Jayson Brunelle (LPC)

“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until and unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.” -Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition __________________________________ Hello! My name is Jayson Brunelle. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Connecticut, I’ve provided evidence-based clinical mental health, addiction, and Christian pastoral counseling services in private practice for over a decade. I specialize in treating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. In addition to employing a wide range of tried-and-true psychotherapeutic approaches—drawing from an eclectic blend of Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Person-Centered, Gestalt, and other therapies—I reject the uncritical acceptance of the prevailing atomistic, reductionistic, and materialistic worldview often presupposed by the medical establishment. My academic background in philosophy and Christian theology has shed a most illuminating light on what I earnestly believe to be the “exalted dignity and vocation” of every human person: “The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God; it is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment… With the help of grace they grow in virtue, avoid sin, and if they sin, they entrust themselves—as did the prodigal son—to the mercy of our Father in heaven.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church This psycho-spiritual essence constitutes the “cor”—the “heart”—of the human person. Often referred to as the “soul,” this fundamentally spiritual, and largely enigmatic, dimension of the psyche, or the Self (widely understood by Scholastic philosophers as consisting of the rational faculties of intellect and free will) enables us to establish and maintain a habitual relationship with the great Guest of our soul. Thus, God invites us into the deepest possible “I–Thou” relationship with Himself. In that transcendent state of “eudaimonia”—or spiritual flourishing—we discover that every human person, created in God’s image and likeness, possesses the same profound and inviolable dignity. No one may be treated as a means to an end or as a mere object. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, each individual is a body-soul composite, lovingly created for communion with God and others. In both my personal and professional experience, the 12-Step model of recovery has proven nothing short of miraculous—especially in the lives of individuals otherwise resistant to treatment. Rooted in the Oxford Movement of the early 20th century (whose influence included great minds such as Carl Jung, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien), the 12 Steps are themselves deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian Scriptural principles. Many who have walked this path rediscover the truth, goodness, and beauty contained in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, often surprised to find there a profoundly sound anthropology. These texts offer not only psychological insight rooted in common sense (sadly, not so common anymore), but also concrete and enduring answers to life’s most profound philosophical questions, as classically framed by Immanuel Kant: 1. What can we know? 2. What should we do? 3. For what may we realistically hope? It has been the great honor of my life to assist clients in their efforts to overcome a wide range of difficulties—including depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, substance and process addictions, low self-esteem, procrastination, maladaptive behavior, identity issues, and more. Many have either fully recovered or regained a substantial degree of control over their lives. Therapy belongs to the client. As such, the therapist’s responsibility is to create a safe, open, and judgment-free space where clients feel free to explore their innermost selves. In this space, they are valued not for what they have or haven’t done, but simply for who they are—as human “beings”, not human “doings”. It takes immense courage to pursue a better, more fulfilling life. If you’re reading this, I applaud you for taking this step. It’s often said: “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” Should you choose to begin therapy with me, please know that it will be my sincere honor to accompany and support you on your journey of self-discovery, healing, and personal growth.