted belief that a person's health and strength is a direct result of the health of their community. Every person deserves a safe place to live, work, learn, and play, and I have found such a space at Cornbread and Roses. By working as the new Food Pantry Director, I am super excited to uphold the belief that "all are deserving of bread, but roses too"!

Outside of work, I love to read, hang out with my cats (Katy Perry and Tom Petty), crochet, go hiking or tubing, watch trashy reality TV, and chat with my friends. I live with my partner in Cullowhee and other activities we love doing together include mushroom hunting, playing games, and bug taxidermy!

It’s my strongly held belief that every person is inherently worthy of feeling seen, listened to, and understood – especially LGBTQ+ youth, and especially right now. I’m a 2023 graduate of the Master of Social Work program at Western Carolina University, where I carved a path for myself specializing in offering therapeutic mental health support to LGBTQ+-identified and neurodivergent children and adolescents. As a neurodivergent, queer-identified person born and raised in the rural south, I have a personal understanding of many of the challenges and barriers faced by queer, transgender, and gender expansive individuals in WNC. I am also aware of the resiliency that exists within this population.

I approach sessions through a trauma-informed, strengths-based, person-centered lens. It’s my goal to offer an affirming space where clients feel safe showing up with vulnerability and authenticity to:

• explore aspects of identity, specifically gender identity and sexuality.

• navigate life transitions

• better understand and work with neurodivergence, specifically autism and ADHD. 

• address challenges with mental and behavioral health

• build coping skills for dealing with experiences of systemic oppression

Each of my clients is the expert of their own experiences, with a complex set of needs that are unique to them. Those unique needs will always be prioritized over any one therapeutic approach. I believe deeply in the healing power of creativity & play, so I also offer options like puzzles, art supplies, coloring books, fidget toys, and games during sessions for anyone who may struggle with or prefer an alternative to just talking.

In addition to my role as a therapist, I’m passionate about building bridges and connection through a shared understanding of our commonalities. I offer multidisciplinary community education courses and trainings geared toward bolstering support and allyship across identities. Within the next year, I will also begin offering clinical education courses on topics such as working with LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, and other minority clients for licensed social workers to earn CE credits. 

In my spare time, you can probably find me world building for the fantasy novel I hope to write, spending time outdoors with my pup, or convincing my wife to watch all my favorite animes.

As a seasoned wellness professional, with nearly 12 years as a licensed massage therapist, I am thrilled to step into my new role as a clinical therapist intern. My journey through personal healing and therapy has deepened my appreciation for the intersection of body and mind. I am particularly passionate about integrating attachment theory, polyvagal theory, somatic practices, and embodiment into my therapeutic approach. My background has equipped me with a nuanced understanding of how these frameworks support emotional and psychological healing. As I work towards my Master of Social Work, I am eager to use this knowledge to offer holistic, empathetic care and help clients build resilience and connection through a comprehensive, body-aware lens.

When I'm not working I love connecting with nature. You'll often find me hiking, lost in a good book, spending some time in the water, or roller skating. After 10 years of roller derby, skating is still a very special happy place for me.