About
Brianna Wells, MSW, LCSW
Contract Therapist
Hello and thanks for taking the time to learn a little bit about me before making the important decision to start therapy! I am originally from Carolina Beach and now get to enjoy river life in Castle Hayne with my Husband and new baby boy—how lucky are we to be around so much water and sunshine here? My interest in mental health therapy started in elementary school, which eventually led me to be a peer counselor in middle school, dual enroll at UNCW to take psychology classes in high school, and then go to college to put my passions into action.
I started my career with an intensive therapy position, where I worked with clients ranging from ages 6 to 19 on coping with severe mental health diagnoses. I most recently come from a school-based position, where I provided mental health therapy in several schools to students who needed assistance with processing life events, learning coping skills, life planning, communication skills, and anything else they may have wanted to focus on during their mental health journey.
I specialize in working with children and adults on managing anxiety, depression, anger, life adjustments, and relationships. I enjoy seeing clients’ progress and helping to make a positive difference in their day-to-day lives. I utilize aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Oriented Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, art therapy, activity-based work, attachment theory, and trauma-informed care. I hope that my encouraging, gentle, and enthusiastic approach would be the right fit for you!
Experience
Therapist’s Qualifications and Clinical Background
I graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. While in school, I interned for 2 years at the Rape Crisis Center. At RCC, I aided with individual sessions, group therapy, hospital response, hotline calls, and community outreach. I also became trained in EMDR and Solution Focused Therapy while studying abroad in graduate school at that time. After college, I became a Qualified Professional followed by a Team Lead in Intensive In-Home Services for several years. Intensive In-Home gave me a variety of experiences with crisis response, crisis planning, individual and family therapy sessions, and case management. After IIH, I transitioned to a school-based position, where I provided mental health therapy at 2 elementary schools and 1 high school for over a year. I currently have my full licensure as an LCSW and look forward to continuing to perfect my craft with kiddos and adults…as well as maybe even couples in the future!
