Maryam is an expert in the field of Peak Performance Coaching and Trauma Therapy, specializing in assisting both athletes and individuals who have had experiences that have disrupted their nervous systems and brain function. Her expertise extends to assisting athletes dealing with Lost Move Syndrome (commonly known as the yips), recovering from the psychological and emotional effects of concussion and post-concussion syndrome, as well as treating issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and muscle guarding. Through an integration of modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, HeartMath, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and visualization skills, she empowers individuals to reset their nervous systems and reach their full potential.
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
My name is Maryam Brown, and I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Peak Performance Coach in Washington state. I also have a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies and a Bachelor’s degree is in French. Prior to my counseling career, I was an educator for twelve years, and I now teach as adjunct faculty at Seattle University.
My dog Brody makes me laugh and keeps me in the moment, forcing me to go on walks before, during, and after my workday. I also appreciate his company on my weekend hikes and camping trips.
Can you provide an overview of Reset Counseling PLLC and its core mission or values?
My core mission is to create awareness around the challenges athletes face, normalize their experiences, and offer hope and healing. I prioritize the unique needs of each individual, emphasizing personalized care above all. I offer complimentary consultation appointments to learn about each athlete’s challenges, goals and hopes for the future prior to signing up for services. I strongly believe in delivering results as effectively as possible adjusting the pace to my client’s readiness and needs. My goal is to help each client walk away with tools they can use on their own. I highly value transparency, collaboration, relational ethics, and my client’s needs and goals.
What specific counseling services does Reset Counseling PLLC offer, and are there any particular areas or demographics the practice specializes in?
Most of the individuals I work with are 13 and older. They are from diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. I pride myself on accurate empathy and attunement to the unique experience of the individual while respecting their background.
Could you share your professional background and experience in the field of counseling?
I graduated from Seattle University with a Master’s degree in Counseling in 2016 and have been practicing as a counselor since then. I began my journey as a counselor at a non-profit organization where some of the individuals who sought our services were grappling with complex trauma that had shadowed many aspects of their lives for years, and in spite of their commitment to treatment they hadn’t been able to reach a place where they were able to carry on with their lives in ways that was congruent with their hopes and dreams.
I was deeply moved and inspired by my patients’ resilience and dedication and spent many hours researching treatment modalities that could accelerate healing. I came across EMDR, an evidence-based neurobiological modality with high efficacy and lasting results and received training from the EMDR-HAP (Humanitarian Assistance Programs) Institute. I owe a debt of gratitude to my supervisors who supported me through this process and my patients who trusted me to guide them through their recovery. I was awestruck at the speed at which my patients’ trauma was being processed and resolved.
As I continued to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, I encountered athletes seeking therapy mostly for anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns. Surprisingly, addressing their past and present sports-related traumatic experiences led to immediate and remarkable changes, significantly alleviating their symptoms. In addition to recovering from the mental health challenges that had brought them to counseling in the first place, I was amazed to see how processing past experiences, such as prior injuries, losses, difficult relationships with their teammates and coaches, and internalized negative messages stemming from these events like “I’m not good enough”, “I’m a failure”, “I’m broken or damaged” to name a few, resulted in improvements in their athletic ability, confidence, and resilience. This further inspired me to get additional specialized trainings including Brainspotting and HeartMath.
Wrestling has been a big part of my up-bringing and a passion. Raised in a family of wrestlers, I witnessed some of the challenges athletes face: the demands and expectations; intense training schedules; the effects of injuries; the emotional and psychological effects of training and each competition; the unbearable upset of defeat; early retirement due to injuries; dreams unrealized. This understanding combined with the results of my work with clients inspired me to combine my two passions. I must admit that I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to the depths of my study and passion for therapy and sports psychology. Peak performance coaching is a passion project for me, and I am overjoyed to hear about the breakthroughs and fulfillment my clients feel due to our work together.
What is the therapeutic approach or methodology followed at Reset Counseling PLLC, and how does it distinguish itself from other counseling practices?
I integrate various modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, The Flash Technique, HeartMath, and visualization skills. This integration helps engage various parts of the brain – from the prefrontal cortex to the limbic system and brainstem – creating a more holistic avenue for healing.
HeartMath helps with transforming stress into coherence, managing emotional reactivity, and changing how the body responds to stress and depleting emotions (as opposed to renewing emotions). This makes it possible to deal with triggering or stressful events effectivley and ultimately change unhelpful behaviors and habits.
