Brent Potter

Biography

Qualifications & Experience

I have been counseling professionally for the past 26 years in a variety of settings and roles, serving very diverse populations.

I am currently a candidate for a PsyD in Psychoanalysis from The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis. I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, an M.A. in Psychology from Duquesne University and a B.A. in Psychology from Western Washington University.

Other qualifications I’ve earned include: 

• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (License # LH0007704) (WA)
• Chemical Dependency Professional (License # CP60721362) (WA)
• Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHS), Ethnic Minority Mental Health Specialist (EMMHS) (Black & Native American) (WA)
• Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) (License # 510442) (National)
• Washington State Certified Clinical Supervisor
• Registered Psychologist (License # 2012832) (CA)
• Psychologist (RP Registration #0007704) (Philippines)
• Psychoanalyst Training Candidate (Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles)

My Call to Christian Counseling

When I was a child I was very interested in dreams and asked my mother if there was anyone else interested in such things. She responded, “Yes, they’re called psychologists.” I rushed to the phone book and looked under “P” for “Psychologist” and began calling down the list of names. (I didn’t know anything about having to set up an appointment, payment, etc.). Someone actually answered the phone and I told him about my interest in dreams. He said, “I don’t know much about that, but there was a guy names Freud who did. Go to the library and look him up.” I did so and never looked back.

Since then, the Holy Spirit has guided me to many places, from the most crime-ridden cities to numerous Native American communities to hospital emergency rooms, and beyond. Working in this field is my calling and I continue to enjoy how it unfolds and the people whose paths cross mine.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

My work led me to Southeast Asia, where I fell in love with my (now) wife. We have a one-year-old daughter together and very much enjoy living in Spokane.I have been counseling professionally for the past 26 years in a variety of settings and roles, serving very diverse populations.

Services and Specialities

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

• Individual Counseling
• Counseling for Children
• Counseling for Teens
• Trauma
• Addiction

Individual Counseling

A host of studies clearly indicate that many of the vulnerabilities we experience in adult life come from developmental stress and/or trauma. The context for such stress and trauma is most often linked to our family of origin. In our sessions together, we will seek to untangle the knot of what is bothering you by examining the relational dynamics of your family upbringing.

Counseling for Children

Counseling children often actively involves the parents. It is important to work intensively to understand where the disruptive childhood behavior comes from and how to best contend with it. With the outcomes of the Adverse Childhood Event (ACE) studies, we now know to ask, “What is your story?” or “What happened?” than to pose questions about what the child is doing wrong. Working from a collaborative family systems approach, we will partner together to gain a better understanding of context in which a child may be acting out. Doing so facilitates a family environment that is more conducive to the child’s learning, development, and growth.

Counseling for Teens

Teens are coming into my practice with higher degrees of trauma than ever before. It is startling what teenagers are exposed to at such early developmental stages. It is almost always far beyond what their parents know or guess. In my therapy with teens, I often seek to work with any adverse childhood events they may have experienced as well as coach them in some more productive, Christian values.

Trauma

Complex trauma describes both a child’s exposure to multiple traumatic events—often of an invasive, interpersonal nature—and the wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure. These events are severe and pervasive, such as abuse or profound neglect. They usually occur early in life and can disrupt many aspects of the child’s development and the formation of a sense of self.

Since these events often occur with a caregiver, they interfere with the child’s ability to form a secure attachment. Many aspects of a child’s healthy physical and mental development rely on this primary source of safety and stability. If you suspect you may be experiencing this, it is important to come and speak to a Christian counselor about it. There are successful treatments that can either reduce or possibly eliminate your trauma symptoms.

Addiction

Addiction includes but is not limited to substance dependence. It can also include addiction to sexual enactments, work, money, possessions, or relationships. Working through an addiction often means discovering the underlying conditions that created this vulnerability. Doing so tends to lead to a greater freedom and ability to experience relationships and life in general.

Payment and Forms

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

• Spokane – Saturdays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for Individuals, Couples, and Groups looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service. For more information regarding standard session fees, please contact me directly at 509-203-7729 or brentp@spokanechristiancounseling.com

Insurance: As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), most insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, individuals, and couples.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 3.7% plus $0.15 per transaction will be added for credit card payments.