Brian Emmeck - MS, LAMFT, NCSP
Welcome and thank you for visiting my therapy page!
I seek to serve children (6+), young adults, and parents with slower self-awareness gains, to cultivate sustainable personal change. This change should be adaptable to the present and can reconcile daily self-acceptance with self-improvement. This kind of change should align with a person’s best self and realities of their limits. The slower work paradoxically supports faster access to self-control, perspective-taking, and decision-making in the moment. While perfect self-awareness is elusive, the capacity to practice introspection and grow is inherent in everyone.
Life is inherently dynamic, with challenges that may be changeable, unchangeable, or somewhere in between. I am committed to navigating this complexity with adaptability. I meticulously consider each client's content for context and circumstance, striving to create a balanced therapeutic experience that blends problem-solutions with problem-acceptance. For illustration, to foster perspective with problem acceptance, I may ask clients to test if or how potential decisions or past mistakes balance with holistic life concessions. Namely, finding complete perfection, control, permanence, and certainty are absent for everyone, and causality yields varied effects, both significant and insignificant, rather than always single, definitive outcomes. Again, this intention is balanced with respect for client agency and facilitating room for self-compassion when perceptions misalign with facts.
With every client, I emphasize learning emotional and cognitive insight and specialize in breaking down the details for young people. I’m passionate about making adult mental health concepts accessible to children and in words they understand. I'm happy to play the role of a kid-to-adult translator and often witness parents and children with similar intentions but struggling to bridge outcomes. Play Therapy is an essential part of my therapy process. I utilize play to support self-expression, especially in young children with limited vocabularies. I provide clients with a unique model incorporating play and art modalities into an online digital format. I’ve invested research and costs into online therapy sessions that can support live quality play with various attention spans. I believe that, within moderation, video play/games can be positive self-expression relatable to coming generations. Play and art therapies are even available to adult clients seeking an emotionally driven approach, and those who may authentically resonate with this connection to their childhood/self-discovery.
My journey in supporting individuals began in 2014, at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where I earned my Master’s of Science (MS) degree and Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree, each in School Psychology. I became a licensed School Psychologist in Minnesota and Wisconsin and then a National Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). To further my education in psychotherapy, I completed a post-graduate certification in Marriage & Family Therapy at Adler Graduate School. I now have additional licensure as a licensed associate marriage and family therapist (LAMFT). My professional experience is diverse, encompassing work with every age in Special Education across more than 15 schools and a private learning center. I continue to sub-specialize in guiding parents through psychological testing, Special Education evaluations, and 504 plans. My love for learning fuels ongoing field research in psychology such as IQ testing, learning theories, epistemology, OCD, and self-awareness.
The most inspiring part of my job continues to be learning what clients love or find interesting, what they consider boring, and the habits they want to develop. Knowing so many people in these ways is a privilege, and I’m grateful for these authentic connections. With young adults, I commonly support them in navigating a life stage that brings new responsibilities and demands. I enjoy helping to re-prioritize intrinsic learning and organizing motivation toward your intended values. Finally, I subspecialize in concerns related to obsessions and compulsions for all ages. I have an extensive history with OCD and take this population seriously. I provide careful assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
For more information, please visit my client card here. You can also find more information about therapy with me by taking a brief survey about new client/therapist fit. You can also directly schedule an online consultation related to registration.
“Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.”