EMDR and Brainspotting allow access to deep parts of the brain, particularly the limbic system, and rebalance it. They've shown remarkable efficacy in treating trauma, anxiety, depression, regulating emotions, and addressing cognitive deficits resulting from psychological effects of concussions and brain injuries.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a valuable tool in catching and changing unhelpful thoughts. Our thoughts significantly influence our emotions and behaviors. By identifying and modifying these unhelpful thoughts, individuals can directly impact their emotional state, physical responses, and behaviors.
The modalities I utilize help with resetting the nervous system, managing stress, and enhancing communication between the heart and brain. They foster physiological coherence, resulting in quicker recovery, increased endurance, improved problem-solving skills, coordination, reaction time, and elevated energy levels.
The nervous system extends throughout the body; therefore, injuries to different body parts register within the brain. If left untreated, they can manifest as mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or chronic fatigue, as well as blocks in performance. Sometimes, even after physical healing, individuals may notice difficulty engaging certain muscles or resuming previous activities due to the brain's protective mechanisms triggered by perceived pain or danger. This involuntary reaction can lead to feelings of inadequacy or a belief that full recovery isn't possible. For athletes, muscle guarding or flinching can detrimentally impact their performance. The promising news is that regardless of when the injury occurred, healing is possible.
How does Reset Counseling PLLC ensure a positive and supportive experience for its clients?
During the first session, I conduct a comprehensive assessment, identifying goals, prior injuries, and past losses and challenges. I view my role as a facilitator, guiding individuals to optimize their nervous system, acquire essential skills, and overcome barriers hindering their progress. I work alongside my clients, drawing on their experiences and feedback to guide the process and determine which modality best suits their needs. With my clients’ permission, I consult with their families and coaches as needed to make sure I have the whole picture and work collaboratively with their loved ones and support system.
Feedback is a crucial part of this collaborative process as the clients’ experiences change in their daily life, relationships, and personal well-being as a result of this work.
Is Reset Counseling PLLC involved in any community initiatives or partnerships?
I prioritize close collaboration with various professionals in the community, including chiropractors, physical therapists, nutritionists, and naturopaths. This collaboration ensures that we can offer integrated holistic care that addresses all aspects of our clients’ well-being. By combining our expertise and perspectives, we provide the most effective and comprehensive support to our clients.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
It has been an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling journey to help my clients reach their goals, materialize their full potential, and recover from adverse experiences. I have worked with people who had almost given up on their dreams or hope for recovering from symptoms that were interfering with day-to-day life; individuals who needed a little extra assistance to get to where their lives could change drastically. It’s a gift that I don’t take for granted.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
Raising awareness about the challenges athletes face, particularly regarding the short and long-term symptoms of concussions and Post-Concussive Syndrome, is crucial. There is still a significant gap in understanding these issues and accessing appropriate services. It is critical to educate athletes, their families, coaches, teachers, and the wider community about these issues. Navigating these situations alone can be isolating and disheartening. Athletes are often conditioned to endure pain and overcome obstacles, which can be a powerful motivator; however, this mindset might lead to downplaying experiences that are treatable, potentially risking their health, relationships, and professional careers. Encouraging them to seek help from professionals and making the services accessible can make a significant difference.
It's about empowering them to prioritize their well-being and providing the necessary resources to address these issues effectively.
What about this work lights you up?
Helping people heal and unlock their full potential. I care a great deal about normalizing individuals’ experiences and providing comprehensive information to them, shedding light on why they might be undergoing particular challenges. Witnessing the relief that this understanding brings to people is immensely gratifying and motivating.
Additionally, working closely with high-performing individuals who have been grappling with issues such as the yips (Lost Move Syndrome), injuries, concussions, and similar obstacles and being able to assist them in their recovery and return to peak performance is a truly rewarding and fulfilling aspect of my work.
Why is this work worth knowing about?
Understanding and tapping into the remarkable resilience and malleability of the brain and nervous system makes healing a real possibility. It helps individuals realize that they don’t have to abandon their dreams and that they can elevate their performance to a whole new level, unlock their potential, prevent future challenges, and bounce back from current/past injuries.
What have you identified as the hardest block for peak performers to seek therapy/help?
A major barrier for athletes seeking help is the stigma around mental health, and the misleading and inaccurate messages that discourage them from reaching out for support. There is insufficient dialogue about the immense pressure athletes face. They often push through pain to maintain peak performance; however, untreated physical or psychological injuries, which are intricately linked, can turn into chronic conditions.
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