Meet Bryan, a child, teen, adult, couples and family therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling.
Hi, I’m Bryan! I’m a child, teen, adult, couples and family therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling. I specialize in utilizing recreation, sport, art and challenging games/activities in my therapy practice.
Areas I specialize in include:
- Relationship issues
- Family dynamics
- Self esteem
- Self harm
- Sports psychology
- Substance use
- Isolation/ motivation
- Stress and Anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Trauma
- Coping skills
- Social skills
There can be joy in climbing that mountain.
More about Bryan and his work with couples in counseling in East Lyme, Connecticut
Bryan thoroughly enjoys problem-solving and helping his clients see more helpful perspectives.
He knows the path to improvement is often an adventure and rarely a straight line. Like adventures, Bryan guides his clients on a meaningful journey of learning and joyful moments in play. Self-discovery and improvement are byproducts of the adventure.
With Bryan, clients can expect some games and challenging activities that assist the process by eliciting metaphor, encouraging the use of new coping skills and enhancing the learning process. Some activities will be simple and done in the session while others will be referrals for activity outside the counseling session.
What is a Recreation Therapist?
Bryan McFarland holds a master’s degree in recreation therapy from Southern Connecticut State University. For those new to recreation therapy, Bryan uses games and activities as a part of the process to improve psychological, interpersonal and life functioning. The activities are evidence-based and proven to be effective.
Past Clinical Experience
Mount Saint John, Adelbrook, Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, Rushford Academy, Edith Nourse Rodgers Memorial Veterans Hospital
With over ten years of specialized experience in psychology and mental health, Bryan has worked at residential treatment facilities, in-patient psych units, VA hospitals, summer camps and challenge courses. This includes working with hundreds of youth, teen and adult clients with a variety of disorders and conditions including, but not limited to depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, conduct disorder/antisocial personality disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, self-harm, emotional dysregulation, traumatic/acquired brain injury, autism spectrum, and Down’s syndrome. Additionally, Bryan has successfully mediated countless interpersonal conflicts and deescalated verbal and physical aggression.
Non-Clinical Background
Bryan began his career in recreation working at summer camps, community recreation facilities and as a challenge course practitioner (high and low ropes courses). Bryan has also worked as a Federal Army Corpse of Engineers Park Ranger and as a State Park Supervisor at Lake Waramaug State Park and at Willard Brook State Forest.
Bryan enjoys the outdoors, adventure and exploration. He’s backpacked and mountain biked all over the country. He utilizes intense physical mountain biking as his primary coping strategy for dealing with life’s stresses.
Bryan also enjoys chess, art and spacetime theory.
Why I Love Being A Therapist
There’s joy in helping others accomplish truly challenging obstacles and I find it rewarding to do so in unique ways.
Why I Help with Recreation Therapy
Recreation therapy is about improving functioning through activity and education. Although much of the process still includes dialogue, recreational interventions can help a variety of issues in surprisingly effective ways. Examples: a client with ADHD may benefit from engaging in intense physical activity before class. A couple may find renewed joy and decreased conflict through engaging in adventure activities or cooperative games.
My Favorite Quote
Work hard, play harder.
My Favorite Thing To Do On The Weekend
My free time consists of intense physical activity interspersed with creating inventions, playing chess, dabbling in theoretical physics and spending time with my wife and dog.
Favorite Anxiety Coping Skill
Mountain biking is my primary coping strategy. The intense physical activity neutralizes cortisol/stress. The intense focus required for navigating extremely challenging terrain places my mind in a flow state. The slow progression in skill helps me to feel a sense of mastery.
One Fun Fact About Me
I’ve encountered over two dozen bears in the woods, including grizzly bears, one of which was sniffing at my tent at night…
